Holistic and luxe: why Susanne Kaufmann is the skincare of now

Launched in 2003, Susanne Kaufmann’s namesake skincare brand couldn’t be more now – holistic, rejuvenating as the crisp Bregenzerwald air, purpose-led towards its environmental impact and filled with efficacious actives from Kaufmann’s Austrian homeland. Available at MECCA, Kaufmann shares her vision for a naturally-derived skincare range that is anything but surface-level.

“I grew up with this culture of taking care of your skin, hair and body. I always loved it,” Kaufmann reminisces. “We grew up in nature – we made healing tonics, marigold cream, and arnica schnapps, and my grandmother used to rinse my hair with beer, eggs or chamomile. It was a two-hour weekly ritual” – a ritual that soon became the foundation of Kaufmann’s sought-after collection of creams, serums, oils and masks. Sourced from her hometown of Bregenzerwald, an area well-known for its beauty and restorative effect, the proportion of naturally-derived, active botanicals in each product is five to eight times higher than in similar products on the market, making Kaufmann – and her products – a true force of nature.

Despite its picturesque central-European home, the holistic approach of the Susanne Kaufmann™ Spa and subsequent product range is driven by Kaufmann’s fascination with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). According to the founder, “the goal is to say goodbye to the traditional simple treatment of individual symptoms and to recognize and accept that we are complex and individual beings that need holistic solutions.” With luxurious products for the face, hands and body, best used in a ritualistic moment of self-care (cue the scented candles), Susanne Kaufmann steers away from the popular problem-solution take on skincare, instead adopting the values of TCM to “offer a holistic approach that places prevention as the focal point of health.”

Undoubtedly committed to “sustainability, honesty, and transparency” – since before it was cool – Kaufmann’s consideration for the lifecycle and impact of her products is second to none. As she notes, “it is important to be aware where the ingredients we use come from, and where they go when we wash them off.” With natural, environmentally harmless ingredients like chamomile, witch hazel and broccoli oil, this sentiment is also evident in the brand’s packaging (bottles and jars are all made from glass, and any traces of plastic or cardboard come pre-recycled and locally sourced), facilities (all run on solar power) and testing (you can trust that these products will never come near our furry friends).

As for the spa itself, Kaufmann speaks of entering a new chapter, “striving to detach Hotel Post Bezau from the wellness category and to establish it as a holistic travel destination.” Reacting to the ever-increasing awareness of health and sustainability within the skincare brand itself, she wishes to “offer guests an inspiring place where positive body and life transformations take centre stage.”

If a trip to visit the Susanne Kaufmann Spa in Austria isn’t on the cards just yet (although it definitely should be), there’s no need to fret, as a) we have all the essentials available for you at MECCA, and b), Kaufmann herself enlightened us with two signature rituals to recreate at home. The first? Their signature footbath, done “before treatments in the spa to calm down, relax and put all bad energy from the head away.” You can do this easily with a handful of alkali salts, dissolved into a warm foot basin. The second takes a heavenly masking moment to the next level: “while leaving your Moisturizing Mask on, spray two cotton pads with rose water, put on your eyes and enjoy a moment of rest.”