Biodynamic is a forerunner of an organic movement, and it’s more holistic in approach. In addition
to organic practices, such as crop rotation and composting, biodynamic farms use special plant,
animal, and mineral preparations, and the rhythmic influences of the sun, moon, planets, and stars to
create a thriving ecosystem. “Biodynamics is a process of healing the skin or the soil, as opposed to
replacing the substance or relieving the symptom,” says Susan West Kurz, holistic skin care expert
and president of Dr. Hauschka Skin Care. “Organic tends to replace synthetic substances with
botanicals, but biodynamic asks,Why is there a pest or a weed in the first place. Where is the
imbalance? If there are larvae on your broccoli, it tells you that there is something wrong with the
health of the soil. So we would apply our biodynamic spray on the plant or on the soil to help it
regain balance.”
Biodynamic farming is an approach based on the work of Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner. In
1924, he believed that the quality of food was downgrading “thanks” to artificial fertilizers,
pesticides, and the whole chemical approach to farming. A central aspect of biodynamics is that the
farm is seen as an organism and therefore should be a closed, self-nourishing system. “Biodynamic
agriculture includes the forces that make food nutritious and that are of benefit to health,” says
Michael Bate, the head gardener of Weleda. “It is the art of the biodynamic farmer to create a
harmonious balance between the various realms of nature. Biodynamic gardening enhances the
working of the forces coming via the earth, also through light, air and warmth, and from the influences
of planetary rhythms, to create vitalized soil and plants.”
The biodynamic method has been controlled and certified by the Demeter International Association
since 1928. The U.S. Demeter Association was formed in the 1980s and certified its first farm in
- There are several skin care lines that use biodynamically grown plants in their products, such
as Weleda, Primavera, and Dr. Hauschka. Biodynamic skin care, according to Susan West Kurz, is
based on a process of healing the skin as opposed to removing the symptoms. “We don’t say, let’s
cope with your dryness by putting on a moisturizer,” says Susan. “We are stimulating skin’s vital
functions so it isn’t dry all the time. I often ask women why they use night creams, and they say
because their skin is dry. Maybe, I tell them, these creams do not work!Why would you need a
moisturizer twenty-four hours a day if they were effective? Biodynam-ics requires a shift in
consciousness. We look at the whole process rather than symptoms.”
Hypoallergenic
Variations: dermatologist-tested, allergy-tested, nonirritating These claims are not making a
cosmetic product more natural. Company claims that certain beauty products produce fewer allergic
reactions often have little ground. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there
are currently no federal standards or definitions that govern the use of the term “hypoallergenic.”
In fact, beauty product manufacturers are not required to provide evidence that their products
produce fewer allergic reactions, and products prescribed for sensitive skin often contain chemical
and plant-based ingredients that cause skin irritation. It’s been proven that all cosmetic products, mild
and regular, may cause an allergic reaction in people with sensitive skin. That’s why if you are
“blessed” with supersensitive skin, you should use beauty products with as few ingredients as
possible and consider making your own basic skin and hair care products from organic fruits,
vegetables, milk, and cereals, so you are completely sure of what you are using on your skin.