Brand Spotlight: Annemarie Börlind Skincare

Recently, I was contacted by a representative of German skin care line Annemarie Börlind. I have to admit I was surprised; after a decade and a half in the beauty industry, it's not often I hear a name in the beauty game that I'm totally unfamiliar with. New brands pop up every day, who can keep up with all of that- but how could a brand that claims to be "one of Europe's leading natural skin care lines" slip past me unnoticed for so long? Based in Calw-Altburg, Germany, Annemarie Börlind has specialized in natural cosmetics and skincare for over 50 years. Every product in the Börlind range is tested and certified by EcoControl, an independent organization that certifies products which* (among other things):

• Adhere to strict cruelty-free guidelines. No ingredients may be obtained from dead animals, nor can ingredients or products be tested on animals.
• Never use non-biodegradable or "questionable substances"such as PEG, paraffin, petroleum derivatives, silicone oil, polycyclic musk compounds, etc. (Note: these substances are listed by the company, not by me, I'm personally fine using some of these ingredients, but know that some people aren't.)
• Must be tested exclusively on human skin by "independent dermatological clinics to ensure efficacy and skin-compatibility."
  
• Sustainability practices must be used in extraction of raw materials, as well as during the production of products. Products and packaging must be environmentally safe, readily biodegradable, and should be designed to conserve resources. In fact, the company says even it's home base is "almost completely of natural materials - stone, glass, metal. Even the glue used to install the wallpaper (printed with natural inks) is plant-based."
  
• Whenever possible, raw material is obtained through fair trade organizations and third world projects. Suppliers are verified by both state and independent organizations to ensure that they have humane working conditions, fair payment for the workers, and no child labor.

So it seems pretty apparent who these products would appeal to, but honestly, I'm not generally one of those people. I'll put pretty much anything on my face if it'll make me look better! Sure, I shy away from things that give me cancer, and I'm not exactly Cruella de Vil so if I can get results without killing puppies, all the better. To wit, I think Annemarie Börlind's ecological and social initiatives are wonderful, but I'm not choosing skincare based on warm feelings in my tummy. I'm choosing based on one thing: "does it work?" Luckily for me, Annemarie Börlind says that all of their products are proven effective "through double blind clinical studies conducted by independent dermatological clinics." In addition, they claim that they will not release any product that resulted in allergic reactions in the clinical studies. Sounds great- so what does my skin think?

Shortly after sharing some information about my skin with a Börlind PR representative, I was sent an assortment of Annemarie Börlind products tailored to my needs, most of which are from Börlind's Rose Dew series. Here's what the series is about, according to the company:

Rich hydration for dry skin. Increase moisture content by 28%, reduce wrinkle depth by 30%, and improve skin firmness by 35% with our Rose Dew series.

• Hydrates and binds moisture
• Increases elasticitcity
• Smoothes wrinkles
• Replenishes oil

I've been using these products for several months now, and can attest they have indeed increased the moisture content and oil in my skin. Since I was a teenager, my skin has been super-dry; it's not uncommon for me to peel and flake even in 90°, super humid weather. Within days of starting the Börlind line, I noticed that the flaky irritation I'd been seeing around my nose from my prescription retinol had disappeared.

Graciously, the folks from Annemarie Börlind sent me a full regimen of products to try, so you can expect to see reviews all this week with my impressions of the products. Check back later today for my review of the company's Rose Dew Hydro Stimulant Cleansing Milk. You all know how much I love my Purity, it's the only cleanser I've repeat purchased in ages. So how does Börlind's offering measure up? See you soon!

*EcoControl standards information was gathered from the EcoControl and Annemarie Börlind company websites. I am making no endorsement to the accuracy of the EcoControl certification.