Re-Wilding That Resonates With Us
Who?
Why do we adore her?
She’s a super authentic and enviably cool natural beauty and wellness expert, hotelier, spa owner, mother and Founder of a stunning and effective skincare line, Susanne Kaufmann.
Was your childhood wild or mild?
Both! I grew up in Bregenzerwald, an idyllic region nestled in a valley in the Austrian Alps famed for its natural beauty.
Where did your love for natural beauty come from?
I was brought up in a culture where taking care of your skin, hair, and body was always of the utmost importance. I always loved it. I’m the fifth generation to own and operate the Hotel Post Bezau, established in 1850 by my great, great grandfather. It was here in the Bregenzerwald, a really picturesque valley in the Austrian Alps, where I first began cultivating my family’s special approach to hospitality with the beauty and healing power of regional herbs and plants so beloved by my grandmother. – we‘d make healing tonics, marigold cream and arnica schnapps, and my Grandmother used to rinse my hair with chamomile. It was a two-hour weekly ritual. To this day, I have made sure these traditions stay alive with my family.
What does wellbeing mean to you?
I've always believed in the holistic approach. We all know by now that the perfect combination of exercise, nutrition, sleep, and skin care is the real secret to both inner and outer beauty in the long term.
What are your health and beauty rituals you are finding particularly helpful during uncertain times?
An effective self-care routine should adapt to everyone’s lifestyle. Not everyone can (or wants to) dedicate the same amount of time to their skincare routine. Our Alkali Salt De-acidifying is a great product to use in stressful times. Stress tends to generate an increase of hyperacidity in the body, and an acidic environment can have negative effects on the body and skin.
I also try and prioritise time for a relaxing bath. It is a well-deserved moment of rest, a welcome relief for the back, joints and muscles. A bath also nourishes the skin and can have a balancing effect as well. When bathing, the pores of the skin open, but fat and moisture are also lost. Just after a bath the skin is dry and ready to absorb moisture. Therefore, applying body cream after the bath is so important. Choose a nourishing cream, lotion, or body oil best for your skin type.
To maximise the effect of hydrating products I do a peel about once per week. Removing dead skin cells really clears the way for the hydration and nutrients that creams and oils can provide.
What is beauty now?
There is a saying that the skin is a mirror of the soul. Many people are convinced that diet has little to do with beauty but what you eat determines your outward appearance. Beauty is about being comfortable in your body. The skin is the body’s largest organ and is "the mirror of the soul" - if you feel bad, you see it immediately. Radiant skin and shiny hair are more about personal lifestyle than you might think and a healthy diet being part of that is no longer a secret.
Can natural beauty be as powerful as the products from the dermatologist brands/office? I get asked a lot if natural product ranges work?
The power of plants should never be underestimated. To ensure we do not lose any of the strength that nature has bestowed, we use cold-press extraction when obtaining the plant oils and compounds. This ensures the best results and care for your skin. Cold-pressing technology is a unique way to extract the very best parts of a plant. It only uses low temperatures and no solvents, which means the plant extracts retain all their potent bioactive properties. It also ensures an optimum particle size so that products are absorbed more evenly by the skin and their effectiveness is optimised.
The interest in clean beauty is rocketing, what does it mean to you?
Beauty products should contribute to our beauty and to our health as beauty does not only come from outside but also from inside. We all like fresh air, we all know the benefits of healthy food so why should we choose something unhealthy when it comes to beauty products? It is important to be aware where the ingredients we use come from and where they go when we wash them off.
What about nature as a therapy in itself? What are your latest findings that are the most fascinating?
When you come to see us in the Bregenzerwald where we have the spa Hotel Post Bezau, you simply have to go outside and be at one with nature – “usse go” as we would say in the local dialect. You can head across the neighbouring meadows, venture into the moor, or make your way up a mountain. Within the first few metres, the clear air and natural background noise will have allowed you to clear your head before you know it.
What is your favourite way to energise?
I love to exercise. It is a very important form of self-care for me. I try to mix up my fitness routine: twice a week I’ll do some running or biking in the mountains nearby, and 2 to 3 times a week I will take a Pilates class or I go to our gym/fitness room and work with the weights.
And relax?
Baths are my go-to for relaxation. They are such a great form of self-care. This was my inspiration to develop so many bath products in the Susanne Kaufmann product range. I wanted to ensure everyone could have a moment for themselves at the end of every day with a bath and effective bath product.
What is your favourite drink?
Champagne enjoyed with good friends and family.
What is your ultimate comfort meal?
My husband is a great chef, whatever he cooks I always really love it!
What would make your ultimate Sunday?
That’s easy! Spending time with my family
