Dr. Hauschka At-A-Glance
Strengths: None for skin care; the powder blush and regular lipstick are good, though not worth a special trip to the health food store.
Weaknesses: Every skin-care product contains at least one volatile fragrance component that can be irritating to skin as well as causing increased sensitivity when skin is exposed to sunlight; the sunscreens do not list active ingredients; the moisturizers are mostly redundant and easily replaced by plain, non-fragrant oils; no products to address even the most basic skin-care concerns.
Dr. Rudolf Hauschka is no longer around, although the Germany-based cosmetics company bearing his name definitely is. Sold primarily at health food stores, the products are a standout for their high prices alone. A cleansing cream at nearly $24 for less than 2 ounces is literally one of the most expensive around.
If plants are your thing, these formulations, according to the ingredient lists, are some of the most “pure” there are. However, the products don’t appear to contain what is listed on the labels because the consistency of the formulations indicates other ingredients must be present. Also, the ingredient lists for the products do not comply with FDA regulations so it is difficult to know exactly what you would be putting on your skin. I have no proof one way or the other, so I will go by the ingredient list as it exists, as I do for all the products I review in this book.
As for the products themselves, despite the inclusion of lots of natural ingredients sure to pique consumer interest, Dr. Hauschka’s development team seemingly ignored copious research on skin-care ingredients from the last 20 years or so. For example, almost every product has plant extracts that have irritation potential, and most of the problematic ones have no known benefit for skin, so you’re risking irritation without a reward. Instead, the company literature goes on and on about how the products are rhythmically mixed and the spiritual connection between nature and people. It all sounds tempting until you realize such back-to-nature philosophies aren’t necessarily the key to a healthy complexion. I have little doubt that most consumers using these products will experience some amount of skin irritation, and the textures of many items are inelegant at best.
Another reason I am skeptical about the disclosure of the ingredients in the products is because preservatives are not listed. If that is truly the case, the risk of contamination after just a couple of weeks of use is significant, especially considering how many plant extracts these products contain. The company insists that the ingredient lists are accurate and that the natural extracts and essential oils chosen have self-preserving properties—but they don’t reveal which essential oils are used, and such ingredients don’t have the same preservation track records as those (such as the parabens and phenoxyethanol) that show up in thousands of other products.
From a modern, research-supported perspective, this is one of the most ineffective, potentially irritating lines reviewed in this book. The moisturizers have their share of helpful ingredients for dry skin, but are about as state-of-the-art as a console television.
Carrying on the same transcendental vibe as the skin-care line, Dr. Hauschka’s makeup is a small collection of products that asks you to “compose and conduct the symphony within you—colorfully, beautifully, and uniquely.” Termed Decorative Cosmetics, the makeup line purports to “work in harmony with the true nature of your skin, fine-tuning those thoughts and feelings that are reflected in your face.” What nonsense! Although it is true that makeup can enhance facial expression by defining the features, there is no way any cosmetic can somehow sense and aid in the communication of facial emotions and movement. That’s about as ridiculous as the notion that exercising facial muscles will prevent skin from sagging. There isn’t much reason to give this makeup more than a passing glance, as the products are downright ordinary to inadequate, and the prices should snap even the most meditative soul back to reality. This is also one of the few lines in this book whose makeup has not shown much, if any, discernible improvement in several years.