LAST week I spent a rather lovely day at Weleda HQ (UK).

Which basically means I got to mooch around some of the most beautiful gardens I have ever seen and play with fabulous skin care products.

Sounds heavenly huh?

And indeed it was. But I warn you, if you’re not into flowers and plants and the like, you might want to pop by another day because this post is filled with them!

Anyway, as part of a very special tour, I was invited to visit gardens and meadows and soak up all the plant and flower knowledge I possibly could from an incredibly experienced (and totally lovely) Weleda head gardener.

We got to look at leaves and plants in more detail, thinking about their properties and how they can help us.

(Weleda is a homeopathic brand which means, to put it as simply as possible, that it’s about ‘like for like’ so for eg. a plant that has soft leaves and retains water brilliantly would therefore be excellent for sensitive or dry skin)

We admired the medicinal plants and gasped at their prettiness, as we watched the team of gardeners hard at work in the sunshine.

We walked through magnificent meadows, picked camomile flowers and felt our stress levels drop, just being surrounded by such natural beauty.

And we learned about how the brand takes a plant (such as the camomile here) and uses it to create a medicinal, homeopathic tincture.

For me, who has recently become really interested in plants, flowers and wellbeing, it was a totally magical (and informative) day out.

The Weleda gardens are situated in Derbyshire and the care and attention that goes into cultivating the plants is just remarkable.

No surprise really I guess, when you consider that all Weleda products are made from natural products which are both grown and picked (!) with love.

I first came across Weleda products when Elsie was teeny tiny, when I stumbled across some of their Calendula face cream for babies and bought it in the hope that it would help her facial skin to survive the harsh Winter weather.

And boy did it.

Out in the pram in all weathers (to try to get her to sleep and to give me some much needed exercise!) the cream protected her delicate skin from all the elements brilliantly.

And when the dreaded teething began and nothing helped? Well I ordered some Weleda homeopathic Camomilla granules as a last resort, not really expecting them to work. And ended up totally gobsmacked when they did!

Sadly, they didn’t eliminate Elsie’s pain or discomfort altogether but they most definitely helped her through those awful teething days and nights. (Mums to babies, they’re well worth a shot if your little one is struggling).

So after trying both these products, I quickly became a Weleda convert.

And since then, I’ve tried more of their products and am now a total fan. As indeed are many others. And I’m not at all surprised.

Because Weleda products just perform brilliantly. Natural and packed with plant goodness, the skincare ones also smell amazing too!

The brand’s ethos is also remarkable.

Because not only are they passionate about creating excellent products and cultivating the best crops, they’re also passionate about giving back to some of the world’s poorest communities. Transforming people’s lives as a result.

If you haven’t tried Weleda out yet, then do give them a whirl if you can, as I have a feeling you will absolutely love them!

And if you don’t know where to start, then fret not. Here are a couple of super products that I have tried and tested and thoroughly recommend to everyone:

Skin Food – This cream is brilliant for hardened, tough skin or skin that needs some TLC. It has fans in all the celeb places (including Victoria Beckham and Julia Roberts no less) and is an absolute beauty classic. Buy some for your bathroom cabinet now.

Calendula Face Cream for Babies – This is the fabulous product I used when Elsie was a baby and that we both still use now, occasionally, when our skin is crying out for a bit of help. Just a really gentle and protective cream that works wonders on little people and their mummies!

Almond Body Lotion – I don’t think this has even hit the shops yet (when we were there, the first delivery had just arrived!) but I am already totally hooked on this super product.

This is by far the best body lotion I have ever used on my skin and I have tried dozens over the years. Light and beautifully moisturising, it’s incredibly gentle on sensitive skin and leaves my skin looking soft and glowing. I’ve been using it for a week now and am officially obsessed with the stuff.

Keep your eyes peeled for when it’s out in the shops and buy it in bulk when you see it.  I cannot get enough of it.

Thank you Weleda for such a super day. Visiting your gardens really was such a treat!

With love,

Kate