Alexandra Binder
Because it doesn't matter what you put on your largest organ, and because regional things are booming, more and more people are accessing it Natural cosmetics from Austria. And that's pretty innovative.
We smear, cream, peel and smear again. And that in a continuous loop. 95 percent of women and 75 percent of men have daily contact with cosmetics. However, not everywhere that it says Schönmacher is there. It is not uncommon for allergic reactions to occur. 56,7 percent of women and 33,6 percent of men have reacted to a cosmetic product at least once with pustules, itching, etc. So you should look at what you are confronting your largest organ with. After all, the human skin is about two square meters and absorbs almost everything 1: 1 that is applied to it.
Anyone who can hardly stand anything at some point will end up at Jure Lešnik. He is a manufacturer of natural cosmetics from Austria and says: "Basically, you should deal with cosmetics like with food, they are absorbed and processed by the body in a very similar way". Lešnik's ERUi label is care for sensitive people, without any synthetic additives or preservatives. The products are packaged in biodegradable wooden boxes.
Martin Saahs from Nikolaihof, Austria's oldest winery with 2000 years of history, takes a similar approach. “Cosmetics are nourishment for the skin,” he says, and says that over the years a lot of valuable knowledge about the active ingredients from our nature has been forgotten and the raw materials have been replaced by synthetic agents. He himself developed the first Demeter-certified grape cosmetics worldwide with dieNikolai and does exactly the opposite: From the grape mash, the pomace, he gains the grape seeds, which are then processed into grape seed oil rich in antioxidants, on which the products are based. But the grape skin is also important to him, because the polyphenols contained in it fight harmful free radicals and are said to be an extremely effective remedy for skin cancer.
From forest dieback to natural cosmetics
The Tyrolean Martin Sanoll could also be called the local veteran in terms of natural cosmetics in Austria. As early as the 1970s, he was concerned with forest extinction, pollution and the use of environmentally harmful chemicals. The goats on the parents' organic farm were ultimately the inspiration for the production of the first cosmetic products, which he had certified in 1996 in line with the organic food regulations in Austria. He is still not tired even after 38 years. Only bored sometimes. For example, "if you simply imitate conventional cosmetics with natural cosmetics and repeat the old advertising promises with new bio-active ingredients." Even he is still innovative, does not use emulsifiers for care products, for example. “In our view, they are too alienated from the natural origin. Creams without are more productive and support the natural regulatory mechanisms. That saves packaging and resources. "
Often, as with him, it is his own story that leads to entry into Austria's natural cosmetics industry. With Matthias and Carina Koller, it was their son's neurodermatitis disease that gave rise to their “alpine cosmetics”. It combines alpine plant ingredients with medical know-how. Allergy sufferers benefit: “We like to process hydrolates, for example, because they have many positive properties, but are also milder than essential oils,” says Koller.
Lydia Grassmayr introduced her own sensitive skin to her Vive oils. Why this? Because she couldn't find a product that could do without the annoying, irritating base of a cream. And no, thanks to highly efficient recipes - their oils don't stick to your skin - either. "You can get dressed right away or apply makeup."
The Tyrolean Silvia Lubi-Ostermeier, on the other hand, was tired of the heavy, sticky creams that are anything but suitable for everyday use: “I wanted to create products whenever possible, organic and vegan, up-to-date - so also with a light consistency and quickly absorbed, absolutely transparent and with few, high quality ingredients. The result is Pure Skinity by Nature. “Minimalism as luxury” is her concept. Organic, vegan and local ingredients.
That is also the premise of Andrea Seebacher. In her Mindful Cosmetics, she relies on traditional local knowledge from the laboratory. What does mindfulness mean to them? "To know each supplier personally, the circumstances under which the raw materials are produced and to be clear about the use with which such high-quality raw materials are produced."
Only natural ingredients are used in the cosmetic products from "Schau auf di“By Michael Friedl and Christopher Robl. In the Waldviertel, the two have been producing hand-stirred, certified organic cosmetics of the highest quality since 2016. The founders: “Sustainability is lived here in harmony with nature. In addition to the Schau auf di-Products, will also produce two products under the children's line Look at mi: fragrant shower bath and nourishing magic balm. "
The natural circular economy in Austria's natural cosmetics
Mario and Shanna Mirnig are also special pioneers in natural cosmetics. They are doing something that no management consultant would probably recommend. They don't create their Sevie care products according to economic criteria. "We want you to use a jar as long as possible to support every consumer in their personal sustainability and environmental protection - through their consumption!" Says Mario Mirnig. It is only logical that everything is produced by hand, is vegan, and there is now a deposit system for the glass containers.
Others are also committed to the principle of the circular economy.
For example vielö, a cosmetic line based on whey. "We consciously work according to a regionality principle, because we think that it is simply unnecessary to fly products halfway around the world before they land on the shelf," says co-founder Christian Pauzenberger. Why whey in particular? Thanks to the contained lactic acid, which has the same structure as that formed in the body, this can have a positive effect on the protective acid mantle of the skin.
Frowned upon greenwashing
"A rejection of the consumer deception of many large brands": that is the idea behind Pure Green. "It was created in a circle of friends who were just fed up with being constantly confronted with green washing or inferior or overpriced products," says managing director Werner Murr. He now relies on the purest mountain spring water from the Ötztal Alps and only produces natural cosmetics that he has developed and produced himself: “Hardly anyone else does that,” he says. "Many pretend to be that way, but they are actually dealers with a small foam manufacturer, or an appendix to a large chemical factory."
How do the domestic manufacturers view certifications? They are a good thing, there is agreement, but you can also see them critically. "Especially the widespread natural cosmetics seals from private associations, where the groups are often behind them and use their own seals to give themselves their own quality criteria and market them well," summarizes Vielö founder Pauzenberger. And he also suspects where the natural cosmetics journey is going: “More and more people will critically question their personal care products and their ingredients. This will also force industry in general to change, because at the end of the day it is always the consumers who significantly influence the development and give a direction. So every purchase is relevant and has a huge impact on how, where and what is produced. ”
NATURAL COSMETICS AUSTRIA - all LEFT
Culumnatura: At Culumnatura in Ernstbrunn (Lower Austria) not only natural hairdressers are trained, but also high-quality natural cosmetics are manufactured. www.culumnatura.com/de/
Herb Anima: Herbanima is the equally great Austrian natural cosmetics line by the natural hairdresser Haarmonie. www.haarmonie-naturfrisoer.at/
Schau auf di: Michael Friedl and Christopher Robl produce hand-stirred, certified organic cosmetics, made exclusively from natural ingredients.
www.schauaufdi.net
ERUi Organic sustainable cosmetics: Jure Lešnik produces organic certified natural cosmetics that are also suitable for sensitive skin, without synthetic additives and preservatives. erui-cosmetics.com
sanoll: Martin Sanoll's family business has been on the market for 38 years and still scores with innovations. For example, no emulsifiers, no glycerin etc. are used. sanoll.at
Sevie Skin Care: Shanna and Mario Mirnig have been creating all of their care products since 2012 primarily based on the principles of the natural circular economy. sevie.at
Nadeos: Silvia Reichebner has been producing deodorant creams without aluminum or preservatives since 2017, which consist of over 56 percent fats such as organic shea butter, cocoa butter or coconut oil. www.nadeos.com
Vive oils: Lydia Grassmayr relies on oil-based, highly efficient formulations tailored to skin types. The oils absorb immediately and do not stick, there are no additives. vive-oele.com
The Nikolai: Marti Saahs produces the first Demeter-certified grape oil-based grape cosmetics worldwide. The bio-dynamic raw materials come from our own vineyards. www.dienikolai.at
Pure Skinity: Silvia Lubi-Ostermeyer has been creating organic care products with as few high-quality, coordinated ingredients in effective concentration as possible since 2018. www.pureskinity.at
Muchö: Christian Pauzenberger and Alexander Daspersgruber launched the first bio-certified and sustainable skin and body care line based on whey in 2018. www.vieloe.com
Mindful cosmetics: Andrea Seebacher processes only domestic, vegan and organic certified raw materials into cosmetic products and fills them in violet glass. www.achtsam-kosmetik.at
Pure Green: Werner Murr exclusively produces and produces natural cosmetics and relies on the purest mountain spring water from the Ötztal Alps. www.puregreen.at
Alpine cosmetics: Matthias and Carina Koller have been creating effective natural cosmetics since 2015 that combine traditional knowledge of alpine plant ingredients with medical know-how. www.almkosmetik.at
By the way, it is important to distinguish between Organic cosmetics and Natural cosmetics.
The best Natural cosmetic products, collected and rated by the Option Community, can be found here.
Photo / Video: Shutterstock.
