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

What it means to be a Dr Hauschka Esthetician (the condensed version)

I had a couple of requests from other estheticians asking if I would explain what it means to be a Certified Dr Hauschka esthetician. I sense a urge from estheticians to understand how to treat the skin holistically. In my opinion there is either very little or conflicting information out there on this topic.  So I will jump right in a attempt to share what I know about the Dr Hauschka Treatment from my 15 years as a Dr Hauschka esthetician.

There are many aspects that are at the core of Dr Hauschka esthetician training. One of these concepts is an understanding of the role rhythm plays in how our skin functions. Rhythm is found everywhere in nature, the seasons, night and day, breathing, and our heartbeat. Our skin too has a rhythm.  One of its rhythms is its cellular renewal and the different functions it has from day to night. The rhythm of the skin is studied in depth by a Dr Hauschka esthetician and informs her on how to work with the skins rhythm to help and guide the skin to balance. A fundamental understanding is knowing and working with the skin rhythm:  and how it works in the day time and how this differs from  its functions at night time.

Another aspect is  learning  to focus on the clients unique personal qualities. You learn to develop an inner presence and attentiveness that translates through the quality of your touch. The treatment itself is designed to support the physical, mental and spiritual regeneration of the client.  Of course the certified organic Dr Hauschka skincare lines use of medicinal herbs also support the physical, emotional and spiritual levels. Estheticians study the four temperaments, a ancient form of psychology to understand different personality types  : the choleric, the sanguine, the phlegmatic, and the melancholic. This deep understanding of your client plays a significant role in the herbal preparations chosen form them  and other modalities you may suggest to them to find balance and skin health.

At the heart of the Dr Hauschka treatment is a unique form of lymphatic stimulation developed by the Austrian cosmetologist Elisabeth Sigmund.  Elisabeth worked with Dr Vodder the originator of lymphatic drainage. The lymphatic stimulation gives a harmonizing and decongesting impulse.  Two soft brushes stimulate the fluid flow in the connective tissue and the lymphatic system in such a way that the body is stimulated to remove the waste fluids.

The biggest and most mysterious part of learning and working in the Dr Hauschka treatment modality is its basis in Anthroposophical  Medicine. It has been 15 years since I was originally trained and I keep learning more as each year passes. This is truly inspiring as it is a treatment and philosophy that is very deep.

There are some special features to a Dr Hauschka Treatment and these feature are not used with out any significant purpose.

First every treatment begins with a foot bath.  Nothing new you may think, but there is a deeper element going on here. We are a society that spends much to much time up in our busy, thinking, planning heads. Warming the feet at the beginning of the treatment pulls the energy down away from the head to the feet for a grounding effect. Warmth in the feet ensure good circulation which relaxes the entire body including the chronically tense neck and shoulder areas.

Another significant feature of a Dr Hauschka facial is that there in no manual facial massage. Here the basis of understanding is that the connective tissue of the face is richer in elastic fibres than the skin on the rest of the body.  The muscles of the face are closely connected to the skin, manual massage of the face can compromise the supportive qualities of this tissue. Please keep in mind I am taking about vigorous massage that many facials do incorporate.  Gentle movements, stroking and pressing are used.

These are just a few of the concepts that are taught to Dr Hauschka estheticians. I could write a whole book on the subject. If you have any specific questions about the treatment or training  I would be happy to reply.

The Rose Facial

Once a year I create a facial that features all the benefits of the rose.  The perfect time to share this offering is in the month of May when we traditionally celebrate Mothers Day. I want to expand on the idea of mother, to include not only women who have children, but all women as we hold the energy to birth great creativity as we have seen over the millennia with such examples as Georgia O'keefe, Emily Carr and countless other women who have put their womb energy into ideas, books, gardens, science,  technology and on and on. I cordially invite all women to partake of this beautiful heart opening facial for the month of May.

Rose Otto's delicious floral fragrance harmonizes the mind, soothes the heart and smoothes wrinkles.

 Its sweet, soothing, floral fragrance is so uplifting that it may lift depression, stress and anxiety. 

 Rose Otto essential oil has been celebrated since ancient times for use in spiritual love, sacred unions as a source of joy, beauty and happiness. 

 It is a key ally in skin rejuvenation, inviting balance and healing to all skin conditions. 

 Rose Otto adds resiliency and elasticity to the skin.

A wonderful overall tonic, Rose  promotes rejuvenation of connective tissues. 

Mothers Day for the Month of May Rose Facial

1 hr Facial - $99 - with a gift of an assortment of Dr Hauschka Rose Day Creams, Rose Body Oils, Rose Bath Wash and other rose delights for you to take home and continue your rose experience. 

Please call or email me to reserve your facial time from May 01 -31st

250 294 9913     kdaunhauer@shaw.ca

Ready for the Next Level? Going Beyond Organic and Natural with your Skincare

I been connecting the dots, and deepening my understanding  about how amazing plant based skincare is, not only for our skin but our whole body.  I am fortunate that the learning never stops with my back ground in Dr Hauschka skincare and as an esthetician.  I think that is a good sign.  Deep and deeper levels. 

One thing that many people don't know about Dr Hauschka skincare is how the plants are processed.  First off, Dr Hauschka skincare has been growing their own medicinal herbs and flowers for over 45 years using a method call biodynamic gardening.  I will share more about this amazing method developed by Rudolf Steiner another time, but in a nut shell, not only does this method far surpass organic methods, it produces a plant that has amazing nutrient qualities.  

After harvesting the plant material at dawn the plants are taken to the WALA laboratories were they are manufactured into the skincare products.  But before the manufacturing process something very special goes on. 

Dr Hauschka looked for a way to capture the life force of the plant.  As we know once you pick a plant, flower or vegetable it begins to lose its quality. Dr Hauschka succeeded after 20 years of experimentation and found a way that preserved the plant with out chemicals. He called this method Rhythmical processing and it  increases the plants healing qualities. 

I passionately believe if we are going to invest our money in skincare, we need to know not only the ingredients, and to ensure they are at the least organic...not just 'natural' or 'botanical's. We need to also know and trust the quality of the plant material being used and the methods of manufacturing taking place.  This is were Dr Hauschka skincare wins hands down in my opinion.  Yes, I do come across other skin care lines that use organic botanicals, but never have I come across a company that goes to the length that Dr Hauschka dos to ensure the purity and quality of its plant ingredients. 

Dr Hauschka skincare products are made up of plant essences, oil extracts and water based medicinal herb extracts.  Below is a brief explanation of the special manufacturing process that goes into preparing the plants for the Dr Hauschka skincare products.  This is the rhythmical processing process that Dr Hauschka patiently pursued guided by the advice of Dr Rudolf Steiner to "study rhythms, rhythm carries life".

The plant essences are prepared by crushing fresh plants sourced from the company’s own biodynamic garden or harvested in the wild under managed plantations.  After being crushed, the plants are placed in a large stoneware container with water and a little alcohol. Over a period of seven days, the essences are influenced by processes based on the rhythms of light and movement; these processes were developed based on Dr Hauschka's knowledge of natural rhythms and the human organism. Employees stir the mixture thoroughly – twice every morning and twice every evening. This means that the liquid, which is otherwise kept in the dark, comes into contact with light. After one week, the essences are pressed and filtered. A small part of the incinerated pressed residue is added to the filtered essences.

The Oil Extracts dried medicinal herbs are mixed with vegetable oils and may take a week to ripen. During this stage, the mixture is heated to 37 °C – i.e. normal human body temperature. The mixture is stirred thoroughly every morning and evening. In this way, the whole power of the medicinal herbs is transferred to the oil. Finally, the mixture is pressed and filtered. If your wondering why they are not using fresh herbs...try it yourself..the high moisture content contained in fresh herbs  when combined with oils causes the mixture to mould, or go rancid.

Aqueous medicinal herb extracts are created from fresh herbs from the garden.  They are crushed, mixed with water and left for seven days. This mixture is subjected to processes based on the rhythms of light, temperature and movement every morning and evening. At the end of the seven days, it is pressed and filtered. A small part of the incinerated pressed residue is added to the filtered extract.

Rhythmitised, water-based extracts can be found, for example, in Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream and Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream Light, and – in dilute, rhythmitised form – also in Dr. Hauschka Rhythmic Conditioners.

Essential Oil are also part the Dr Hauschka skincare formulas, creating their amazing scents and greatly aiding the skin. Freshly harvested medicinal plants go through Steam Distillation to obtain their precious essential oil.

Here is a link to a short film that shows the Dr Hauschka  gardens and how they manufature. I show this video when I do trainings for Dr Hauschka and it blows my clients away. Enjoy!

Dr Hauschka Gardens and Processing

Ditching The Tooth Paste

I want to share with you is a holistic dentistry routine I have been doing for over a year.  My teeth use to be  so so.  I have your average amount of cavities.  Each time I went to the hygienist she scraped away and recommend fluoride.  I diligently flossed and brushed, I would never go to bed with out brushing my teeth. Yet each time I went to the dentist there would be another cavity or more scraping away at the hygienist.  All that effort and not much result. Last year I came across the  book 'Holistic Dental Care',  by an amazing woman named Nadine Artemis,   Her knowledge was astounding and resonated with my already avant guard health perspectives. I began to ditch my natural tooth paste and create my own botanical tooth serums and mouth rinse.  Last week I went to my hygienist.  Here is what she told me: "There is nothing for me to clean!"  I didn't have the heart to tell her of my wild ways as she is convinced it is the tube of fluoride tooth paste she gave me last visit that is restoring my teeth.I am  quiet, perhaps next visit I will bring along my stash of herbal botanicals and let my mouth speak for me. In addition to not having any plaque to clean, last visit she had noted on my chart areas to keep a watch on, this visit she  told me that all those areas had reversed the decay process and were now strong healthy teeth.  My protocol is a little involved....sorry folks no fast food dentistry.  I do it in the tub each night...it's replaced magazine reading.  If you are interested in learning what I do, I am thinking of hosting a tooth party.  I can show you my routine and the products that are simple to make. Let me know if you would want to attend and if I have enough interest I will have a tooth party soirée!