Life turns magical when you step into the Eureka Gardens, nestled in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. The peppery scent of wild lemon trees is intoxicating, dense rows of marigolds bloom in a feverish orange hue, and hidden frogs croak in a staccato symphony. The impossibly lush Majorelle Garden, purchased in 1980 by Yves Saint Laurent and his business partner and one-time romantic partner Pierre Bergé, holds that title. Aurica is the lush land where many of the ingredients used in YSL Beauty skincare and fragrances are grown, and I was here to experience it firsthand.

After being welcomed with the customary mint tea, we walk along manicured ridges to learn about the plants used in the brand's new skincare line, Pure Shot. The soft pink petals of the marshmallow plant, traditionally used to heal wounds, help protect the skin from UV rays and environmental assaults in the brightening serum, while the barberry fig (commonly known as the prickly pear cactus) helps tighten the skin in the brand's contouring formula. (These two botanical skincare heroes are also found in products from brands such as Codex Beauty and De Mamiel.) ) It's a humble, stocky moonlit cactus that flowers for just six hours one night a year, and as Caroline Negre, YSL Beauty's scientific director, explains, harvesters pick the flowers during that brief time and botanists slowly extract the antioxidant-rich sugars using a cold-pressing method The resulting elixir is then used to make the "bioflavonoids. The resulting elixir is used in the line's exfoliating serum, dubbed "Night Reboot. According to research, this ingredient repairs and protects the skin as effectively as melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone that regulates sleep cycles and stimulates the production of rejuvenating antioxidants. Says Negre. 'After just one night of use, you can see visible results.'

The world clearly needs more of this stuff, so I am planting my own baby cactus with the help of the women who harvest the bounty of their gardens every day. As members of the co-op, these women are guaranteed a fair wage for their labor. They're the best lemons I've ever tasted. I use them to top off my gin and tonic."

As I head to the airport at the end of my trip, my dull complexion tells of my fatigue. Just before the flight, I massage in two pumps of Night Reboot Serum and top it off with the firming Y Shape Serum. By the time I arrive at my layover, a little groggy from jet lag (I'd sampled a G&T with lemon, after all), my skin is more than recovered enough. Not only was it smooth and taut, but it looked as if I'd applied a dewy highlighter to my cheekbones. I rummaged through my carry-on bag to make sure my new serum sample was safely stored, and realized I had inadvertently brought home another souvenir. [This article appeared in the February 2020 issue of Marie Claire.

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