Natural, organic skincare ingredients, explained.
Alpaflor Edelweiss
The survival star of skincare
Meet Catherine,
the farmer behind ALPAFLOR® Edelweiss
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CATHERINE'S STORY
Catherine Tornay lives in the heart of the Swiss Alps in the tiny mountain village of Reppaz, 10 kilometres from Mont Blanc. She moved to the village 35 years ago and has raised her four children here. As well as helping her husband with their dairy herd and working as the local postwoman, Catherine cultivates Edelweiss plants.
“I began growing medicinal and herbal plants back in 1990 and the more I learned about them the more fascinated I became. When the local co-operative approached me about cultivating Edelweiss for DSM I was delighted” Catherine explains. “It can be hard, as I have to weed everything by hand, but the flowers are so beautiful and I love watching them bloom. Harvesting them is a real pleasure too. The work is very intensive, but it’s wonderful to be outdoors in July when the mountains are at their greenest. My husband, sons, and grandchildren all help out too, so it has become a real family venture.”
“Many people are moving away from mountain areas, because it can be so hard to earn a living. I love village life and want to stay here so I really appreciate having a guaranteed income from growing these plants.”
We love skincare – it’s what we do, dusk till dawn.
Our promise to you is that our products (and everything that is goes into them) is sustainable, traceable and ethical.The Edelweiss journey is a beacon of sustainability throughout the supply chain.
The farmers and suppliers we work with hold themselves to the highest standards to achieve this: the flowers are not picked from the wild, but carefully cultivated, to preserve the Alpine biodiversity. Here they grow organically in an unspoilt environment with clean air, pristine water and without any synthetic pesticides, herbicides or mineral water fertilisers.
THE SURVIVAL
STAR
Edelweiss, or Leontopodium alpinum, is nature’s white and noble flower. Found high in the mountains of Switzerland it is a strong and resilient flower, an Alpine survival star. The unique properties that make this flower resilient to the harsh elements at altitudes of up to 3000m also make it the perfect choice for our natural skincare products.
The flower blossoms despite the extreme conditions. It is an expert in self-preservation against UV exposure, resilient against extreme temperature changes, and staves off dehydration despite strong winds.
We channel the best of nature to create a product that helps protect and preserve the natural balance of your skin.
Good for the planet,
good for communities,
good for you.
PLANET AND PEOPLE
Edelweiss extraction with natural and renewable solvent (ethanol) following the green chemistry, respecting the environment and recycling the solvent and the waste. In practice, this means:
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We abide by 100% green chemistry principles: Alpaflor Edelweiss is produced with absolutely zero chemicals
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The factory runs on 100% renewable electricity
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Our process produces zero chemical waste and we recycle both to minimise waste and ensure zero chemical waste
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We have a minimal CO2 footprint as the journey from farm to factory is very short
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Alpaflor Edelweiss is certified organic with ECOCERT, COSMOS and NATURE
THE SCIENCE
The extract we use, Alpaflor Edelweiss, is naturally high in leontopodic acid, a unique compound that was discovered in the Edelweiss flower.
It is optimal for skin protection as it stimulates the key proteins that provide maximum protection and moisturization of the skin. Quite simply, it soothes your skin for the ultimate skin sensation.
The natural properties of the flower also means it rebalances UV-induced stress markers and enhances the skin’s resistance to external stress factors - it improves the skin barrier integrity to give you better protected skin. It is also a strong antioxidant, naturally protecting the skin against oxidative stresses.