Month: March 2014

My skin is looking dull!

This is becoming an extremely common customer question lately.

As we age often our skin becomes more pallid, it needs enlivening!

What to do

1) Use Moisturising Day Cream. This is our most enlivening moisturiser. It’s very light in texture however it’s also our most activating and enlivening moisturiser. Alternate Moisturising Day Cream with Regenerating Day Cream if you’re concerned about firming as well.

2) Use Toned Day Cream, the ‘original BB Cream’ is our tinted moisturiser which magically tones with any skin, and if you have dry skin you may wish to use Toned Day Cream over your Moisturising Day Cream. Alternatively mix Translucent Bronzing Tint with any of our Moisturisers.

3) If you prefer to just use Translucent Make-up, that’s fine, but always remember to add the colour back in. Apply Bronzing Powder with a fan brush going down the face touching high points, forehead, cheeks, tips of nose and chin, then Rouge Powder to the ‘apples’ of your cheeks.

4) Firming Mask twice a week is warming and therefore enlivening to the skin. This mask contains our precious rose in all four forms.

Thanks for reading our blog. xx

3 Minute Make-up

Life’s busy, sometime things just need to be done as quick as possible! The following steps I do almost every Saturday morning…

6 Steps to a 3 Minute Make-up

1) Toned Day Cream – or Translucent Bronzing Tint mixed with your Moisturiser. Colour and care sorted – quick as a flash!

2) Set with Translucent Powder, I prefer Loose applied with Powder Brush, plus it’s quick. If you fancy subtle luminosity for your skin, which is uplifting and you’ll notice a lovely effect in photographs as the light reflects off your complexion then choose Illuminating Powder instead.

3) Always remember to add the colour in with Rouge Powder (blusher) smile and apply to ‘apples’ of cheeks.

4) I have to use eyeliner, but I do keep it softer in the weekend, so I don’t use pencil, I opt to use an angled brush and the darkest colour powder in Stone Colours Eyeshadow Palette. Residual colour on the brush I use to define brows.

5) Mascara

6) I like Violet Marble Lipstick which I use more like a ‘lip stain’, it’s so matte I just dap onto lips then use Lip Balm over the top. Residual Lip Balm on my finger I use to smooth brows.

GOOD TO GO! 😀

Thanks for reading our blog. xxx

Plant Profile: Witch Hazel

Witch Hazel – Hamamelis virginiana

Description
This shrub, which can grow into a tree up to 8 meters high, appears bewitched in many ways. In the autumn, when most of nature begins to rest, fragrant yellow flowers with narrow, ribbonlike petals, appear between the hazelnut-like leaves like harbingers of spring, enveloping all the branches like small stars. The longish fruits, angular at the top, do not mature until the following summer to autumn so that the shrub bears fruits and flowers at the same time. When the fruit reaches full maturity it bursts open at the top scattering its seeds to a distance of several meters.

Uses
Hamamelis has astringent, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Witch hazel is used for poorly healing wounds, vein care, hemorrhoids, varicose veins and atopic dermatitis.

Interesting Facts
The name hamamelis is made up of the ancient Greek words “hama” meaning simultaneously and “melon” meaning apple or fruit, a reference to the simultaneous appearance of flowers and fruit on the shrub. The name may also come from the word “hamatus” meaning hooked, angular, which refers to the shape of the fruit.

The first people to use witch hazel for its healing properties were the Native North Americans. European settlers saw the amazing healing effects they achieved with this plant, which was how it found its way to Europe in the 18th century. Incidentally, the Native Americans also used witch hazel branches to make bows and as divining rods to locate water and mineral deposits.

The Plant at WALA (Dr. Hauschka)
Witch hazel is one of the key plants in Dr.Hauschka Skin Care. WALA essences from the leaves and bark are used in almost all face care products and in many of the make-up items. Witch hazel water is also used in Regenerating Neck and Décolleté Cream. The plant is valued for its astringent and firming effects and its stimulation of connective tissue. Witch hazel thus helps to give a clear, rosy complexion. On account of its astringent and anti-inflammatory properties, Dr. Hauschka Facial Toner is also particularly suitable for use as after shave lotion.

The firming effect of witch hazel appears to be reflected in the controlled expression of the shrub: its growth is reserved rather than luxuriant; the flowers, which are not luxuriant in appearance either, are held back until the autumn; the leaves are a little hard, stable in shape and do not wilt easily. As a shrub it is more closely associated with the earth and counteracts fiery, inflammatory processes. And the strong power of the sun appears to be concentrated in the witch hazel shrub, which absorbs the sun throughout the spring and summer and does not release any of the collected energy. Only in the autumn, with the blossoming of the star-shaped flowers, does it open itself to the aerial, astral realm. Thus the flowers are also pollinated by the wind. The plant gives us the entire concentrated power of the sun and thus stimulates our metabolism.

“Study rhythms – rhythm carries life.”

Screen Shot 2014-03-14 at 1.34.25 pm — Witch Hazel Essence preparation

With Steiner’s answer in his head, Hauschka developed a procedure for preserving medicinal plant extracts without using alcohol as a preservative. He used the power of natural polarities, the rhythmic alternation of darkness and light, warmth and cold, movement and rest.

Even today, we still use this basic rhythmic procedure to produce our extracts, essences and tinctures. We rhythmically stir our base products and even rhythmically shake our preparations to prepare them for the Intensive Treatments, for example. The rhythms of the seasons also determine the work in our medicinal plant garden.

Screen Shot 2014-03-14 at 1.34.53 pm — Witch Hazel Essence preparation

Thanks for reading our blog. x

Parent Company WALA/Dr. Hauschka Website Reference

Statement on Animal Testing

No animal tests have ever been carried out by or on behalf of Dr. Hauschka.

Dr. Hauschka is created at WALA Heilmittel GmbH. WALA’s experience of using natural substances to provide natural care through the biodynamic cultivation of medicinal plants extends back to 1935. WALA also produces an extensive range of anthroposophical homeopathic medicines. The responsible and sustainable development of our products is something that has been at the core of Dr. Hauschka ever since the beginning, back in 1967. Today we are proud to continue to carry this philosophy forward.

Naturally, this means that no animal tests have ever been carried out either by or on behalf of Dr. Hauschka since our founding in 1967.

While Dr. Hauschka has always foregone animal testing, the EU Cosmetics Regulation represented a decisive step forward for animal welfare in the entire cosmetics industry: As a result, tests on animals for cosmetic products and the raw materials required to create them have been completely banned in the EU since 11 March 2009. This is a legally binding ban, i.e. all cosmetics manufacturers within the EU must comply with this legislation.

To produce Dr. Hauschka’s natural and organic skin care and make-up, we rely on traditional raw materials of natural origin and the highest quality – raw materials which are also often used in the food industry. There is sufficient evidence to support the tolerability and effectiveness of the various plant extracts, oils or waxes we use.

Furthermore, we also commission independent institutes to perform dermatological testing of new cosmetic products on human volunteers prior to launch. These confirm the high tolerability of our products.

Animal testing and China:
Logocos recently brought the issue of animal testing for natural cosmetics into public discussion. This related to the requirement to perform animal tests in order to sell cosmetics on the Chinese market.

We ourselves examined the conditions for exporting to China years ago. Unfortunately, the Chinese authorities have made animal tests a binding requirement for companies wishing to register products for the Chinese market. We therefore made a conscious decision to not register or market Dr. Hauschka products in China.

We assure you that no animal tests have ever been carried out by or on behalf of Dr. Hauschka Cosmetics, nor will this happen in the future – not for the Chinese market nor any other market anywhere.

Key Ingredient: Field Horsetail

Description
So delicate and yet so scratchy; so hard that people used to polish their pewter with it, but so brittle that it breaks easily; the field horsetail is among the most ancient plants. Around 350 million years ago, in the Carboniferous period, together with ferns and club moss it formed huge forests. However, while horsetails in the Carboniferous era grew to a height of 30 metres, their modern counterparts reach only a modest 30 to 40 centimetres and live on damp, arable land, the edges of meadows, wasteland and banks. Sharp side shoots that resemble pine needles grow in whorls from the grooved main stem. Stems and side shoots consist of several jointed segments which give the appearance of being stacked. The joints are enclosed in much reduced, finely toothed leaves which clasp the stem like cuffs. The stems can be easily broken off at the joints. The largest part of the horsetail is subterranean: most of the stems grow horizontally under the ground, where they branch widely. The roots themselves are unremarkable. In winter the horsetail withdraws entirely into its underground parts. It is a spore-bearing plant, i.e. it does not flower but develops cone-like structures which contain the spores. The separate, cone-bearing stems are brownish in colour and appear in early spring. They are followed a few weeks later by branched, sterile green stems.

Uses
Horsetail promotes diuresis without flushing out excessive sodium and potassium ions at the same time. For this reason it has an important role to play in elimination therapies, for example for cleansing the blood or in cases of renal and efferent urinary tract catarrh. It is beneficial in the treatment of rheumatic complaints and swollen legs caused by metabolic disorders.

Due to its high content of water-soluble silicic acid horsetail has an astringent, restorative effect on the connective tissue. Preparations of horsetail applied externally stimulate the skin’s metabolism and have a firming, strengthening and cleansing effect on the connective tissue. This is particularly important where the tissue is slack, the skin poorly supplied with blood and blemished, and the hair and nails brittle. Horsetail baths are excellent in cases of vascular disorders, swelling, chilblains and poorly healing wounds.

Interesting Facts
The scientific name Equisetum derives from the Latin equus = horse and seta = animal hair and describes the stiff stalks of the horsetail. The species name arvense comes from the Latin word arva = field. The English name Field Horsetail is thus a direct translation from the Latin.

The mighty forests of the ancestors of the horsetail in the Carboniferous era have been transformed over millions of years into coal and today make up coal reserves.

Horsetail became famous for its blood-staunching properties. The Roman scholar Pliny the Elder (23–79) asserted that just holding horsetail in your hand was enough to staunch a bleed. For a long time the horsetail suffered neglect, but Sebastian Kneipp (1821–1897) revived interest in it and used it to heal wounds and treat rheumatism and gout.

Conventional farming views the field horsetail as a weed to be attacked with herbicides if it becomes too widespread. However, it only gets out of control if the ground has been compressed by heavy machinery or poor husbandry. Gardeners working in accordance with biodynamic principles, in contrast, welcome field horsetail. They use it to prepare aqueous extracts with which they treat their cultures. The silicic acid firms the surface of leaves, giving them protection against mildew, for instance.

Field horsetail is not only useful in medicine and personal care: the cone-bearing stems which sprout in spring and are the first signs of horsetail growth are edible. They can be made into soups, salads, omelettes and savoury puddings. However, anyone wanting to harvest them must be able to distinguish field horsetail from its very poisonous relative, the marsh horsetail.

Green horsetail stems can be used to dye wool and eggs a yellowish-green colour. The silicic acid in these sterile shoots makes the surface of the horsetail so hart that it can be used to polish metal: pewter, aluminium and copper gleam. Makers of fine woodwork and instrument makers also use this natural sandpaper to smooth fine woods.

The Plant at Dr. Hauschka
Ash from burned horsetail contains an exceptional amount – up to 67% – of silicic acid, the oxidised form of silicon, and keeps the shape of the plant like an impression after burning. Silicic acid is a main constituent of many minerals, including rock crystal, amethyst and rose quartz, and is of course best known as glass. Silicic acid lends structure and has a strong relationship with light. This makes horsetail a light plant, while its air tube system makes it an air plant and it also has a close connection with the element water, which it takes up through its widely branching roots. This last makes it an indicator plant for water build-up. Horsetail gives structure to water and as a medicinal plant can pass on this ability. By regulating the body’s water levels and stimulating kidney function it increases elimination and cleansing and thus has a beneficial effect on joints, connective tissue and skin.

WALA produces the field horsetail extracts used in Dr.Hauschka Skin Care using a special rhythmic process. These extracts are found in Dr.Hauschka Lemon Lemongrass Body Oil, Moor Lavender Body Oil, Lemon Lemongrass Body Moisturiser, Lavender Sandalwood Body Moisturiser, Regenerating Eye Cream, Regenerating Neck and Décolleté Cream, Regenerating Day Cream and Regenerating Body Cream.

How can I achieve longer lasting lip colour?

Model is wearing: Lipliner 06 Aubergine, Lipstick 15 Violet Marble, Lip Gloss 01 Rose

1) Apply Lipliner to the entire surface area of your lips. The shape of your lips determines the contour line.

2) Apply Lipstick over the Lipliner. The shape of your lips also determines the choice of colour.

Tip: You will always get a better result using a Lip Brush and smile while you apply.

3) To fix the lipstick, blot on a tissue to remove excess product. Use a powder pad to apply a little Translucent Face Powder to fix the lipstick in place, and then to finish, apply a second coat of lipstick.

Tip: We love a touch of Rose or Cherry Gloss over the top place mid bottom lip to enhance a pout.

Full lips: apply Lipliner to the inner lip contour. Choose darker, matte shades: Lipstick 04, 13, 15, 16.

Thin lips: apply Lipliner to the outer lip contour. Brighter, shimmering shades are the right choice: Lipstick 01, 04, 07.

Uneven lip contour: use the Lipliner to correct any areas of unevenness. Select transparent, shimmering colours: Lipstick 01, 03, 07.

Karim Sattar, Dr. Hauschka International Make-up Artist

Yesterday, today and tomorrow

Dr. Hauschka Branding Evolution

Dr. Hauschka has a NEW enhanced packaging design, our gold tone is now platinum and there have been some revised product names to assist with self select. The coloured bands depicting whether the product is in the Face Care category or Body Care category, for instance, remain virtually the same.

The packaging was presented for the first time at Vivaness, the world’s largest trade fair for natural and organic skin care and make-up, Germany in early February 2014.

We think the elegant design reflects our authenticity, the premium quality of our natural and organic ingredients, our medical knowledge and scientific origins.

NEW Face Care packaging begins in March 2014 and Body Care in September 2014. Our Make-up range packaging will remain unchanged.

The first products you will see with the new packaging will be:
Regenerating Serum & Regenerating Day Cream

Translucent Bronzing Tint
Formerly: Translucent Bronze Concentrate

Clarifying Toner

Coverstick
Formally: Pure Care Cover Stick

A list of all product name changes are below.

The unique Dr. Hauschka skin care concept

The concept behind Dr. Hauschka Skin Care dates back more than 50 years. In 1962 the cosmetologist Elisabeth Sigmund, who was living in Sweden at the time, set out her ideas for a unique skin care approach on paper for Dr. Rudolf Hauschka, the founder of WALA Anthroposophical Homeopathic Medicines. Her experience had shown her that the skin possesses its own powers of nurture and regeneration – and she believed that skin care products should support these powers. Dr. Hauschka products stimulate and strengthen the skin’s innate functions. This is made possible by the product’s composition of natural ingredients, which was developed in co-operation with physicians and pharmacists who contributed their knowledge of medicinal plants gained from their work with WALA Medicines. Dr. Hauschka Skin Care deliberately avoids the use of isolated active substances; it is the overall product composition that stimulates the skin’s natural functions. Elisabeth Sigmund also recognised that the skin cannot be classified in rigid categories. Rather, on different days and in different locations, at different times of the year and at different phases of life, it can have different needs that must be addressed by the skin care concept. For this reason Dr. Hauschka speaks of skin conditions, which can occur and then disappear again. Everyone is disposed to a certain skin condition, but it does not remain unchanged at all times. For example, an individual may almost always use Quince Day Cream, but then switch to Rose Day Cream in winter when the skin requires a more protective moisturiser. For this reason the new Dr. Hauschka packaging features descriptions of the product characteristics such as the following, found on the Cleansing Cream packaging: Refines, revitalises and deeply cleanses. The power of the night is now apparent at a glance. By studying scientific experiments, Elisabeth Sigmund recognised – and later confirmed by testing the findings herself – that the skin has different care needs during the day and at night. During the day, the skin needs moisturising waxes and oils to protect it from the elements. During the night, however, the skin must be able to ‘breathe’. This is because while we sleep, cells divide and metabolic wastes are eliminated – the skin regenerates. The skin does this best when heavy, occlusive night creams do not impede this natural function. This is why Dr. Hauschka deliberately does not offer moisturisers containing waxes and oils for use at night, but instead supports the skin’s natural night time activities with stimulating and fortifying botanical essences in aqueous solutions. For this reason it was very important to us to clearly label the products as being for day or night care. We want our customers to be able to recognise at a glance that our various moisturisers are only for daytime use. A wonderful product for the night, for example, is our ampoule treatment, which, depending on which decade of life the customer is in, is used as a special intensive treatment several times a year, applied for 28-30 nights (a skin cell cycle) following cleansing. This application is clearer with the new name, Renewing Night Conditioner.

Dr. Hauschka Quality

Authentic natural and organic skin care and make-up, certified to NATRUE and/or BDIH standards
Free from synthetic chemical fragrances, dyes and preservatives Free from mineral oils, parabens, phthalates, silicone and PEG
Wherever possible, all raw materials come from controlled organic or biodynamic (Demeter certified) cultivation and are recovered under fair conditions
We have never tested on animals, only on happy to help out human volunteers

Since 1967 Dr. Hauschka has been devoted to creating skin care formulations from Nature. Our efficacy is based on our unique skin care philosophy, unique rhythmic process and the highest quality natural ingredients with a preference for biodynamic, organic or responsibly wild harvested sources. The result: healthy, balanced, strengthened and radiant skin!

Thanks for reading our blog. x

Are you doing it right?

Are you cleansing correctly?

Back to Basics – Cleansing

1) Make your cleansing products last longer
2) Accomplish a deeper cleanse
3) Achieve softer skin without the use of harsh exfoliants

Correct cleansing is using gentle and effective products that respect your skin’s natural pH and hydrolipid layer, leaving your skin comfortable and balanced as well as supporting our no night cream stance, as opposed to overly alkaline cleansers, lathering cleansers and harsh exfoliants which all disrupt the skin.

Why does Dr. Hauschka promote a different cleanser for morning and evening?
Because your skin has differing cleansing needs at each end of the day. Deep cleanse with Cleansing Cream in the morning after the night time elimination activity of the skin and to prepare your skin for Toner and Day Care. Cleansing Milk is used in the evening to remove make-up, eye make-up and the dirt and dust that your skin picks up during the day.

What’s the purpose of Compressing and Hydrating?
Video

1) Prepares your skin for cleansing, softening the pores
2) Enables much more economical use of your cleansers
3) Impurities are more easily removed
4) Leaves your skin feeling rejuvenated, soft and more deeply cleansed

Cleansing Cream
For all skin conditions

Cleansing Cream gently exfoliates, fortifies and refreshes, while retaining the skin’s natural hydrolipid barrier. This formulation uses the highest quality medicinal plant extracts of calendula, chamomile and anthyllis, creamy sweet almond meal, to cleanse, balance and revitalise skin to minimise the appearance of pores.

Cleansing Milk
For all skin conditions

Cleansing Milk removes make-up and eye make-up. Special fermented grain extract nourishes and protects leaving the skin feeling pampered, comfortable and velvety smooth.

Bath Essences
Immerse yourself in an aromatic journey during compressing and hydrating your skin prior to cleansing.
Rose Nurturing Bath Essence* harmonises and nourishes
Moor Lavender Calming Bath Essence* soothes and protects
Almond Soothing Bath Essence calms and balances
Lemon Lemongrass Vitalising Bath Essence firms and refreshes
Sage Purifying Bath Essence refreshing and cleansing
*Milky composition

Dr. Hauschka Morning Ritual
Video

1) Compress and hydrate the skin
Place a capful of Bath Essence in a basin of hand hot water, place compress, squeeze excess water and hold to your skin and repeat.
Note: Compress is large to help retain heat, fold.
2) Cleansing Cream
Squeeze 1-2cm of product into the palms of your hands, moisten with water and mix to an emulsion, not a paste, and apply with ‘press and roll’ technique and thoroughly rinse.
3) Cool Compress
Or splash your skin with cool water, this simple technique contracts a tiny muscle beside the hair follicle helping to remove any remaining dirt, helping to make your skin feel softer.

Evening Ritual is the same, but replace Cleansing Cream with Cleansing Milk.

Eye Care + lip lines tip

From left: Eye Contour Day Balm, Daily Revitalising Eye Cream, Regenerating Eye Cream

Eye care should be a part of your day time skin care ritual. Never night time, as it’s just as likely to cause puffy eyes in the morning.

These are all concentrated products so only use a small amount, around a rice size, and warm between your two ring fingers and lightly apply with dabbing motion all around the eye contour. As with your day cream, leave time for thorough absorption prior to make-up application.

Daily Revitalising Eye Cream is light and rapidly absorbs and is perfectly suitable if you’re wearing eye make-up. Pineapple, Marsh Mellow and Calendula have a revitalising, calming effect, smoothing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Regenerating Eye Cream visibly minimises fine lines and wrinkles with antioxidant rich Red Clover, Acerola Berries and Sea Buckthorn, Birch Leaf, Quince Seed and precious Borage Seed Oil rich in gamma-linolenic acid.

Tip: Use the residue on your finger tips from Regenerating Eye Cream application to also apply around your lips giving another area prone to wrinkles a boost. Lip Balm is another product to visibly reduce fine lines around the mouth.

Eye Contour Day Balm is our ultra protective eye product that leaves skin soft as silk. It must be thoroughly warmed between your two ring fingers prior to application to melt the waxes.

Dr. Hauschka – 100% natural and organic skin care and make-up certified to NATRUE and/or BDIH standards

Foundation Application

1) After your morning cleanse with Cleansing Cream and your shower and while your skin is still warm close eyes and mist Toner, then warm your Moisturiser between the palms of both hands and apply to your face which should still be moist from Toner, to ensure even and economical application of your day care and to assist with absorption.

2) Now give your Moisturiser time to fully absorb into your skin. Go and have a cuppa, breakfast, get dressed etc.

3) Foundation will not apply evenly if your Moisturiser has not fully absorbed, nor will you get good coverage.

4) Apply Translucent Powder Loose or Illuminating Powder to set your foundation.

Is your eyeliner melting in warm weather?

HOT TIPS for a long lasting eye line

1) Moisten an angled brush with water

2) Pick up colour with your brush from just the one corner of the darkest shade in your Stone Colours Eyeshadow Palette.

3) With your brush apply a line to the lower lash line from outer to inner, starting a little further out than the outer edge of your eye.

4) You’ll need to pick up more colour with your brush, then apply to the upper lash line from the outer to the inner and beginning from the extended colour from your lower lash line so the two meet.

5) Define your brows with the residual colour left on the brush.

And for those of you that prefer a more defined line…

1) Use Stone Colours Eyeshadow Palette for your eyeshadow, using a little of the darkest colour close to your lower lash line, with an angled brush is best for application.

2) Apply Kajal Eye Pencil Black close to the upper lash line, smudge and use darkest colour eyeshadow to set.

3) This technique will make the application of a Liquid Liner much more forgiving.

4) Apply Liquid Liner Black close to the upper lash line.

Thanks for reading our blog. x