Chicory

Chicory is a plant belonging to the sunflower family, or Asteraceae, and one of the earliest plants cited in recorded literature. The plant’s heliotropism - the opening and closing of its flowers depending on the presence of the sun – certainly indicating a close link with our daytime star. This special link to the sun may explain its many therapeutic virtues, including its ability to aid digestion, detoxify the liver, and use as a depurative and natural sedative. From 1500 BC, it was prized for its medicinal properties, and in the 17th century it was regarded as a universal remedy. Chicory, a plant which fired the imagination, was also thought to have magical powers. A young woman who uprooted the plant, was believed to ensure the love of her beloved. Inspired by this close connection between the plant and the sun, Clarins Laboratories studied chicory.