My Hauschka Year 2015

Dr Hauschka
clay mask application

The beginning of the year is a good time to take stock of one’s health and skin, so during January and February I generally offer “Spring clean your skin” facials – an hour-long deep-cleansing treatment, with steam and clay mask application, and also discuss tips for eating well to maintain a great complexion. Skin is deep cleansed with a gentle steam and clay mask application.

During March, I promoted Dr Hauschka Facial Gymnastics – "keep fit" for the facial muscles. These can really make a tremendous difference to one’s looks, by smoothing fine lines, increasing the tautness of the facial contours and improving the complexion. Generally, three lessons are advised, though often clients like to come back for a refresher. I teach Facial Exercises both individually, and as a group session, and also via Skype. Contact me for further details: jane@theorganicbeautician.com or enlarge the picture for an easy to learn exercise.

On April 28^th, I attended a makeup training day in London with the amazing Karim Sattar, Dr Hauschka's make-up artist. Not only did I gain lots of brilliant tips, which I was able to put into practice recently, at a photoshoot I was involved in, but I was able to catch up with fellow Estheticians, which is always a great pleasure, as well as educational. Karim is an inspiration to us Dr Hauschka Estheticians, and an absolute mine of information and wisdom on make up and the Dr Hauschka products. He is also an ex Steiner-school pupil, like me!

Gardens at Wala, Germany

In May I was lucky enough to be one of a small party of British Estheticians to visit Wala, the HQ of Dr Hauschka, where the products are conceived and created. The gardens exude peace and tranquillity and the lectures were a fascinating insight into why specific plants are chosen as well as details about eco standards and fair trade projects. I was so happy to visit as it has been on my bucket list for years, and I also had the opportunity to oil my rusty German a little.

June was a busy month for facials and I also was asked to do treatments at a retreat for pregnant women. (www.retreatyourself.co.uk) The Dr Hauschka treatment is particularly wonderful during pregnancy: it is safe for mother and baby, as all the ingredients are pure and organic, and the soothing footbath is perfect for swollen feet and ankles. The peace and tranquillity engendered makes it a lovely mini break for tired pregnant women.

Every Dr Hauschka Treatment
starts with a footbath!

July saw an increase in bookings for the Foot Treatment, as clients got their toes ready for summer: feet fit for flip-flops! It is always a pleasure to pamper feet, as they work so hard for so little reward, that the difference after a treatment is quite marked; as one client said “It’s like walking on air now!” However, every Dr Hauschka Facial Treatment also starts with a footbath, to help the client relax, and to stimulate the circulation. In the Summer, this is refreshing and in the winter gives some much needed warmth and pampering 

Skin consultation via Skype

In August I did my first Skype consultation. This is brilliant for clients who want a personalised consultation and advice, but live too far away from an Esthetician.  I do Radiant Skin sessions via Skype, as well as consultations, so if you fancy booking one, please email me:

jane@theorganicbeautician.com I also teach Facial Exercises via Skype, though ideally the client comes for the first session to my salon, and the follow up sessions are Skyped!

September is #OrganicSeptember, according to the Soil Association, and for the last few years, I have offered free consultations, which include a practical cleansing session, and I also talk about Dr Hauschka's Organic skin care and make-up. This really raises awareness of the unique Dr Hauschka approach, and helps convert many people to organic skincare, so it’s great for the environment, too. In October I did the (Organic) make-up for an Artisan wedding shoot at the beautiful Owlpen Manor. Harriet, Stroud's Organic Hairdresser did the locks and I did the looks, so it was all organic, and I was able to use some of the cosmetic tips from the April Make-up day. I was also shot - Marie Antoinette style - to reflect the use of flowers in the products I use (not the amount of cake I suggest people eat!) The gorgeous dresses were created by COCOA COUTURE of Cheltenham, an exclusive couturière boutique.

November and December are generally busy with facials, as people naturally want to look their best during the festive season, and a good professional facial can not only help with giving the client radiant skin, but can be a much needed rest among the hustle and bustle that is prevalent at this time of year. A Dr Hauschka facial treatment is for life, though, not just for Christmas!

I have also been preparing for the pop-up Salon I’m opening in the New Year, in COCOA COUTURE in Cheltenham, which I’m really looking forward to. It’s a beautiful room - Rococo style - in a fabulous location, nestled below COCOA’s beautiful silk wedding and ball gowns. Here’s a picture of some the creations, from the photoshoot in October. (I am on the far left at the end of the table. Despite the corset, or perhaps because of it, it was one of the most comfortable dresses I've ever had the pleasure to wear!) www.cocoacouture.co.uk 

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY CLIENTS AND READERS! 

See you in 2016!

Visit to WALA, HQ of Dr Hauschka Skincare.

Bio-dynamic gardens at WALA

Having heard and read so much about the amazing Bio-dynamically cultivated gardens,  where the WALA factory is situated, in Eckwälden, near Stuttgart, I have long wanted to visit them, and that was made possible this May, when I went with eight other Estheticians and our trainer, Elaine Robinson from Wala UK, to the 2015 Wala Open House for Estheticians and retailers. There were visitors from other countries there, as well, from Denmark, Yugoslavia and some other Eastern European countries, so the lectures were given in English, although I did have some opportunities to practice my schoolgirl Deutsch.

The theory part took place in the Maja Mewes Saal, the hall of the original building. All of the architecture had a particular look, both inside and out, partly because of the anthroposophical style of poured concrete, organic forms and cut off corners, but also the roofs, which were often planted or made of copper. 

The grave of Elisabeth Sigmund

The Maja Mewes Hall is just opposite the small, beautifully tended, graveyard where Elisabeth Sigmund and Dr Rudolf Hauschka are buried, alongside many others who were part of the Anthroposophical medical movement in its earlier years.

Mucilaginous Marshmallow roots.
Don't try this at home!

We were given talks on many aspects of Wala and the Dr Hauschka products, from CSR projects overseas, to the labelling of natural cosmetics and the sourcing of high quality raw materials, because, although over 100 different plants are grown at Wala, not everything would flourish on German soil, even if it is Bio-Dynamic! Plant signatures, with particular emphasis on Anthyllis, a key note ingredient of much of the Dr Hauschka skin care was another fascinating subject, as was the talk given by Elisabeth Sigmund’s biographer. We were also given hands-on experience of processing plants, when we had roots of marshmallow to chop and chew and could experience at first hand just how mucilaginous it is!

Buy your own raw milk at WALA

Although we covered many subjects in two days, as well as visiting the gardens and the Bio-dynamic farm - where they even had a machine dispensing raw BD milk! - there still seemed to be time for Wala to feed us sumptuously throughout; there were two wonderfully delicious and healthy lunches at the Evangelische Kirche down the road, as well as a picturesque evening meal at the peak of the Hohenstaufen mountain, which we later descended, bearing flaming torches through the moonlit woods!

Photo by the beautiful and talented Debra Donnelly,
who never forgot her camera!

The highlight of the trip had to be the gardens, which are still worked by hand, according to the phases of the moon and treated with BD preparations as well as the all-important dung from the cows at the Sonnenhof farm which forms part of the estate; this is crucial in BD farming as it is a closed system and so no imported fertiliser is permitted.  

Tatjana Pregler demo

On the last day we were treated to a viewing of the new Night Serum film, which can also be seen here: http://bit.ly/1AzMGrD   and a practical demonstration from the lovely Tatjana Pregler, Wala’s in-house Esthetician or Naturkosmetikerin, which we all enjoyed. We were given a goodie bag which contained the new Night Serum, as well as a copy of the book about Elisabeth Sigmund, which we had heard so much about earlier in the week, published in memory of what would have been her 100^th year; she died in 2013, still wearing her favourite lipstick  - 07  - to the end.

It was a hectic couple of days, catching up with other Estheticians, meeting some I didn’t know previously, as well as chatting to the lovely Wala employees who joined us and all spoke impeccable English (I must brush up my German!), but I learned so much, and would love to do it again. I’m now hoping that an international Esthetician gathering might be arranged at some point soon!

With my fellow estheticians at the Seminaris hotel WALA trip 2015