Martina Gebhart Cosmetics Review -- My Favourite Moisturising Products

I realised that I haven't done a post about my all-time favourite moisturisers! I have mentioned Martina Gebhardt products but haven't told you about how it's my go-to brand for basic creams and lotions.

Since over two years this brand is somewhat of a holy grail for my skin. I remember testing one of the lotions out for the first time -- waking up bleary eyed and staring with surprise at my reflection in the mirror, wondering why my skin looked so. Then I remembered that I had tried out the Martina Gebhardt Young and Active Lotion the previous evening. I rarely get that "wow, that worked" moment with skin care product, but it's there with Martina Gebhardt products. From what I gleaned from a German Facebook natural cosmetics group, I'm not the only fan of this brand. Especially women with acne had really good results.

  The ingredients are interesting and differ from the typical natural cosmetics. For one, many of the creams and lotions are alcohol-free (so many natural cosmetics contain a lot of alcohol, which my skin doesn't like). Apart from oils and herbs, there are Spagyric herbal extracts as well as gold, silver and sulphur. The products are formulated in a way that they don't need preservatives. They are also pH-neutral.
   My skin feels really moisturied and taut when I used the Martina Gebhardt products, and I don't get breakouts or flaky skin.

 Martina Gebhardt products are certified organic (Demeter quality), all are vegetarian and many of them are vegan (here is a list). They are free from Palm-oil and palm-oil derivatives.

Martina Gebhardt carries several series, each meant for a different kind of skin type or issue. I ordered a set of samples from their site (for 5€, which is then subtracted from your next order). Here is a handy guide to help you figure out what to get. If you speak German you can also write them an email or phone them, I have heard they are good at helping clients to find the right products for their specific skin issues.

I have a couple of favourites: the Young and Active series balances my dry-but-oily skin, so does the Melisse cream which additionally brightens up my face. The Salvia line is the bees knees for oily skin -- I woke up with a completely matte face after using it. After a few days I realised it was too strong  for my mixed skin though, but do try it out if you have are struggling with a truly oily skin. The mask from this series is amazing if you see a breakout coming.

If your skin is on the dry side, the Rose series will work well for you. The Shea Butter line is meant for extremely sensitive and allergic skin, it has just a couple of ingredients that are extremely gentle. Many people with Neurodermitis like it a lot. You can also use it on small babies (also the Calendula line).

Another product worth noticing is the Rose Bronzing Fluid. It is more neutral and less orangey than the bronzing fluid from Dr Hauschka. It's very light and doesn't moisturises though, it's meant to lightly even out the skin tone and add a little golden glow. If you like forest-y scents you will like the Wood Massage Oil. Another product I loved was the Herbs face and décolletée mask. The Martina Gebhardt hand cream is probably the richest one I have ever tested -- deal for very dry hands.

In the winter I prefer the cream versions of the products. They have a really wholesome quality about them, and they keep my face from getting flaky. In summer I usually go for lotions, unless my skin is feeling dry. Both lotions and creams are rather greasy so I use them in the evening. My skin drinks it all up and I wake up with almost no sebum (when I don't use them for a while, I wake up with an extremely oily T-zone). If I want something really light for the day, I use the Rose eye cream all over my face. Around my eyes I prefer richer products than this, like the Avocado eye cream.

  There are a couple of other Martina Gebhardt products that I haven't tested yet -- the summer series, the Neroli cream and the ampoules. I also have not tested the cleansers yet, but they look very interestingly they do not contain surfactants.

   The prices are not exactly rock-bottom, but they are affordable, especially because a little of the product goes a long way. Online and in some brick-and-mortar stores you can find the smaller versions of the products. In Germany they are available in many organic stores, in the US via BeWellStayWell.

   If you have tried Martina Gebhardt products I'd love to know what your experiences are. What have you used? Right now I have started using the Ginseng cream to revive my skin after the winter.