Because taking care of our skin is taking care of our health, we spoke with Barbara O'Neill de Tyron, Trade Marketing Manager at Weleda, to help us take care of our face and body skin in the most respectful and effective way.
What is the most important thing when it comes to taking care of your facial skin?
The most important part of skincare is having a cleansing and moisturizing routine. For this, it's essential to choose a cleansing range that respects the delicate skin of the face and is also capable of removing makeup residue and impurities that have accumulated throughout the day.
At Weleda, we have a natural cleansing range that covers both of these aspects. After cleansing, it's important to tone your face to balance its pH and tighten pores. Our revitalizing facial toner is ideal for applying with a cotton pad. It restores the skin thanks to rosehip leaf extract and witch hazel, and balances its pH with lemon juice.
We cannot forget that the foundation of beautiful skin is good hydration: with our 24hr hydration range you can choose between two textures formulated with cactus and aloe vera extracts that help maintain hydration all day long.
And what about the body?
To keep our skin healthy and well-cared for, it's essential to start our body care routine with a gentle, sulfate-free cleanser. Sometimes, after showering, our skin feels tight, dry, and even itchy due to the hardness in the water and the detergents that damage the hydrolipidic film.
Weleda shower gels cleanse our skin gently, thanks to their natural surfactants made from sugar and coconut, which are much milder and more respectful of the skin's natural water and lipid balance. Furthermore, over 20% of the formula consists of plant-based oils that hydrate the skin. After cleansing, we recommend an intense moisturizing oil-based formula, such as the regenerating pomegranate oil .
At Weleda, we only work with pure, cold-pressed vegetable oils to preserve the properties of the ingredients. Their composition, rich in essential fatty acids, has a molecular structure very similar to the lipids in our skin. This allows them to be easily absorbed and work in deeper layers, providing much more intense and long-lasting nourishment than other oils. In this case, pomegranate is an excellent antioxidant with a regenerative effect that prevents skin aging, in addition to nourishing and firming. Thanks to the high concentration of the product, a small amount provides the necessary benefits for our skin.
As a tip, we recommend applying it to slightly damp skin. Because it's a dry-touch, fast-absorbing oil, it doesn't leave a greasy feeling, and you can get dressed afterward without staining your clothes.
What is the most common mistake we make in our beauty routines?When it comes to the eye contour area, one of the most common mistakes people make is the application method, in addition to not choosing the most suitable product for this area. We must consider this area different from the rest of the face because its skin is much thinner and therefore much more exposed to external aggressors. Furthermore, it contains less collagen and elastin; all of these factors contribute to the appearance of the first signs of aging.
That is why we will always recommend an eye contour cream that not only treats the signs of aging but also helps to increase hydration levels in the area, since in this way we will recover the elasticity of the contour, so the signs will be reduced, in addition to a much healthier appearance.
My recommendation from Weleda would be our 24/7 Hydrating Eye Cream. Thanks to its active ingredient, organically grown cactus, it helps increase the skin's moisture levels. Furthermore, its innovative roll-on applicator helps tone the eye area, and each application provides a gentle lymphatic drainage massage.
The one product or step we can't do without is cleansing. Without proper facial hygiene, both morning and night , we won't be able to fully benefit from any subsequent treatments. Cleansers should be formulated for our skin type, cleansing deeply while respecting the skin's hydrolipidic barrier. Weleda offers seven different options: gel textures for oily skin, like the Naturally Clear line; foams for combination skin; and emulsions and milks for sensitive skin, such as the almond line or the gentle cleansing milk for dry skin. And let's not forget the benefits of double cleansing with almond facial oil and our 2-in-1 cleanser for consumers looking for a quick and effective one-step cleanser.
What is your favorite cosmetic ingredient and why?
Cactus extract. It's a true oasis for our skin, 100% organic and natural. Known as the diamond of the desert, it provides immediate and continuous hydration. It's also an exclusive Weleda ingredient, specially selected from Jalisco, Mexico, for its unique volcanic soils and the impact of dry and rainy seasons.
Cactus extract has a high polysaccharide content: polymers formed by monosaccharides linked repeatedly by glycosidic bonds. These bonds form a disaccharide and a water molecule. Thanks to this high water-binding capacity, a "water reservoir" is created in the skin, providing elasticity and firmness to the face.
Furthermore, it has a high percentage of mucilage, which, in addition to hydrating the skin, provides minerals and polyphenols that strengthen the skin barrier. Thanks to its β-sitosterol content, it has an anti-inflammatory effect with soothing properties.
With cactus extract, we obtain a plumping effect very similar to that offered by hyaluronic acid. Weleda chooses natural ingredients and plant extracts, true to its holistic approach and 100 years of plant-based expertise.
You can find the Weleda range in our Madrid stores , and, by clicking here, in our online store .