This is an update from June 24, 2022

One of the easiest ways to make your life more sustainable often starts in the bathroom. There are now so many great alternatives for shampoo, shower gel, make-up and the like that you’ll hardly notice the change!

The environment, however, does notice – and so does your body! According to statistics, the average person uses 10 different cosmetic products every day. And thus, has the potential to ingest up to 130 toxins! These include silicones, parabens, microplastics and fragrances, to name just a few. None of these substances are acutely life-threatening, but in the long term, both the environment and humans can suffer. Natural cosmetics do not contain any of these problematic ingredients.

Natural cosmetics can help to improve your skin and hair, many people can have reactions or irritations to some of the ingredients in conventional cosmetic products. Fragrances in particular can cause redness, blemishes and swelling. Many of these issues can be solved by switching to natural cosmetics.

How to recognize good natural cosmetics

Although animal testing for cosmetics is banned in the EU, this does not apply to chemical ingredients. These are not only used in cosmetics, but also in other products such as cleaning agents or medicines. With certified natural cosmetics, consumers can usually be sure that no animals had to suffer for the product. The various certifications have cut-off dates for this: for the BDIH seal, for example, no raw materials are allowed that were tested on animals after 1 January 1998. The well-known bunny logo with the protective hand even applies to the period from 1979.

You can also use barcode scanner apps such as Toxfox and Codecheck to find out how much nature is really in your natural cosmetics. Or, you can simply use one the cosmetics lines from one of our Green Pearls® partners.

Natural cosmetics from and in sustainable hotels and where to get them

Traditional natural cosmetics

Bali has its own beauty secrets to share with the world. However, one of the most important pieces of advice from the Indonesian island is: moisture keeps you young! Both internally, by drinking plenty of water, and externally, by making use of nourishing creams. The Puri Dajuma team reveals that in Bali, this includes recipes that have been passed down through generations.

Puri Dajuma’s skincare collection is based on essential oils and 100% natural ingredients such as coconut oil, jungle honey, lemon, cucumber and banana. You can try these out directly at the Dajuma, specifically at the Lola Spa. There you can enjoy head massages, a cream face massage or a hair mask.

Holistic care according to Ayurvedic teachings

In the Mountain Ashram Spa of the CERVO Mountain Resort in Zermatt guests can enjoy a specially developed natural, vegan, animal-free cosmetics line. The products are inspired by Ayurvedic medicine and have a calming, energising or detoxifying effect. The cosmetics and oils are an ideal match for the holistic treatment approach of the Mountain Ashram Spa.

With the ‘Alpine Woman Apricot Sensation’ for women and the ‘Pioneer Man Alpine Herbs’ for men, CERVO has launched its own collection of cosmetic lines. In addition, there are other series such as the moisturizing ‘Aloe Vera ‘, or the ‘Flow and Ayurveda Massage Oils’. Other products are also currently being developed.

One of the new signature products is the “Mountain Ashram Detox Body Scrub“, made with natural ingredients from the Swiss mountains: hazelnut oil, pine needles and sage. Allow 5 minutes for application, massaging the body scrub in circular motions from the feet to the heart. This should not only refine your skin texture, but also promote blood circulation.

Regional ingredients for natural cosmetics in the hotel

In South Tyrol, you can also experience a special natural cosmetics line – that of the ADLER Resorts & Lodges. For the ‘ADLER SPA Aktiv’ line, they use the best ingredients from three different regions of Italy, where the ADLER Resorts & Lodges are located: Plants and flowers from South Tyrol for skin cell protection and regeneration, grapes and thermal water from Tuscany for prevention and nourishing the skin, and algae extracts, citrus fruits and seawater from Sicily for cleansing and detoxification.

Only raw materials from organically controlled cultivation which are free of preservatives and colorants are used for the ADLER cosmetics line. The innovative technology ensures that the raw materials are gently broken down, and the active ingredients can be optimally absorbed into the skin. You can buy the products not only on the spot, but also in the ADLER online store.

South Tyrolean BergSea cosmetic line

In South Tyrol, on the Ritten, the Hotel Weihrerhof has also developed its own cosmetic line using ingredients from the region. The BergSea cosmetics line is certified organic and packaged in recycled PET. The basis of the skin care line is the water of the Wolfsgruben Lake. Located at 1,200 meters above sea level, Lake Wolfsgruben is one of the cleanest bathing lakes in Italy. There are also other ingredients from the Ritten, such as Swiss stone pine and hay. The products can be purchased from the hotel’s online shop for as little as 19 euros.

What natural cosmetics do sustainable hotels use?

Of course, not all of our Green PearlsⓇ partners have developed their own line of cosmetics. That’s why we also asked them what natural cosmetics they use – both for spa treatments and for you as a guest in your hotel room. Here are some of the brands our partners recommend:

TEAM DR. JOSEPH

Several of our partners rely on certified natural cosmetics from Team Dr. Joseph. The brand has been around since 1986 and is produced in Italy (South Tyrol). Team Dr. Joseph is vegan, cruelty-free and produced and packaged climate- and plastic-free. The natural cosmetics are also designed for holistic treatment. In addition to consumer products, the brand also has a partner program for hotels and spas.

Team Dr. Joseph natural cosmetics can be found at the sustainable Hotel My Arbor, also in South Tyrol (on the Plose near Brixen), and in Germany at the romantic Hotel Das Rübezahl in the Allgäu and at STURM in the foothills of the Rhön.

“Team Dr. Joseph is characterized by outstanding quality and delivers excellent results. The active ingredients include local trees, which suits us very well” – My Arbor (The hotel is built on stilts in the middle of the forest).

Phamos Nature

Hotel My Arbor also uses certified natural cosmetics Phamos Natur in the spa. The founder of the German company, Margot Esser, was involved in a car accident in the USA in the 1980s and suffered severe burns to her face and upper body. She was taken to a shamanic natural healing clinic where she was treated with Aloe Vera. The beneficial treatment and convincing effect led her to develop her own Aloe Vera products – and she has been doing so very successfully for over 35 years.

The Aloe Vera plants are grown in a sustainable mixed culture in Ecuador. Following the wisdom of the Mayan farmers, Phamos Natur ensures that “all plants want to grow together in families”.

Walde Organic Soap

At Hotel Klosterbräu in Seefeld, Austria, you will find Walde’s organic lavender liquid soap in every room. Walde is the oldest soap factory in Austria, with almost 250 years of history. Although the soap is not certified as a natural cosmetic, there is an organic line where all ingredients are organically grown.

Doctor Eckstein

The Birkenhof ***** Spa & Genussresort in the Upper Palatinate Lake District uses the indie brand Doctor Eckstein. The entire product line is based on nature and is produced in Germany. However, they are not certified natural cosmetics.

Is natural always better?

You may have guessed from our last two examples that we are cautious about this. As with food, it may be that smaller companies or start-ups cannot (yet) afford certification. For us, this simply means: read the ingredients (yes, we know how difficult it is with cosmetics!), look at the company website and if you have any doubts, ask critically. If the company is truly and honestly committed to sustainability, they will be happy to answer your questions!

What do you look for when choosing your cosmetics? And do you have any tips for sustainable beauty lines?

What do you look for in your cosmetics? Would you try a hotel’s collection? Let us know!

Continue Reading: How beauty care and environment are related

Continue Reading: Organic, plastic-free and zero-waste: What makes cosmetics sustainable?

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