June Facial News

This beautiful woman is Gabriella a Dr Hauschka esthetician from Germany.  She radiates good health inside and out.  All of us want to have healthy, vital skin. That means paying attention to what is going on inside of us, from the foods we eat to the emotions we feel. On the outside it means educating ourselves on what feeds our skin, what is in our skincare products and what procedures best care for our skin.  Many of us are busy in our lives. The majority of my clients are in their 50's and 60's and still find that they are as busy as when they had children at home or were working full time. Its not always easy to make time for ourselves.  A Dr Hauschka Treatment is a way to care for ourselves on so many levels. It was designed to address not only the physical skin but our emotional body and our 'soul' aspect. It does so with essential oils and rhythmic massage that effects our entire being. With summer approaching I recommend you give your skin the gift of a Dr Hauschka treatment to strengthen and enliven your skin.  Many of us spend more time outdoors in the summer which is very healing for the body, and we also want to ensure that we protect our skin from the new elements it will be dealing with, sun, salt water, wind etc etc.
In my treatment room I have the great gift of being able to customize my treatments to the seasons and to your skins own unique needs. With the warmer months I like to incorporate more lemon into the facial. Known for its toning abilities, lemon strengthens the skin and the connective tissue, helping to firm the skin and detoxify it.  Its uplifting fragrance is also the prefect warm weather pick me up and refresher.

Treatment cost and length of time:
75 minute Facial $135
2  Hour Classic Treatment $175
1  Hour Refresher $ 100

My top 5 Dr Hauschka products for Summer Skin Vitality

Here we are in June.  Summer is indeed unfolding before us and as we move from Spring to Summer our skin appreciates us giving it the care and attention it needs specific to each season.  I get excited to change up my skincare routine with each new season. Summer finds me thinking about lighter weight products on my skin, fresh uplifting scents, and supportive ingredients that strengthen and feed my skin so it can better withstand any intense outdoor weather.  These are my favourite Dr Hauschka picks for healthy skin in the summer.

1.  I gravitate towards using light day moisturizers in the summer and craving fresh scent from pure essential oils in my skincare.  Summer is perfect for either the Quince Day Cream or Melissa Day Cream.  Quince Day Cream is very light in texture and has a fresh slightly citrus scent, with the  added bonus of being cooling to the skin, something we crave during the hot months of summer. Quince wax forms a light, breathable protective layer to retain the skin’s own natural moisture levels. The quince seed extract deeply moisturises and refreshes the skin.
Another day cream well suited to summer is the Melissa Day Cream. Melissa is the latin name for lemon balm, a herb that helps balance oil levels in the skin. It's ideal for  combination skin or people that find the warmer weather brings out more oils in their skin. It contains tapioca starch from the cassava root which helps to absorb excess oils on the skin through out the day for a matte finish.  Also to note, this day cream smells divine, as lemon balm is so uplifting and fresh. I love using it on a warm summer day.

2.  Soothing Mask.  I have adopted the philosophy of "wise interaction with the sun."  I don't subscribe to what many dermatologist advise women to do, which is to wear sunscreen every day of the year.  So much new research has come available on sun screens detrimental effect to our bodies not to mention sun screens link to seriously low vitamin D levels.  I see myself as a plant which needs sun. But one does have to be wise and pay attention to how much sun.  If things don't go as planned and you do end up with a pink nose or burnt shoulders, my go to product is the Dr Hauschka Soothing Mask. It calms the skin, reduces redness and provides a soothing touch.  Once again, the scent is remarkable, in this case it is the camomile used for its calming properties.  Sometimes I just take some Soothing Mask and put it above my upper lip, I love the scent that much!

3.  Translucent Bronze Concentrate: This is a multi purpose product.  If you want to get a instant glow happening on your skin, skip the drug store self tanners and try this product that uses stinging nettle extract for its iron rich bronze toned colour.  Non greasy, light weight, Translucent Bronze Concentrate can be added to your day cream to give a bit of colour  to the face or add it  to your body moisturizer for  colour to your legs and arms.  This product can also be used straight on the cheeks as a bronzer or you can add it to your favourite foundation colour in the summer to match it to your sun kissed skin.

4.  Dr Hauschka Toners.   Keep it in the fridge on extra hot days for a super refreshing spritz on your face.  Containing the highest quality witch hazel renowned for its ability to keep the skin toned and firm.  If I was taking a road trip this would be my traveling companion.  Its earthy herbal smell is grounding and the medicinal herbs support  many vital functions in the skin.  During the day: regular spritzing of Facial Toner instantly refreshes and cools; keeps the skin’s hydration levels up and helps to hold make-up in place.
Morning: to carry the precious properties of your day cream deeper into your skin. At the same time minimising the appearance of pores, balances moisture & oil and leaves skin looking and feeling radiant.
Evening: replaces your night cream supporting the skin’s natural processes of cleansing and renewal.

5.  Clarifying Day Oil ( formally Normalizing Day Oil ).  One might not think of using an oil in summer, but this is my go to treatment in the summer months. This product is a blend of super high quality plant oils that are all high in antioxidants.  Antioxidents bring oxygen to the cells and help repair the cells. Wonderful for the skin on so many levels.  If you get a lot of out door time in the summer you want to insure your skin is strong to it can with stand intense sun, wind, ocean, sea and sand...all the out door elements.  I use this before I go outside for protection and when I come back inside after an intense period of outdoor time. If I am at the beach or lake and I am in and out of the water I like to apply this each time I come out.  I find it super protective for the skin.  It absorbs well into the skin so your don't look greasy.  Also keep in mind that natural plant oils have naturally occurring SPF in them so you will be getting some sun protection when you use this if that is a concern for you.

How does a Dr Hauschka Facial differ from a holistic facial?

One of the things I love to do is teach other estheticians the Dr Hauschka facial treatment. In a short while I will be training a new group of estheticians and that got me thinking about what makes a Dr Hauschka facial different from the training estheticians get in school?  What exactly is a Dr Hauschka facial?  You may have had one yourself or read about them.  How does it differ from a holistic facial?  The best way to share with you the answer to this question is to start at the beginning and look at how the treatment originated. 

The  Dr Hauschka facial  was created by a woman named Elizabeth Sigmund.  In the 1950's Elizabeth had a spa in Stockholm and created her own skincare products to use on her clients. Elizabeth was also a student of Rudolf Steiner, who has been described as a ' Austrian mystic, philosopher, social reformer, architect, and esotericist.'  Many people have heard of Waldorf  education which is based on Rudolf Steiner's idea's. Another of Steiner's more well known contributions is biodynamic gardening.   Elizabeth was a student of Steiner's teachings and she was also familiar with another student of Steiner,  Dr Rudolf Hauschka. Dr Hauschka created a company in the 1930's called WALA which makes homeopathic remedies based on anthroposophic medicine (another brain child of Rudolf Steiner).  Elizabeth had been purchasing Dr Hauschka's homeopathic preparations and adding them to her skincare products.  Dr Hauschka heard about this and they began to correspond, eventually this resulted in Dr Hauschka inviting Elizabeth to come to WALA to collaborate with him in creating a skincare line. 

So what does this all have to do with a Dr Hauschka facial?  The skincare line went on the market in 1968 and by the 1970's estheticians were asking for a facial treatment that used the product line but also incorporated an anthroposophical approach to treating the skin.   Elizabeth created a facial treatment that addressed  4 distinct aspects of the body as taught by Steiner.   Steiner believed that we are more then just a physical body.  We have an 'etheric' body, similar to what some understand as chi or prana.  There is also our emotional body,  called our 'astral' body. The forth aspect is our spirit, which Steiner believed lives on after our physical body dies. In addition to the treatment addressing these 4 distinct aspects it also incorporates rhythm, as Steiner believed that ' rhythm carries life'.

Let me introduce you to a few ways anthroposophic philosophies are weaved into a Dr Hauschka facial treatment. 

The treatment begins with a warm sage foot soak to calm busy minds, creating a grounding effect.  Since so much of a facial is focused on the head there is wisdom behind the approach of soothing the feet before the treatment begins. It pulls energy down from the head and calms thinking, resulting in tension leaving the head. Also of importance is how soaking one's feet at the beginning of the treatment addresses the warmth aspect.  Warm feet physically effect our whole body in a harmonious way. In anthroposophical medicine the doctor will insure that the patients warmth processes in the body are functioning well as this assist in any medicine prescribed work optimally.

Cleansing addresses the physical body or earth element. Cleansing of the skin can begin with warm calming lavender compresses to the face and upper chest. Cleansing is done with care to not disturb the skins natural protective acid mantle.  This is followed by a herbal steam and clay mask application, where the connection to the earth element can be easily understood. The skin our earthy - physical organ  is fully  cleansed and the treatment moves on to address the etheric body. 

At the heart of the Dr Hauschka treatment is a unique form of lymph stimulation. Lymph stimulation promotes cleansing and strengthens of the elastic fibres in the connective tissue.  A completely non invasive technique that supports the skin to remain strong and firm from the inside out....watch out Botox!   Lymph stimulation enlivens the entire being as there are corresponding relationships between areas of the face and systems of the body. The forehead and eyes are related to the head, nerves and senses. The nasal area and upper cheek to the heart and lungs. The lower cheek and chin to the metabolism and movement. By addressing the fluids of the lymph we effect our etheric body. 

Light, air and warmth which correspond to the astral body are addressed by incorporating warm fragrant biodynamic body oil massage to the chest, shoulder and neck.  Warm lemon compresses followed by cool compresses to the skin remove the mask and assist in the awakening from the quite inwardness the treatment produced to the activity of the world. 

The treatment leaves the whole body harmonized and that is reflected in a healthy glow to the skin, and inner radiance that shows on the face.  When your inner world is restored to harmony your outer appearance reflects this transformation. 




Kathleen offers women a transformative skin care experience that goes far beyond what the typical facial can offer.  As a Certified Dr Hauschka Esthetician since 2001, she has a passion for wellness and a deep understanding of the complexity of the skin.  Dr Hauschka estheticians are experts in caring for the skin, employing unique methods and products that soothe, calm and balance skin conditions with gentle, non invasive but powerfully effective techniques.

To book an appointment email

 kdaunhauer@shaw.ca    or call 250 294 9913