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Posted by Dain, Friday, May 13, 2005 3:46 PM (Eastern)
I'm always on the hunt for the perfect skincare routine. It has always been a seminal obsession for me, when it comes to all things cosmetic. I've heard about Dr. Hauschka, on and off, for the past few years, and my curioisty was sparked when Claire Forlani raved about the line in In Style quite a while back. But, it was a little beyond my budget at the time, so curious I remained. The first product I ever tried was a sample vial of the Normalizing Day Oil, which I really liked (made skin clear and vibrant, lovely smell), but obviously not enough to purchase it.
And then, about a year ago, a very helpful SA gave me a few samples more. I realize now that she gave me the wrong ones for my skin type, but I didn't like them the time. The Cleansing Milk was too rich, the Clarifying Toner too strong (and I had an allergic reaction to it), and the Quince Day Cream, though lovely, not enough to handle the overunctuous/overharsh combination of the cleanser and toner. "Not for me," I surmised, "All those celebrities are idiots."
And then, again. Daria Werbowy worships the Quince Day Cream (from two sources, even), and as for the Rose Day Cream, the list of devotees is staggering: Kate Moss, Madonna, Cate Blanchett, Helena Christensen, Jerry Hall, Jade Jagger, Stella McCartney, Daryl Hannah, Cher. And my skin was rasping a little after a bout of something mysterious attacking my skin (clear and pure as a summer sky for months, and then suddenly, clogged pores! Where did they come from? Not even La Prairie's The Retexturizer seemed to make headway—in fact, it made them worse.). "Alright," I grumbled, I still have some of that Cleansing Milk left over. I'll try it, but with my Neutrogena toner, not that one that gives me a rash."
And I looked better. Loads better, actually. A little pink, but better.
Surely I was onto something. For the past two years, I've used nothing but Cetaphil and Better Botanicals Dandelion Moisturizer, with a brief fling with LUSH Angels on Bare Skin during this past summer (which I really loved using, though I'm slightly allergic to this one, too), and Decléor Baume Essentiel or Biotherm Biosensitive Anti-Redness Concentrate to smooth o'er rough spots when my skin was particularly frazzled. And my skin, for the most part, behaved wonderfully. Sure, it was dehydrated, and sometimes a little sensitive, with the occassional blemish, but that's about as clear and radiant as you can ask for. And what do all of these products have in common? They're natural, chock-full of botanicals (except, obviously Cetaphil, and I've no idea how the Biotherm works, but it does, so I'm not complaining).
I had accumulated some minor clogging of pores (blackheads), because I had started to wear makeup everyday. Nothing too major as far as my skin was concerned, a little undereye concealer and blush, but with running around a mucky campus and glasses and who knows what else, some blackheads were inevitable. So, I figured, why not look for a really great AHA/BHA product? I don't have the patience to use a scrub, and exfoliation is really key to any skincare routine, plus, salicylic acid is great for unclogging pores! And there is no better or greater AHA/BHA serum than La Prairie's, pH balanced in a soothing aloe gel. Sounds great. I got right on ordering some samples.
It was, I have to admit, a mistake. It was too harsh for my sensitive skin, and I can't say for certain, it seemed to make my problems worse. Soon enough, I had a real blackhead problem. It might have been something else, of course, but I'm not willing to test it beyond a doubt. I'm pretty sure it did, though, because I began applying every other day (it was too strong for daily use) to some clogged pores between my brows, and not only did they become more clogged (whereas they had beem completely minimal before), they inflamed into actual blemishes. Hmm... not so cool. But I'm glad to have gotten out of a $150 habit, at least.
In any case, this all taught me something. My skin, though it has allergies to certain botanical ingredients (such as calendula), far prefers natural products. That's why, for example, it liked Caudalíe, or the Quince Day Cream, or Body Time, or LUSH, or everything Better Botanicals. And the less synthetic the better, as evidenced by how much my skin loves that Dandelion Moisturizer from Better Botanicals. It reacts horribly, however, to something extremely chemical, such as the La Prairie. I've no idea why this is, but it certainly explains why my skin is so responsive to some products, and is not responsive to most generic formulations.
And what better than Dr. Hauschka to step up? It is botanical to the point of being positively vegan (for real). Even the herbs they use, they grow themselves and process (some, anyway) by hand. "Why not?", I decided, and ordered some samples from Beautyhabit.com.
I've realized that with Dr. Hauschka, the products work in concert. Usually, the idea that you need to use products from the line to get best results is, pardon my French, a load of crap. But for Dr. Hauschka, it really seems to be true. The cleansers are gentle, but oily, and it is well to really massage them in (and rinse off well). The toners have alcohol, but they mitigate the film left behind from cleansing (but you don't rub it off, as you do with other toners). And you are not supposed to use a night cream. That's right. They don't want you to spend more money on them. Try one of their lovely day creams, which are more protective than treatment, but for the day only. And already (though it's only been a few days), my skin looks so much healthier. And the pores have diminished (I wasn't aware there were products that did that), and the oiliness of the products actually make them easier to remove.
It takes a week or so for your skin to get acclimatized to the more emollient products (and you may break out a little in the process), but once it does, it's smooth sailing (since my skin is dry, it took much less time). I think the thing about Dr. Hauschka that appeals to me is that it is not about treatment, as many chemical-laden products are, but about maintenance. It really promotes your skin's own abilities to heal and take care of itself (hence why they're so adamant about not using night creams... they say that they interfere with the skin's metabolic processes, which may be a load of crock, I've no idea). Dr. Hauschka, though it was only established 30 years ago, is a bit old-fashioned in its approach, and for someone with truly problematic skin, it won't do much. But it's my belief that for most women, your skin is often irritated because modern formulations are so chock full of abrasive chemicals (the skin is an incredibly absorptive organ, think of progesterone creams, par exemple) and the modern diet so full of hormones, and while it may react unfavorably to Dr. Hauschka for a week or two, it'll eventually purge itself of toxins and be happy with Dr. Hauschka.
As for me, the changeover was pretty easy. I have drier skin that doesn't usually break out, and I was using simpler, more natural products to begin with (but I attribute the fact that my skin is clear and dry because I use such products; there's no reason for my skin to be overactive), hence why it probably threw a tantrum in response to the La Prairie. Give it a try! Samples are easy to procure.
Cleansing Milk/Reinigings melk/Lait de Toilette
This is a lovely, silky lotion cleanser. It's leagues more luxurious than my usual Cetaphil, with a pleasant scent (kinda reminds me of flowers wilting in a vase). It does leave an oily film behind (it's rather rich), but it really softens up dead flakes of skin when you massage it in, and the film disappears with the toner. Why have I chosen this over the Cleansing Cream? for three reasons: cost (you need more, and you get less, with the Cleansing Cream), my skin is on the delicate side (the Cleansing Cream is mildly exfoliating), and I prefer not to be embroiled in any kind of hassle when it comes to cleansing (there's a roll-and-press technique that requires mastering). But I haven't tried it, so who knows?
ingredients
Water, Alcohol, Anthyllis vulneraria Extract, Jojoba Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Glycerin, Fermented Grain Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Bentonite, Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Fragrance, Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool, Citronellol
Facial Toner/Gezichts lotion/Lotion Tonifiante
This is, as one might imagine, gentler than the Clarifying Toner. It's got less alcohol, and I don't have an allergic reaction to this one. It comes with a spray attachment, so after cleansing, mist it on and pat it in. With your skin still dewy from the toner, apply your preferred moisturizer. While I usually consider toner entirely an accessory product, I think it is essential here. Without them, the cleansers don't work, they're too oily. And the creams are rather thick and concentrated, so a bit of moisture on the skin aids in application. The alcohol/witch hazel combination isn't rough at all (I hear they use some special plant alcohol, but I remain dubious as to whether that makes a difference), and my oft dry/sensitive skin doesn't mind it. It smells a lot like some sort of floral extract fermenting (perhaps that's where the alcohol comes from)... which ought to turn me off, but I don't really mind it.
ingredients
Water, Anthyllis vulneraria Extract, Alcohol, Witch Hazel Extract, Fragrance
Rose Day Cream/Rozen crème/Crème à la Rose
I just assumed that the Quince Day Cream was the right one for me (my skin has taken a turn towards dry this recent year; it's hard to readjust). I had tried the Quince before and I thought the formula really wonderful, though I wasn't wowed enough to leave my Better Botanicals Dandelion Moisturizer behind. But Beautyhabit was good enough to include a sample of the Rose Day Cream, and I couldn't be further along in cosmetic bliss (no wonder it's got a cult following!). I had gotten a sample before, but thought it gross. Apparently, this has been reformulated, and I dare say for the better. This is a lot richer than the Quince, and has more of a "barrier" effect, and while the Quince absorbed quickly, this sits on the skin for a bit. I've learned not to mind that, because my skin likes to be nurtured. I apply very sparingly, which I really like—I don't like to slather, I prefer to be economical. This is very gentle, nourishing face cream, and I really look forward to using this in the winter, or all year round, for that matter. My skin simply drinks it up. With a lovely, though strong, rose fragrance (as you might imagine).
ingredients
Water, Peanut Oil, Marshmallow Extract, Beeswax, Avocado Extract, St. John's Wort Extract, Shea Butter, Lecithin, Fragrance, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool, Limonene, Citral, Farnesol, Benzyl Alcohol, Eugenol, Rose Wax, Rose Petal Extract, Rose Hip Extract
For more information, Dr. Hauschka has a website at www.drhauschka.com. It may be purchased at www.sephora.com, www.beautyhabit.com, as well as at Whole Foods, many health food stores. Or, though the shipping is a little horrendous (it's international), www.alegria-naturkosmetik.com is a great resource, because they sell at German prices, which is a LOT cheaper (yes, that is €14.90 for the Rose Day Cream, rather than $35).
Labels: beauty notes, dr. hauschka, natural beauty, skin
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