Anthroposophic and Homeopathic Medicines and Natural Bodycare

Weleda was founded in Switzerland in 1921 by a Dutch medical doctor Ita Wegman and the renowned philosopher Rudolf Steiner. Weleda was established in the UK shortly after in 1925.

Our aim is to help everyone, old and young, to restore health and maintain wellbeing. We are committed to doing so naturally, ethically, safely, without animal experimentation and without damaging the environment. This is not a marketing ploy but a way of life and is deeply rooted in all aspects of our business. These beliefs affect every decision we make at Weleda.

A - Z of Ingredients

Natural   

Biodynamic (Organic +)

Ethical     

Anthroposophic

Safe

Tailored

Natural

Our skin is a living part of us and can absorb what we put on it. If we use products with synthetic ingredients, these chemicals can not only irritate our skin on the outside, but over time may also contribute to the cumulative build up of chemicals in our system because our bodies can find it extremely difficult to get rid of them. This is a result of modern-day living, but it doesn’t have to be like that.

At Weleda we made a conscious decision from the outset to avoid artificial ingredients and use only raw materials from the natural world – for example, naturally occurring minerals like sodium chloride or honey, and precious plant ingredients grown organically, or better still biodynamically at our own farms around the world. By using essential oils in our bodycare products for their natural preservative properties we avoid the need to use artificial preservatives such as parabens. Many Weleda bodycare products bear the BDIH kite mark (certified natural cosmetic) so you can tell at a glance the product is genuinely natural.

Biodynamic (Organic +)

Wherever possible we use biodynamic or organic ingredients, in fact Weleda pioneered the use of biodynamic or organic ingredients in the personal care industry. Biodynamic agriculture involves growing plants to the highest organic standards without chemical pesticides or sprays. It takes into account not just the seasons but also the rhythms of the planets. Crops are planted or harvested at the optimum time and the soil is enriched and revitalised with Biodynamic preparations and natural fertilisers, so plants have a strong inherent life-force and a more potent effect when used in health products.

We grow over 300 species at our Derbyshire herb gardens, which have been awarded the acclaimed Demeter standard (certified biodynamic).

Any additional biodynamic or organic plants needed are obtained from other international Weleda's including Weleda Naturals Ltd (click here to find out more).

Ethical

We grow our own ingredients biodynamically at Weleda, taking into account the impact this has on the surrounding natural habitat. We developed our 15-acre herb gardens in Derbyshire with the advice of the local Wildlife Trust to protect the biodiversity (the delicate balance of wildlife). This conscious awareness is ingrained in all Weleda thinking right down to the low-energy recyclable packaging we choose.

Sometimes specific crops have to be especially cultivated for us, as we cannot pick them from the wild, such as Edelweiss, which is a protected species. It takes years of expertise to cultivate healthy organic plants that retain all of their wild characteristics, active compounds and valuable therapeutic properties.

Where we use wild ingredients, such as rose hips of Rosa mosqueta that grows in abundance at the foothills of the Andes, these are gathered by controlled certified collection. This ensures that the natural habitat is not damaged or exhausted. The local community is equally protected by fair trade. Where ingredients are grown for us, we work with local farmers, helping them to convert their conventional farms into sustainable organic culture.

Through these fair trade agreements, Weleda offers economic and social support to these communities. People are just as important to Weleda quality as the use of healthy organic plants. It is a vital part of the Weleda ethos to take responsibility both for our environment and co-workers in this way.

Click on the ingredient links below to find out more about our close working relationships with our suppliers:

Anthroposophic

Weleda was founded in Switzerland to supply medicines to doctors who wished to put into practice the anthroposophic theories and naturopathic approach of Rudolf Steiner and his pioneering colleague Dr Ita Wegman.

Anthroposophy extends conventional thinking, taking into account the spiritual nature of the world. It has many practical applications in society today: biodynamic agriculture, ethical banking, Steiner education, and anthroposophic medicine.

A large number of Weleda medicines are anthroposophic.

Conventional medicine primarily addresses the physical aspects of illness, destroying disease or suppressing symptoms. Anthroposophic medicine tackles illness slightly differently. Approaching ill health holistically, the focus of anthroposophic medicine is to stimulate our own natural ability to heal, restoring the balance of bodily functions and strengthening our immune system or life force. It complements conventional medicine and the two are often used side by side.

Doctors have to be fully qualified before further training to be an anthroposophic doctor.  For a full list of anthroposophic Doctor's in the UK and Ireland click here.

This anthroposophic thinking is at the heart of Weleda – it has shaped the company over the decades and is an extricable part of Weleda today, influencing all company policy from our choice of natural ingredients, right through to our choice of recycled paper and environmentally friendly inks for our leaflets.

Safe

We take the utmost care with every product at each stage of the production process. The result is a time-tested range of natural health products you can trust. The range has been developed over four generations, with the co-operation and expertise of doctors, pharmacists, dermatologists and experienced lab technicians.

Our bodycare products are made to the same high pharmaceutical standards as our medicines, well beyond legal requirements for cosmetics and toiletries.

The starting point for manufacturing is to begin with the very finest and purest raw materials. To preserve the integrity and natural therapeutic properties of the ingredients, processing is kept to an absolute minimum – we use unbleached beeswax for example, and raw cane sugar.

Both individual ingredients and finished products are tested at every step of the way for consistency and purity. Independent dermatological tests are commissioned to confirm the efficacy and safety of individual products. Because we don’t take quality for granted, you can.

Tailored

We recognise that you are all individual and have your own particular requirements. We make products for men, women and children, people of all different ages or phases of life, with different skin types, different dietary requirements and changing needs.

This is why in the Weleda pharmacy we make a staggering 25,000 different medicines, in various formulations – tinctures, drops, tablets, pillules, oils, and ointments – for specific needs.

Weleda bodycare products are all suitable for vegetarians; many are suitable for vegans. Similarly we always highlight whether a medicine contains gluten or sugar as some of you may need to avoid these ingredients.

This information is readily available either on pack, in our product catalogue or here on our website, so that you can see at a glance if a product is right for you.

Many standard Over the Counter Weleda medicines come as sucrose-lactose tablets, which are not suitable for vegans. However, lactose-free formulations are available tailor-made to order, direct from the Weleda pharmacy as dispensed specials. The dispensary additionally provides alternatives for those of you with specific allergies.

Click here to find products suitable for vegans, vegetarians, diabetics and allergy sufferers.