Regular readers will know that I've been a big fan of Weleda for a very long time, so when they asked me if I'd be interested in taking part in their Birch Spring Cleanse 30 Day Challenge, I had to say yes of course!
Weleda is one of those truly amazing natural/green beauty brands that always go above and beyond with their products and eco-friendly ethics. The brand has been at the forefront of sustainable and clean beauty since 1921 and still manages to perfectly balance innovation with traditional, organic and biodynamic farming methods to source their natural ingredients. There aren't many brands that I can think of that I have admired for such a long time and you'll find my countless reviews and features on their products here.
This year, Weleda launched their Birch Spring Cleanse 30 Day Challenge to help customers gently ease themselves into the new Spring season and get ready for the warmer, sunnier months ahead. I really liked this concept because I'm interested in Ayurveda which has many similar holistic approaches on allowing the mind and body to adapt to the natural changes in our environment, all in keeping with the transition of the seasons.
The Birch Spring Cleanse is based around products that feature ingredients from Silver Birch, a tree that grows throughout much of the Czech Republic (Weleda works with a small family business in South Bohemia who grows their certified Birch). Birch is highly revered for its natural detoxifying properties that are just as beneficial for the skin, as well as for your overall health.
Step One: Get Scrubbing!
The first step is to incorporate a daily body scrub as a means to stimulate healthy circulation and to help flush out toxins and waste naturally, as it gets the lymph fluid moving around the body. For an easy and gentle scrub, you can use a Bath Scrunchy* (made from recyclable mesh and available in a range of colours, £3.50, link) in the shower or bath with your favourite body wash or body scrub. This method will exfoliate and clear away any dull, dead skin cells without feeling too harsh or causing any irritation, leaving your skin smoother afterwards. To enjoy the full benefits of this challenge, I'd recommend picking up a tube of Weleda Birch Body Scrub* (150ml, £9.95, link) to use with the scrunchy as it has small, natural, plastic-free granules in a skin-friendly pH base and it smells really citrusy and invigorating, so it's ideal to use first thing in the morning.
For ultra-glowing smooth skin, you can also try dry body-brushing which takes the challenge to the next level and makes you feel ready to take on the day! The Weleda Body Brush* (£4.95, link) is affordable, convenient and easy to handle. Made from the Asian tree Schima Superba, it features an organic cotton strap and synthetic bristles which allow you to get a nice and deep brushing action going on. As the name suggests, you use the brush on dry skin with no products and brush upwards towards your heart in long strokes for the best results.
Step Two: Massage
Once you've scrubbed all over, treat your skin to the Birch Cellulite Oil* (100ml, £25.95, link). Specially formulated to tackle wobbly bits and 'orange peel' textured skin, cellulite can often indicate a build-up of toxins within the body which is stored in the fatty tissue layers known as adipose. The above step of dry-brushing will certainly help to remove this build-up, which can then be further assisted with a regular massage using a dedicated oil.
The Weleda Birch Cellulite Oil is made from 100% natural ingredients including Apricot Kernel Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Wheatgerm Oil and the all-important Birch Extract, plus a blend of Rosemary, Cypress and Grapefruit Essential Oils give it a wonderfully refreshing and uplifting fragrance. I've been applying it daily to any area that has visible cellulite (so for me, this has been the thighs and bum!) and have noticed a visible difference within the 30 days as my skin is much firmer, smoother, looks more toned and any orange peel texture has vastly been reduced - success!
Step Three: Drink Your Juice
As I mentioned earlier, Weleda's holistic approach believes that what you put into your body is just as important as what you apply on the outside, so their Birch Juice* (200ml, £10.95, link) is a brilliant accompaniment to this challenge. This certified organic drink is made with two simple natural ingredients; 94% wild-grown Birch Leaf Extract and 6% biodynamic Lemon Juice, which completes the tonic effect.
The taste is somewhat 'acquired' shall we say?! It's obviously much more concentrated than the trendy Birch Waters that you can find in Wholefoods, and has a far stronger flavour as a result. To try to put it into words, it's slightly sweet, slightly sour and slightly herbal/woody, all at the same time - you'll have to try it to know what I mean as it's a very unique taste! Luckily, you don't need to consume much of it to reap the rewards as just one tablespoonful (15ml which is 4.5 calories) a day is all you need, and it can be easily disguised in cold tea, juice or your morning smoothie/yoghurt. Benefits of drinking Birch Juice include improved skin elasticity and healthy blood circulation so it's a good food supplement to add to your breakfast.
Overall thoughts
I really enjoyed taking part in the Weleda Birch Spring Cleanse 30 Day Challenge and once I got into the swing of things, I found it very easy to incorporate the steps into my daily routine with minimal fuss. Dry-brushing has definitely helped my skin to feel softer and more rejuvenated overall, whilst the Birch Cellulite Oil has greatly reduced the appearance of my cellulite, which in turn has boosted my confidence ten-fold, especially with Summer holidays coming up! I'm not sure that I've noticed any significant changes to my skin through drinking the Birch Juice, though it has made me feel a lot 'healthier' in myself. I mainly feel that challenges like this are a fantastic way to get some important self-care steps into your busy lifestyle as it can be all too easy to forget to do them when you're running around doing everything else, so the mindful aspect has been great for my mental health alone - thanks Weleda!
Visit weleda.co.uk for more info and to shop the full range of products included in this feature
Would you like to try a gentle Spring Cleanse?
