White Tea is a rare, much sought after plant grown in China in the Fujian mountains. Drinking it was once considered a route to immortality and it gets its name from its silvery-white leaf buds. These are picked from the plant during the first days of spring. It is one of the rarest, most expensive teas in the world for several reasons: the harvest sometimes lasts just two days, the buds must be picked by hand, the production is on a very small scale and the manufacturing process is difficult. Unlike other teas, White Tea does not undergo any fermentation. It is just withered and dried. This simple procedure preserves all the qualities of the leaf and explains why it is so rich in antioxidant flavonoids. In vitro tests carried out by Clarins Laboratories have proven that White Tea neutralizes up to 80% of free radicals, protects cell membranes and helps the skin to defend itself from pollution and other environmental aggressions.