Lilium (members of which are true lilies) is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, all with large prominent flowers. Lilies are a group of flowering plants which are important in culture and literature in much of the world. Most species are native to the temperate northern hemisphere, though their range extends into the northern subtropics. Many other plants have "lily" in their common name but are not related to true lilies.

Lilium candidum, the Madonna lily, also know as the White Lily, is a plant in the true lily family. It is native to Balkans and the Middle East, and naturalized in other parts of Europe (France, Italy, Ukraine, etc.) as well as in North Africa, the Canary Islands, Mexico, and other places. It forms bulbs at ground level, and unlike other lilies, has a basal rosette of leaves through the winter, which die back in summer. A leafy flower stem, typically up to 4 feet high, sometimes up to 6 feet 7 inches high, emerges in late spring and bears sweetly and headily fragrant flowers in summer. Flowers are white, flushed yellow at the base.

White Lily Bulbs have softening, soothing properties. The active ingredients are mucilages, tannins, sterols and glucosids. The integral extracts of White lily bulbs have bio-activating skin properties commonly used in cosmetics to improve the appearance and texture of senescent skins. These properties include astringence, emollience and demulcense.