Common Questions

Do you test your products on animals?

Since the founding of the first company in 1921 Weleda products have never been tested on animals. We have never undergone animal testing ourselves nor have we ever commissioned any outside organisation to do it on our behalf. We purchase raw materials which have not been tested on animals. We adhere to the fixed cut-off date policy (1985) rather than the rolling rule policy. For further details click here.

What do you use to fragrance your products?

Weleda use essential oils primarily as a blend to provide fragrance and the oils are therefore only a very small percentage of the ingredients. The essential oils are listed on the pack as "fragrance". For further details click here.

Do your products have an expiry date?

Expiry dates are to be found on all Weleda Body Therapy products. For further details click here.

Why do you use alcohol?

Weleda uses alcohol mainly for its extractive and preservation properties. It also helps the consistency and lifts the fragrance. The alcohol used in Weleda toiletries is fermentation grade ethyl alcohol, which is produced by fermenting plant sugars. Weleda do not use propyl alcohol which is derived from petroleum and which the body cannot break down. For further details click here.

Do your products contain Aluminium?

Some people avoid aluminium because of a theory of a possible link between the metal aluminium and Alzheimers disease. Weleda do not use the metal aluminium in any products. For further details click here.

Do any of your products contain parabens?

Weleda have never used any preservatives such as parabens. Since the early 1920's Weleda have manufactured medicines and body care products only from natural substances.

Why do Weleda use the BDIH logo as opposed to any other?

INCI is listed on your packaging, what does this mean?

INCI stands for the International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient. The INCI ingredient lists are currently drawn up with reference to this EC naming system. This is a legal requirement in the EC.

How do I recycle the Weleda Blue bottles when bottle banks only have clear, green and brown?

All our blue bottles are recyclable in the green bottle bank.

Can Weleda Body Care products be used during pregnancy?

We are not aware of any restrictions on the use of any toiletry preparations during pregnancy. There are certainly no legal restrictions on any of the ingredients used in any of the Weleda Body Therapy products, neither are there any safety issues according to the various organisations that advise the cosmetic and toiletry industries. For further information click here.

Aroma

Weleda toiletries are not perfumed as such, the aromas come mostly from the essential oils and sometimes from other plant extracts. These perfumes are not fixed and mostly evaporate very quickly. Sometimes the aroma is actually a part of the "treatment", for example with the Bath Milks.

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Alcohol

Weleda uses alcohol mainly for its extractive and preservation properties. It also helps the consistency and lifts the fragrance. The alcohol used in Weleda toiletries is fermentation grade ethyl alcohol, which is produced by fermenting plant sugars. Weleda do not use propyl alcohol which is derived from petroleum and which the body cannot break down.

Purely natural toiletries will mostly contain alcohol, as water/alcohol extractions are the norm. Companies for whom synthetic substances are permitted could use chemical extractions. For some plant materials, water alone would work as an extraction agent but in order to give a shelf life of more than a few months a synthetic preservative would have to be used.

Alcohol does have some benefits for the skin, it is mildly disinfectant and is also cooling. The alcohol content in Weleda Body Therapy products does not destroy the skins natural oily cover, the acid mantle. The percentage of alcohol varies from product to product: in Weleda Deodorants alcohol is the base ingredient and will form over 60% of the product. Weleda facial creams have an alcohol content of between 4.5% and 7%. For a natural toner Iris Lotion has a low alcohol content of 14% but Rose Facial toner is even milder with an alcohol content of only 9.5%.

In cases where people say they are allergic to alcohol we advise them them to patch test the chosen Weleda product on a small area on the inner wrist. Invariably Weleda products do not cause a reaction.

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Aluminium

Some people avoid aluminium because of a theory of a possible link between the metal aluminium and Alzheimers disease. Weleda do not use the metal aluminium in any products. Aluminium compounds are found in some Weleda products.

Points to note: Metals/Minerals and metal/mineral compounds are chemically different substances and their properties cannot be simply transferred from one to the other. For example: Sodium chloride, a common salt - sodium is an explosive metal and chloride a poisonous gas.

Aluminium compounds are not easily soluble. The two used by Weleda in Body Therapy are highly insoluble and do not penetrate the skin.

All ingredients used by Weleda are on the INCI list and are therefore regarded as safe and approved for use in Europe.

The two aluminium compounds used in Weleda Body Therapy products are:

Magnesium aluminium silicate - Fullers Earth. Fullers Earth is one of the most insoluble ingredients available and will not be absorbed through the skin. This substance is a natural clay also called Bentonite, it has a moisture binding effect and, as a natural thickener, stabilises emulsions.

Alumina - aluminium oxide NOT aluminium metal. Aluminium salts display completely different properties to aluminium metal - see above. Alumina is not an added ingredient in the sun care products it is used in the processing of the mineral sunscreen.

Animal Testing

Since the founding of the first company in 1921 Weleda products have never been tested on animals. We have never undergone animal testing ourselves nor have we ever commissioned any out side organisation to do it in our behalf. We purchase raw materials which have not been tested on animals. We adhere to the fixed cut-off date policy (1985) rather than the rolling rule policy.

The Weleda Position
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Plant materials have been used internally and externally for countless generations. Originally the only 'testing' was in human usage. Thus a system of trial and error established materials, which were safe and effective. Many of the ingredients used in the production of natural toiletries were well established by the time animal testing was introduced, long before it was a public concern.

Countless cosmetics, toiletries and general household products are still, as a matter of routine tested on animals. Weleda uses raw materials, which have a long history of safe usage. At Weleda we either prepare ingredients ourselves from plants which we grow bio-dynamically, or purchase from suppliers who give written confirmation that the substances have not been tested on animals after 1985 (see fixed cut off date).

FIXED CUT-OFF DATE/ROLLING RULE
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There are currently two options for a cosmetic manufacturer wishing to purchase raw materials, which are not tested on animals; the manufacturer can adhere to either the fixed Cut-Off Date Policy or the Five-Year Rolling Rule Policy.

Fixed Cut-off Date = As the name suggests, manufactueres who implement this policy will not purchase raw materials that have been tested on animals after the specified date. However, Weleda, using only long standing traiditonal ingredients which do not need to be tested on animals, have always held a 'no animal testing' policy. (Weleda Germany have a fixed cut-off date of 1976 and Weleda UK have a fixed cut-off date of 1985, with written guarantees from suppliers after this date).

Five-Year Roling Rule = There are currently no laws or regulations that require finished products to be tested on animals in either the UK or the EU but there are laws, British, Eurpoean and International that require new innovative ingredients to be tested on animals. The Rolling Rule allows manufacturers to use new ingredients once the 'necessary' animal testing has been done.

The Five-Year Rolling Rule means that companies will use ingredients from a supplier after a five year period since animal testing has elapsed.

Organisations that promote animal welfare prefer the fixed cut-off date policy as it discourages animal testing. New innovative ingredients account for at least 80% of animals used for testing in any given year. It also rejects the use of an old ingredient in a new way, if this involves animal testing.

They reject the five-year rolling rule for the following reasons;

1)    It does not discourage the development of new innovative ingredients, which account for most of the animal testing taking place.
2)    In some cases new innovative ingredients take five years or more after animal testing to be accepted by regulatory authorities for marketing in consumer products. Thereby negating the meaning of the five year delay completely. In other cases it usually takes several years.
3)    It ignores testing undertaken by companies or organisations, which may be technically independent of a direct supplier.

BDIH

For Weleda, the BDIH currently represents the best option because it is a worldwide brand, not UK specific, and Weleda packaging is often multi-lingual to serve several countries. Also, there is a another reason why the BDIH certification standards particularly appeal to Weleda, and that is because they endorse and encourage high standards of naturalness for those of us that are trying to eliminate synthetic/chemical ingredients from our lifestyles. The BDIH encourages the use of organic/biodynamic ingredients but not at the expense of naturalness. Whereas other certification schemes insist on organic ingredients but then allow a certain percentage of artificial additives which seems paradoxical. As a brand, the Weleda ethos is for products to be 100% natural and as organic as possible, and we're constantly trying to upgrade ingredients from organic to biodynamic, which is the optimum for Weleda.

Essential Oils

Where an essential oil is an active ingredient, and therefore in a higher percentage, it is named on the ingredient list (as with the Bath Milks). The bottled shampoos, which are made in the UK, are labelled differently - the essential oils are named even though the total percentage is less than 1%

There are no legal restrictions on any ingredients used in any of the Weleda Body Therapy Products, neither are there any safety issues according to the various organisations that advise the cosmetic and toiletry industries. However, we are aware that some schools of thought, such as Homeopathy and Aromatherapy, advise against the use of certain essential oils at specific times. We therefore suggest that when working with a practitioner or doctor it is best to follow what they recommend.

For Weleda products without essential oils - the Weleda Almond Range was formulated for dry, highly sensitive skin and so is without essential oils. This small range consists of an Almond Cleansing Milk, Almond Facial Oil, Almond Intensive Facial Cream, Almond Moisture Cream and Almond Facial Masque.

Expiry Dates

Expiry dates are to be found on all Weleda Body Therapy products. (Regulations require expiry dates on products with a life less than three years.) Weleda expiry dates vary from two to five years depending on the nature of the product and are determined by:

1. The formulation - Some ingredients, such as essential oils, alcohol, glycerine and gun benzoin, act as preservatives.

2. Micro-biological 'challenge testing' - Testing of the finished product, such tests artificially speed up deterioration and enable the chemists to determine how long the product will remain stable. Also samples of every batch are retained and periodically tested as necessary.

Once a product is opened it is, of course, exposed to the atmosphere and possible oxidisation. (One of the reasons Weleda use tubes instead of jars is so that less of the product is exposed to the atmosphere.) All products will keep for the duration of recommended usage if stored correctly. See below. With regard to products not used regularly and perhaps rediscovered after a long period of time: again, if the look and the smell of the product is acceptable it will be usable. It is very important to replace the cap or lid after use.

Packaging

The majority of Weleda products are packed in either glass bottles or metal tubes. The main reason for this packaging is because of the nature of the ingredients. As mentioned in other sections, natural substances are 'living' and some, such as essential oils, are extremely volatile. Glass is an inert substance and does not in any way react with the contents, it is also impervious to the exceptionally volatile essential oils. The metal tubes are aluminium, which is also impervious. To prevent any reaction between the product and the aluminium all tubes have an inert resinous lining.

Glass bottles and aluminium tubes are also ecologically sound as they are both recyclable.

There are also disadvantages; both are more expensive than plastic. Both are not as convenient as plastic; glass is heavy and of course breakable, metal tubes crinkle and do not look so attractive as "spring back into shape" plastic ones. At the present time such packaging is necessary to ensure the quality of Weleda products, and, from an environmental standpoint, well worth the slight inconvenience.

Several of the Weleda Shampoos are now packaged in plastic bottles. This decision was not taken lightly. In this instance safety in the bathroom was considered even more important than ecological considerations. The shampoos can be packed in plastic as, according to Weleda's own definition of natural, these products are not natural and therefore more stable. Also the concentration of essential oils is not so great as in the toiletries, which could not be packed in plastic containers. Nowadays plastics are also recyclable and non-permeable forms are being developed. Weleda may be able to use plastic containers in the future.

Some environmentally responsible individuals do questions Weleda's use of cartons - again this is something we have given much thought to. Cartons do protect the bottles and tubes during transportation and storage; also in many instances it is not possible to provide the information necessary on the bottle label alone.

The cartons used are made from "virgin fibre boards" and the pulp used comes from forest thinnings. All of the material comes from Scandinavian and European countries, which have strict control on forest farming. For example, in Finland six saplings are planted for every tree cut down and the total amount of trees felled cannot exceed the annual expected growth. Another benefit of using virgin fibre board is that cartons themselves are very recyclable.

Pregnancy

We are aware that some schools of thought such as Homeopathy and Aromatherapy advise against the use of certain essential oils at specific times. However, the essential oil content in the fragrance in Weleda Body Therapy products is a very small amount and they should not be regarded as Aromatherapy products.

Even where an essential oil is an active ingredient, therefore present in a higher percentage, and is named on the ingredient list, there is still no legal restriction on the use of the product.

However, we do suggest that if you are working with a Practitioner or Health Professional that you follow their advice.

Preservatives

Weleda do use preservatives but only natural occurring ones. Essential oils are the main preservatives in Weleda toiletries, other substances which have a preservative properties include: Alcohol, Ammonium glycyrrihizinate (liquorice root extract), Glycerine and Gum Benzoin.

Natural preservatives are not as powerful as synthetic ones. Natural substances are "living" and will therefore react with other substances and change over a period of time. Synthetic substances are inert and perfectly safe. One advantage of this is that a natural product shows visible signs of deterioration; the aroma may change, a cream may go lumpy, a liquid emulsion may separate out. Even at this stage, more often than not, the product would still work and certainly would not do any harm. However, we would certainly not want a less than perfect product to be sold.

Storage: It is important that the natural products are stored correctly. They should be stored out of direct sunlight and not exposed to extremes of temperature, neither heat nor cold. Store with the top firmly secured.