This cream emerged as a well-kept celebrity secret a few years back, with high profile fans such as Helena Christensen, and Victoria Beckham. I have long wanted to try this wonder balm of a cream after having seen reviews of it in magazines and by beauty product suppliers. It has also won a number of rewards such as this one most recently: ‘BEST ORGANIC PRODUCT in the latest Bloom Awards 2012’, which is the 9th award Weleda Skin Food has won in the past 3 years, reinforcing opinion that this is a great product for sensitive and dry skin and during pregnancy.  Skin food has established itself as a true beauty classic, and so I was overjoyed when I realized that one of my mother’s new beauty purchases included this cream. (Treasures from my mother’s beauty cabinet).

Weleda is a brand using only organically and biodynamically grown ingredients.

Weleda’s commercial director Jayn Sterland states:

‘Originally formulated in 1926, our Weleda Skin Food is quite simply a miracle in a tube. Created using just five natural ingredients, including rosemary, viola and chamomile it is a treat for dry skin, intensively moisturising without feeling greasy. And it’s excellent value for money means you can carry a tube with you at all times. ’

Full ingredient list: Water (Aqua), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Lanolin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Alcohol, Beeswax (Cera Flava), Glyceryl Linoleate, Hydrolyzed Beeswax, Fragrance (Parfum)*, Viola Tricolor (Pansy) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Matricaria (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Cholesterol, Limonene*, Linalool*, Geraniol*, Citral*, Coumarin*.
* from natural essential oils

 1.Sunflower seed oil- for anti-inflammatory and skin-softening abilities:  Consists of 48-74% Linoleic acid, and 14-40% Oleic acid. These oils have been attributed to anti-inflammatory properties in cases of wound-healing and inflammatory acne. Oleic acid has been shown to upregulate antibacterial properties of the sebocytes (the oil producing cells of the skin), resulting in increased defense and regulation of the bacterium Propionibacterium acnes, which is a causative agent in the development of inflammatory acne vulgaris.

2.Almond oil- for antiaging, antioxidant and sun protective properties: I’ve done a post focusing only on Almond oil already, have a look HERE. It’s a great source of vitamins E, and A which are both essential for skin health and premature aging.

3.Beeswax- for healing, softening and added protection: Honeygirlorganic.com reports beeswax effectively “softens your skin and creates a long-lasting protective coating against the elements. It is also a naturally nourishing moisturizer as well as being anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-allergenic and a germicidal antioxidant.” Also Beeswax has an irritation potential of zero, and a comedogenicity (pore clogging ability) of 0-2, so should not pose a problem to people worried about acne or blackheads.

4.Pansy extract- for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties: have been shown to exhibited potent inhibitory activity against the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 caused by UV-irradiation in cultured human skin fibroblasts (elastin-fibers and collagen producing cells). Suggesting, it can protect skin against the damaging and aging effects of the sun. Organic pansy is also known for its mild antiseptic properties that calm dry irritation.

5.Rosemary leaf extract- for antibacterial and antioxidant action: Rosemary leaf extract has mild antiseptic properties and is an anti-inflammatory agent.  It has been shown to have the same protective effects against damages by UV exposure as Pansy, and has in addition been associated to inhibit development of skin tumors.

6.Chamomile flower extract- to soothe and fight inflammation: Chamomile may help relieve the inflammation and irritation of infected acne. According to “The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants,” medicinal use of chamomile is centered on the plant’s purported soothing anti-inflammatory properties. Chamomile is especially useful for dry, itchy or inflamed skin. There is also research pointing to chamomile as an agent able to relieve dermatitis (eczema).

7.Calendula flower extract- for soothing chapped and irritated skin: has perhaps the longest history of use of any herb in skin care. The oil soluble components including the essential oil seem especially good at stimulating wound healing. Scientific studies find that extracts of calendula can speed the healing of skin wounds and burns. Calendula ointment has also been used to decrease dermatitis following skin irradiation for breast cancer. Much of the healing properties of calendula are because of its high levels of carotenoids (vitamin A like compounds). Calendula also contains oil soluble sterols that help plump the skin and keep it thick. There’s also groundbreaking evidence for Calendula as a UV protectant reaching an SPF as high as 14.84! (Mishra et al.)

What I think:

I have used it a couple of days now, both evening and during the daytime, and I’m in love! It’s a thick almost ointment like cream that is best spread on moist skin, and massaged in to absorb. It smells like herbs and lemon zest, which I’m sort of partial to, although I’m sure not everyone will be comfortable with such a strong herbal scent. I think it smells like it came from a garden, pure and organic, and that’s just what it is. It leaves my skin mega moisturized and there’s some kind of instant firming effect happening as well. It clears the few dry parches I’ve gotten around the ala of my nose, and my skin feels smooth and even after. It’s developed especially for dry, soar or inflamed skin, but works on all skin types in need of some intense love and attention. Good for elbows, heels, faces, mommies-to-be and baby butts alike. It leaves my face with this amazing healthy looking glow, and I’m sure it would make an excellent base for makeup.

This is a great cream for us using retinols, as our skin might need some supercharged nurture and care once in a while. It’s also great for pregnant ladies that might be worried about parabens in skincare, or people suffering from inflammatory skin conditions or dry skin.

This might not be for you if you suffer any allergies for the above mentioned ingredients (obviosuly..) , or if you have very oily skin.

I’m ordering mine from Lookfantastic with free world-wide delivery where you get a big tube (75ml) for £7.15: Weleda Skin Food.

Sources:

An Innate Bactericidal Oleic Acid Effective Against Skin Infection of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: A Therapy Concordant with Evolutionary Medicine PublicationInfo J. Microbiol. Biotechnol.2011 ; 21(4): 391~399

Photoprotective effect of a water-soluble extract of Rosmarinus officinalis L. against UV-induced matrix metalloproteinase-1 in human dermal fibroblasts and reconstructed skin

European Journal of Dermatology. Volume 18, Number 2, 128-35, march-april 2008, Investigative report

A Glycosidic Isoflavonoid from Viola hondoensis W. BECKER et H. BOISSIEU (Violaceae), and Its Effect on the Expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 Caused by Ultraviolet Irradiation in Cultured Human Skin Fibroblasts

Hyung In Moon¹⁾, Joongku Lee²⁾, Ok Pyo Zee³⁾, Jin Ho Chung¹⁾

Sebum Free Fatty Acids Enhance the Innate Immune Defense of Human Sebocytes by Upregulating β-Defensin-2 Expression

Journal of Investigative Dermatology (2010) 130, 985–994; doi:10.1038/jid.2009.384; published online 24 December 2009

Teruaki Nakatsuji^1,2, Mandy C Kao^1,2, Liangfang Zhang^3,4, Christos C Zouboulis⁵, Richard L Gallo^1,2 and Chun-Ming Huang^1,2,4

Inhibition of Skin Tumorigenesis by Rosemary and Its Constituents Carnosol and Ursolic Acid

Mou-Tuan Huang, Chi-Tang Ho, Zhi Yuan Wang, et al. Cancer Res 1994;54:701-708.

Effect of German chamomile oil application on alleviating atopic dermatitis-like immune alterations in mice Soon-Hee Lee1, Yong Heo2, Young-Chul Kim3,* 1Department of Beauty Art, Howon University, Gunsan 573-718, Korea 2Department of Occupational Health, Catholic University of Daegu, Gyeongsan 712-702, Korea 3Department of Public Health, Keimyung University, Daegu 704-701, Korea

Duran, V., et al. Results of the clinical examination of an ointment with marigold (Calendula officinalis) extract in the treatment of venous leg ulcers. Int. J. Tissue React. 2005 27(3):101-6.

Pommier, P., et al. Phase III randomized trial of Calendula officinalis compared to trolamine for the prevention of acute dermatitis during irradiation for breast cancer. J. Clin. Oncol. 2004 22(8):1447-53.