1) With significant numbers of retailers across many countries, what are the vital organisational strategies which enable Dr. Hauschka to maintain its uniform consistency of quality and service?

Our formulations are based on an understanding of the way skin works and its relationship with overall health. A Dr.Hauschka Skin Care regimen should be part of a healthy lifestyle supported by diet, exercise and contemplative practices to reconnect us with our natural rhythms. All of these factors have an effect on skin health and beauty, and all are a part of Dr.Hauschka's holistic approach.

We have a special kind of medicine and remedies based on natural ingredients, which are diluted to overcome illness. When we talk about what makes Dr.Hauschka Skin Care unique, we talk a lot about our holistic approach. Our products, treatment methods and even our business practices are based on a "holistic" philosophy.

98% of the plants in Dr.Hauschka Skin Care are grown Biodynamically, organically or have been ethically wild-harvested. Biodynamic agriculture is an organic and sustainable approach that not only considers the health of the ecosystem but also how the rhythms of the universe - the sun, moon, planets and stars - influence how the plants grow. It employs a unique set of herbal preparations to enliven and harmonize plants, compost and soil. Biodynamics addresses the source of problems rather than the symptoms.

Also, all our products are manufactured in Eckwälden, Germany, in accordance with the most stringent standards of quality. The Dr.Hauschka manufacturer, WALA Heilmittel GmbH, is also a pharmaceuticals producer, and we apply the same stringent regulations to the production of our Dr. Hauschka Skin Care line. We also regularly test the quality of all raw materials used in our products. Only after meeting our demanding criteria for quality are the raw materials approved for processing. We have also implemented rigorous quality control throughout our entire production process.

98% of the plants in Dr.Hauschka Skin Care are grown Biodynamically, organically or have been ethically wild-harvested.

2) Your organisation appears to pursue a philosophy which values the humanistic and spiritual components of resource management. Can you briefly describe some aspects of the Dr. Hauschka production cycle which support fully nourished and vital agricultural systems?

The products manufacturer, the Demeter-certified medicinal herb garden, the careful acquisition of raw materials, the support of biodynamic cultivation in various countries, the adoption of optimal and carbon-free energy policies (purchase of electricity generated by water power, use of solar energy, environmental management system, etc.), the design of the working environment – all these illustrate WALA’s holistic commitment to conservation and environmental protection. This does not merely mean involvement in individual, isolated projects. It means that we strive constantly and throughout the value-adding process for a respectful partnership with nature, a circumspect handling of natural resources, as the leitmotif of the company’s entire endeavours and activities.

WALA Heilmittel has owned and maintained their own certified Biodynamic gardens for over sixty years, and a number of the botanicals used in Dr.Hauschka Skin Care preparations come from these very gardens. WALA also founds and supports initiatives in developing parts of the world to encourage Biodynamic farming and economic self-sufficiency.

3) There are relatively few skin care products which are genuinely organic and free from synthetic preservatives. How does Dr.Hauschka optimise the stability and shelf life of the natural ingredients within its products?


All products in the Dr.Hauschka Skin Care line are free of synthetic preservatives. We ensure the stability of our skin care products through:

• stringent hygienic standards during all stages of production, corresponding to the level of pharmaceuticals manufacture
• measures to reduce microbial load in raw materials (e.g. suitable heat treatment)
• special packaging (many of our preparations come in aluminium tubes to prevent exposure to air and contaminants)
• inclusion of a small amount of alcohol (plant extracts: water/alcohol solution), essential oils and in some products a low concentration of propolis (a wax-like, resinous substance found in beehives)

Non-aqueous products such as Day Oil, Lip Care Stick, Lip Balm and the entire range of skin and massage oils do not require any preservatives, since bacteria and fungi need water to survive. Preservatives are likewise unnecessary in our ampule-based products (Rhythmic Night Conditioner and Rhythmic Conditioner Sensitive), since they undergo heat sterilisation.

Dr Hauschka Skin Care is trusted for over 40 years and well-respected in the organic and biodynamic industry.

4) Given that Dr. Hauschka products are connected to a longstanding holistic tradition, how does your organisation balance contemporary demands for innovation and new technologies?

To create the most effective botanical preparations, we have to be sure that we're using the healthiest, most vital plants we can. The healing, therapeutic properties of plants are the very foundation of our complete line of skin care preparations.

As a pioneer of natural cosmetics, we look back on a long tradition in our company. The concepts of both WALA and Dr.Hauschka Skin Care are firmly founded in this tradition. But for instance to be able to process the large volumes of plants needed for our skin care products, we rely on modern equipment. This is something we can no longer carry out by hand.

Our company, however, remains strongly committed to organic growth – as nature intended, by using the very best raw materials it has to provide. We will never compromise when it comes to quality. We would rather produce fewer products than force our customers to purchase goods of inferior quality.

5) How does the Dr Hauschka range compete with many of today's ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ claimed beauty skin care products? What’s Dr Hauschka’s or your definition of ‘organic’ skin care?

The Dr.Hauschka preparations are specially formulated to encourage the skin to maintain or restore its natural balance rather than to simply alleviate symptoms. Using homeopathic principles, the products treat like with like, so by applying oil to an oily skin, the skin in turn produces less of its own and its condition normalises.

No synthetic preservatives, artificial fragrances or colours are used; the preparations are made from only the highest quality natural ingredients, including biodynamically grown medicinal herbs and plants.

Also, Elisabeth Sigmund’s unique approach to lymph stimulation is one of Dr.Hauschka’s signature cosmetic facial treatments, using light pumping and circling manual techniques to make congested lymph flow again. Via the skin, lymphatic stimulation gives a harmonising and decongesting impulse to the entire organism.

In its almost 43 years of existence, in part from the basis of the knowledge gained in the production of the medicines, Dr.Hauschka Skin Care has become a second pillar of the WALA company, alongside the WALA remedies, and today enjoys popularity among consumers in almost 40 countries.

Wherever possible, Dr.Hauschka obtains ingredients from Biodynamic, organic or ethically wild harvested sources. Certification of our natural cosmetics (BDIH) demands proof that whenever a conventionally grown ingredient is used, that non-conventional sources are unavailable or of inadequate quality and that it is a necessary ingredient in the formulation. All ingredients must be obtained by ecological and socially responsible means and conventionally grown ingredients are tested for pesticide residue as part of our extensive quality control program.

6) What is Dr Hauschka’s policy on recycling, the environment and sustainability issues?


WALA’s focus on the environment extends to all areas of the company and the environmental measures are based on four principles:

• Resource-friendly use of natural raw materials, if possible from biodynamic sources
• Responsible processing of these raw materials, recycling them wherever possible
• Use of substances or source materials from renewable raw materials
• Minimum consumption of resources, using renewable energy sources wherever possible

All packaging materials are recyclable, except for the caps on the Aromatherapy Baths, which are made of a biodegradable cellulose material. The reason why we are using glass bottles for most of our products is because glass is a non-porous and inert packaging material that is recyclable.

© EcoAsia 2009