Growing up in Aoteoroa the humble Ponga Fern (or for those schooled up on their latin - Cyathea cumingii), belonging to the Cyatheaceae family, was literally everywhere. Still today any sliver of native bush you come across will be dominated, at least in the undergrowth, by this simple but ancient plant. The ubiquitous nature of the Ponga means it is easy to overlook.
New Zealand has an abundance of rare and wondrous plant life, many perhaps much more colourful and appealing than the Ponga fern. However, most don’t come close when it gets to fighting back the years. It turns out a specific fraction of the Ponga plant is particularly rich in polysaccharides that can be used to create a mucilaginous gel, which will deliver a pleasing and very real lifting and smoothing effect on the skin.
Once applied the polysaccharides form an elastic, resistant and continuous network that immediately tightens the skin, improving the cutaneous microrelief and prolonging youthful appearance by fighting skin slackening.
At Triumph & Disaster we use Ponga in our Gameface moisturiser to replace the use of menthols, which a lot of male moisturisers or post-shave lotions seem intent on. Menthols give a hit on the nose and create a sense of tightening on the skin but are known irritants and we believe have no place in a moisturiser. By comparison, Ponga is a very calming and gentle solution and outperforms synthetic chemical ingredients that are designed to do the same job by far. So it seems a few million years in isolation has its benefits and Ponga is a fine example of this- Ponga Fern - a wonderful find especially if you want soft youthful skin.
Name: Cyathea cumingii
Common Name: Ponga or Tree Fern
Family: Cyatheaceae
Description:
Cyathea ferns are tree ferms with a single tall stem. The genus can be found throughout the tropics, subtropics and temperate regions of the world. They grow in habitats ranging from tropical rainforests to temperate woodlands,
Growing over 10 metres tall, on trunks made of roots, their fronds are large and pinnate, with growth occuring from the centre. Like all ferns, leaves produce spores to reproduce. Cyathea typically prefer shade-semi shade and moist soils protected from wind.
Uses:
The pulp of juvenile fronds produces healing properties and it has natural properties that are proven to deliver lift, reduce wrinkles and deliver a natural toning and tightening effect on your skin. The magic is its unique composition of polysaccharides which form an elastic film that tightens and lifts.
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