Life seasons

Weleda’s philosophy is that growing older is natural – we don’t want to stop it and we don’t want to make anyone younger. Instead, we want our customers to feel right and look good by encouraging inner beauty to shine through at every stage of life. Radiance from the inside out is very important to us.

It’s so well-known and so evident, but often we do not notice it – the natural world around us is in a constant state of rhythmic change and progression. And just as the seasons demonstrate the cycle of nature, so our bodies are continuously in a regular rhythm of change. As every seven year cycle is complete, our body cells are renewed themselves and every seven years our consciousness has the opportunity to develop profoundly.

Anthroposophy recognises these seven-year cycles dividing our lives, and shows how different aspects of our humanity can be seen to emerge as we develop through them. In the first three seven-year periods (aged 0 to 21), the body develops from babyhood to adulthood. Once this physical phase is complete comes three seven-year periods (age 21 to 42) when our spirit or soul is developing. During this time we ask ourselves questions – who am I? How do I want to live? What makes me different in my likes and abilities? Between the ages of 42 and 63 years, the mind and the so-called ‘higher self’ gradually develop. During this life phase we are more and more in the service of other people and in a position to share our knowledge to support and guide others.

These changes do not always happen spontaneously or in a condition of calm and contentment. Sometimes it takes upheavals and crises to promote personal development. The good news? If we embrace these changes consciously, knowing that they are happening, we have a great chance to actively give our lives new direction.

What skin needs between 21-28 years of age - a life between extremes

Young adults are in the most colourful phase of their lives. They are finally independent enough to discover what the world has to offer, and many things change for them. In this life stage we oscillate between the excitement of discovery and the desire for security. Such constant change is often reflected in the skin, which can be dry and delicate, but also unclean and prone to inflammation.

The iris plant has a natural talent for balancing extremes. The stem regulates moisture so well that the plant feels comfortable growing in a swamp, but it can also bridge extremely dry periods effortlessly. As a leadplant for our skincare range, the iris brings exactly these properties to skincare for young adults. It supports skin’s ability to self-regulate, facilitating a return to healthy balance.

What skin needs between 28-42 years of age - life in bloom

As we reach the age of 30, we find that life has a deeper meaning. It’s not just about experiencing as much as possible, but rather about the quality and impact of our experiences. Work, family, leisure, friendships - we juggle many demands at the same time in this phase of life. Emotionally we often move between youthful exuberance and adult serenity. Our skin feels similar changes – it is still young and elastic, but it has also developed the first expression lines and doesn’t adapt to stress as quickly as it used to. In this life stage, the beautiful wild rose offers much-needed harmony and regeneration. The rose is tender and tough at the same time, combining opposites and balancing fluctuations. In our Wild Rose Facial and Bodycare ranges, the seed oil of Rosa Mosqueta supports the structure of the skin and helps to retain its moisture. Subtly, wild rose also strengthens the skin so that first wrinkles are reduced.

What skin needs between 42-56 years of age - life in all its facets

As we grow older, we become richer in experience. We are established in life, we stand firmly with both feet on the ground, we are in the full flow of things and we develop personal charisma – what we might call ‘character’. While earlier in life we looked mainly to the future, we now become more aware of the importance of our past. But this phase of life is not a point of standstill, more a pivoting point where new directions can once again emerge.

The pomegranate is the plant that mirrors this state of balance perfectly. Its stages of development do not proceed in succession, as they do in other plants, but they are interleaved and overlapping. At each life stage, both the past and the future are evident in the plant’s state of growth. This is why the active ingredients of pomegranate are so well-suited to skin at this age. This is when the skin begins to hold less moisture, becoming dry more quickly and losing strength and elasticity. Our Pomegranate Facial and Body Care ranges are able to accompany these changes wonderfully, supporting regeneration of the skin and activating cell renewal.

What skin needs beyond the age of 56 - re-orientation and new beginnings

After being fully engaged in everyday life for decades, finding fulfilment  organising a family and work commitments, many of us now seek a new cerebral-spiritual dimension to life. Now that we finally have more time for ourselves, we can shift focus from ‘I must’ to ‘I can’ or ‘I want’. The mature woman begins to detach from her previous everyday life and seizes emerging opportunities. She puts her trust in her experience and intuition to lead a new kind of life as an individual of unique character.

The golden-bloomed evening primrose has also emancipated itself from the usual rhythm of the plant world, by blossoming as it becomes night. She promotes the mature woman’s new sense of self, supporting her skin’s health and allowing individuality to emerge. Evening primrose works alongside mature skin – with a tendency to dryness, tension and wrinkles – offering regenerative impulses that stimulate, stabilise, reinforce the skin barrier and help develop a new kind of radiance.