How our founders broke new ground in medicine and skin care, and how they continue to inspire us today. So health and beauty can unfold in harmony with nature and the human being. Our vision is a healthy world Before Weleda was founded, Rudolf Steiner held his First Course for Doctors in 1920. This series of lectures was organised by the chemist Oskar Schmiedel. The following year, the “Laboratorium at the Goetheanum” in Switzerland, founded by Oskar Schmiedel, was taken over. In Schwäbisch Gmünd in Germany, the commercial production of medicine and skin care products began. In the same year, Ita Wegman founded what is now the Arlesheim Clinic in Switzerland. Building on new ideas inspired by anthroposophy, our founders developed a bold vision that brings people and nature closer together. What is anthroposophy? Anthroposophy explores connections. At Weleda, our understanding of the harmonious connection between people and plants enables us to develop better natural products. Anthroposophic medicine takes a holistic view of the human being and promotes a healthy balance between body, mind and spirit. What inspired our founders? Weleda was founded by people who longed for a better future and struck out in new directions. The physician Ita Wegman and the philosopher and scientist Rudolf Steiner recognised the connections between nature and the human body, mind and spirit. They began producing medicines and body care products with natural ingredients. The connection between people and nature can be seen and felt in the products we make for your health and beauty – and also in how we do business. From a medical course to a medicinal herb garden Our products are available around the globe Doctors, pharmacists and like-minded people joined forces and founded their own Weleda branches across the globe. Today you can find our medicines and natural cosmetics in over 50 countries. Weleda has subsidiaries in 20 countries. We source our raw materials from all over the world. As a co-initiator and member of the Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT), we ensure that strict ethical criteria are applied to all our natural raw material supply chains. We grow our medicinal plants according to the principles of biodynamic farming in our eight Weleda gardens worldwide.
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Exciting News: We’ve Moved to Spaceship Hosting & Updated Our Website!
We’re thrilled to share some big updates with you! Our website has recently moved from Namecheap hosting to Spaceship, and we’ve taken this opportunity to give our site a fresh, new look. These changes mark an exciting step forward in making your experience smoother, faster, and more enjoyable. ![New Website Screenshot] Why We Made the Move Our previous hosting with Namecheap served us well, but as we grow and expand our services, we wanted a platform that could better support our vision. Spaceship hosting offers improved speed, reliability, and flexibility, which means our website will now load faster and handle updates more efficiently. This move is all about giving you a seamless browsing experience while we continue to create, share, and showcase our products and services. A Fresh New Design Along with the hosting change, we’ve revamped the design of our website! The new layout is clean, modern, and easier to navigate. Whether you’re exploring our custom gifts, browsing our business printing services, or checking out Weleda, Essens, and Avon products, everything is now simpler to find and more visually appealing. ![Website Design Screenshot] We’ve focused on making the site user-friendly, mobile-responsive, and visually engaging so that you can easily discover what we offer. Our portfolio, contact information, and detailed product sections are now easier to access than ever. What’s Next: Online Shopping Right now, we do not offer an online shopping facility, but we’re actively working on it! Our goal is to make it possible for you to browse, personalise, and purchase products directly from our website very soon. We’ll keep you updated as the online store takes shape, and we promise to announce it as soon as it’s ready. Stay tuned, because it’s going to make shopping for custom gifts and wellness products faster and more convenient than ever. Thank You for Your Support We’re grateful for your continued support as we grow and improve. This website update and hosting migration are just the beginning. Our mission remains the same: to provide personalised, high-quality gifts, printing services, and trusted wellness products for our community in Whitley Bay and beyond. We invite you to explore the new website, check out our portfolio, and reach out if you have any questions or ideas. Your feedback helps us make the site better and ensures we’re creating something truly useful and enjoyable for you. Have a look around and let us know what you think!
Welcome to the world of Vitassens, where quality and effectiveness combine with precise production. We proudly present ESSENS Collagen in a new, modern redesign. This unique food supplement contains a high dose of hydrolyzed collagen, enriched with active ingredients and the delicious taste of maracuja. Thanks to these properties, ESSENS Collagen has rightfully earned its place in the Vitassens premium section. Put your health, vitality and beauty first with products that set a new standard of excellence.
WHAT IS COLLAGEN? Collagen is a protein that forms the basic building block of tissues in the human body. It is the most abundant protein in our body and makes up approximately 30% of the total protein volume. It has a fibrous structure and its main function is to ensure the strength, elasticity and resistance of tissues. Where is collagen found in the body? Collagen is a natural part of our body and is most abundantly represented in the skin, bones, tendons and ligaments, in joints including cartilage, in teeth, eyes and is an integral part of muscles and blood vessels. Depending on where it is located in the body, it primarily ensures the elasticity and strength of the tissues, or strengthens or significantly defines the strength and elasticity of the tissue. As we age, its presence in the body naturally decreases, which is why it is a good idea to supplement it. Why is collagen important? Collagen is not only a key building block of our tissues, but it also plays a major role in the healing process, contributing to the regeneration of skin and muscles, strengthening the dentin of teeth, in cartilage it is responsible for their elasticity and cushioning of movement and friction between bones, strengthening blood vessels and last but not least ensuring the strength and elasticity of tendons and ligaments, which are necessary for proper movement mechanics. How to supplement collagen? The most natural way to supply collagen to our body is from food. Beef and chicken broths are ideal sources, and fish and seafood are also rich sources. Collagen in the body is created from amino acids, the production of which is supported by foods high in Vitamin C, proline, glycine, and lysine. The daily diet is not always sufficiently varied and balanced to ensure a sufficient supply of collagen. That is why food supplements containing collagen have experienced an unprecedented boom in recent years. Most often, collagen is distributed in the form of so-called hydrolyzed collagen within these products. What is hydrolyzed collagen? Natural collagen is insoluble in water and very flexible. Therefore, it undergoes a hydrolysis process, when the long twisted collagen chains are unwound and shortened. This makes it water-soluble and usable by our body. Its administration is suitable wherever we encounter an increased need for amino acids/proteins. However, the effects on individual tissues depend on the source of the hydrolyzed collagen. ESSENS Collagen is characterised by containing extraordinary percentages of glycine, hydroxyproline, proline and alanine. After ingestion, hydrolyzed collagen is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and acts as a small signalling molecule stimulating cell renewal, thus having unique bioactive properties that are difficult to find in other protein sources. What makes ESSENS Collagen exceptional? It is a unique collagen gel containing orange juice from concentrate (min. 5%) with maracuja flavour, natural hydrolyzed collagen, acerola extract, L-tryptophan, xylitol and Vitamin C. How much collagen is in one dose? Before a person starts taking collagen, they are usually interested in what type of collagen is contained in the product, what amount is represented in a single dose, and last but not least, they compare what else the product can offer, except for the collagen itself. ESSENS Collagen is exceptional primarily because in one dose, the user can get 7000 mg of collagen (7 g)! Acerola extract, also known as the Barbados cherry fruit (Malpighia glabra) and considered one of the richest natural sources of Vitamin C, contains a much higher amount of Vitamin C than citrus fruits. Furthermore, ESSENS Collagen is enriched with L-tryptophan. This is an essential amino acid that the body cannot produce itself and must be obtained from the diet. It plays a key role in several important body processes, mainly due to its function as a precursor to some biochemical substances. TIP: Did you know that ….? ESSENS Collagen offers a fresh, pleasant maracuja flavour easily available in practical disposable sachets. It is sweetened with the natural sweetener xylitol, which has a lower glycemic index and fewer calories than regular sugar. It offers one of the best quality-price ratios on the market! A purely Czech product from the skilled ESSENS team. Take ESSENS Collagen at any time of the day, it is very important to follow a drinking regimen!
Our raw materials are sourced ethically and sustainably
We are committed to ensuring that our raw materials are ethically sourced. That’s why we have been certified since 2018 by the Union for Ethical BioTrade. Our supply chain is sustainable and equitable When you purchase our natural skin care products, you contribute to a world in which both people and biodiversity can thrive. Not only do we ensure that our natural raw materials are grown organically or biodynamically, but also that the people who grow and harvest them are treated fairly and with respect. We also want to be able to trace our natural raw materials back to their source. As a member of the Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT), we adhere to the strict social, economic and ecological criteria set by the organisation. The values it defines are for the benefit of both people and planet. Our commitment to sustainable sourcing Over 80 percent of our certifiable raw materials are sourced from certified organic cultivation and, wherever possible, from biodynamic cultivation. We are working to increase this percentage every year. Through new partnerships with certified organic producers and new organic and biodynamic cultivation projects. We also place great emphasis on the quality of our ingredients. Many of the plants we use for our natural skincare and medicines are grown in our own gardens. We also source raw materials through long-standing partners. >> Our Vision is to be a benchmark company on ethical and sustainable sourcing within our industry. << Ethical sourcing is a top priority We want you to know exactly what you’re getting from us. That’s why we have been a full member of UEBT since 2011 and have ensured that all our supply chains for natural raw materials meet its standards – all the way back to the origin of the plants. In 2018, we received the UEBT Sourcing with Respect certification. The UEBT standard promotes sustainable local development and the protection and mindful use of biodiversity. As part of the certification process, UEBT audits the supply chains for all natural raw materials used in our natural skincare products. With the UEBT seal we guarantee that we preserve and sustainably use biodiversity in the best possible way during plant cultivation, harvesting and further processing. We are also committed to treating all of our cultivation partners fairly and equitably, upholding human and labour rights, and supporting community development. Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT) UEBT is a non-profit association, which aims to contribute to a world in which all people and biodiversity thrive. It works to regenerate nature and secure a better future for people through ethical sourcing of ingredients from biodiversity. It began as a United Nations initiative, and maintains strong partnerships with UN organisations. Such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the BioTrade Initiative of the Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The 7 principles of the UEBT standard Discover the source of our raw materials Fragrant lavender from Moldova The fields in Moldova are filled with the bright purple blossoms of fragrant lavender. At the edges of the fields, mobile distillation units process the freshly gathered plants into essential oil. Only about twenty years ago, there was hardly any market for lavender in Moldova. Today, it provides us with large amounts of lavender for the production of Weleda natural skin care products. It’s wonderful to see what’s happening in the area: our partner has added fish stocks to a small lake near the fields, cut back overgrown reeds and set up beehives. It’s not just the quality of the soil that is important here, but also its biodiversity. Only then is nature healthy. That’s why we are currently working with the villagers to help them convert to biodynamic agriculture. Precious sandalwood oil from New Caledonia The sandalwood oil we use as a fragrance in some of our products is sourced from one of the islands of New Caledonia in the South Pacific. The oil is extracted from the wood of the trees. Because sandalwood is particularly rare, each tree is tagged with a GPS sensor to prevent illegal harvesting. The people treat this valuable natural resource with care. To test whether the tree is mature enough for harvesting, a tiny hole is drilled into the wood. Then the hole is closed again with resin, so the tree can continue to grow if necessary. We were there when the trees were harvested, visited the wood mill and oil distillery and observed as fragrant sandalwood oil was extracted from the soft chunks of wood. Arnica wild collection What is likely Europe’s most abundant source of arnica can be found growing wild in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania. Weleda is helping to protect this resource and support the local people. A meadow alone usually doesn’t produce much for a farmer. But if arnica grows there, the meadow offers an additional source of income, giving the owner an incentive to leave it in its original state. These wild plants are harvested and processed according to strict sustainability and quality standards, which local pickers learn about in training workshops. Ratanhia from the Andes Every year a family in Peru makes the long journey up to the Andean Plains to harvest Ratanhia plants and roots for Weleda. Of course we have a permit for certified wild collection; it’s important to us that we also protect this plant species. How much of the plant is there? Have the soil conditions changed? Has anything changed since last year? Everything is carefully observed and documented. To determine which of the wild meadows should be harvested, we consult with experts from local universities and nature conservation organisations.
From a Bad Experience in Hayes to a Reliable Partner in Slough
From a Bad Experience in Hayes to a Reliable Partner in Slough When Things Don’t Go to Plan Back in May, I started a short job with an electrical installation company in Hayes, London. From the first day, things felt off. The workplace was disorganized, communication was poor, and I had an uncomfortable feeling in my gut. By Friday of that week, I had made my decision: I wasn’t going back. It was clear the company wasn’t professional, and unfortunately, I was proven right. It took almost four months to finally get paid. For anyone who works self-employed, especially in trades like electrical engineering, that’s one of the biggest risks—putting in your time and skill but having to fight just to receive what you’ve earned. Late payments and unprofessional employers are one of the biggest challenges of self-employment. Turning to a Trusted Recruitment Partner Fortunately, I wasn’t stuck for long. Being already in London and having paid for my Airbnb, I decided to reach out to someone I knew I could trust: Kieran from Ascension Recruitment. I’d worked with Kieran before and had always found him and his agency to be professional, straightforward, and—most importantly—reliable. So, I sent him a message, explaining the bad experience I’d just had in Hayes and asking if he had any work available. It didn’t take long for him to get back to me. Within hours, he had lined up a new role—this time at a data center in Slough, just a few stops down the Elizabeth line from where I was staying. Just a short trip on the Elizabeth line took me from a bad experience in Hayes to a much better opportunity in Slough. A Smooth Start in Slough The difference was night and day. Not only was the pay rate better with Ascension Recruitment, but everything was handled smoothly: Kieran kept his word, and that counts for a lot in this industry. I started the following Tuesday, and the project ended up lasting quite some time. Having steady, professional work after such a shaky week was a huge relief. The data center project in Slough provided stability, good pay, and professional conditions. Why Reliability Matters in Self-Employment Working as a self-employed electrician has many benefits: But there are challenges too: That’s why having a trustworthy recruitment partner is so valuable. It takes away the uncertainty and allows you to focus on what you do best: delivering quality work. Strong relationships with reliable recruiters are essential for self-employed tradespeople. My Recommendation If you’re in the electrical engineering field and looking for reliable agency work, I can say without hesitation: Kieran at Ascension Recruitment is someone you can count on. He sticks to his promises, communicates clearly, and makes sure you’re looked after. After my negative experience in Hayes, it was refreshing to be reminded that there are good people and professional agencies out there who respect your work and your time. Good recruiters like Kieran make self-employment more secure and rewarding. Final Thoughts Looking back, I’m actually glad the Hayes job didn’t work out. It pushed me to reconnect with Ascension Recruitment, and that decision led me to a much better opportunity in Slough. Self-employment can be tough at times, but with the right contacts and a strong network, it becomes not only manageable but deeply rewarding. And for me, having recruiters like Kieran in my corner makes all the difference.
Summer Break
I am on Summer Vacation from 1 of July to 29 July. Thank you
From Hayes to Slough: My Journey Through Electrical Installation, Self-Employment, and Finding the Right People to Work With
Introduction Self-employment in the electrical installation trade can be one of the most rewarding career paths. You gain independence, choose your own projects, and develop skills that are always in demand. But it also comes with unique challenges—sometimes in the form of unreliable companies, late payments, and stressful working environments. In this blog, I want to share a personal experience from May 2023, when I took on a short-term role with an electrical installation company in Hayes, London. The project quickly turned into a negative experience, and it took me months to receive payment. Fortunately, that setback opened the door to something much better. Through a trusted connection—Kieran from Ascension Recruitment—I was able to land a role on a data center project in Slough for Arnold Mardix (a Flex company). That experience reminded me why I love my job and why strong professional networks are essential for self-employed contractors. This story is about setbacks, lessons learned, and the pride of contributing to cutting-edge data center infrastructure. A Rocky Start in Hayes When I accepted a role in Hayes, I expected a straightforward week of electrical installation work. Instead, from day one, I felt uncomfortable. By Friday (19–23 May), I had already made up my mind: I wouldn’t be returning the following week. It was a hard decision because, as a self-employed electrician, every day counts. But sometimes your gut instinct is the best guide. Sadly, my suspicions were confirmed. It took four long months before I finally received payment for that week of work. The stress of chasing invoices is something every self-employed contractor dreads, and this experience was a stark reminder of the risks we face.Late payments are one of the hardest challenges in self-employment. The Reality of Self-Employment in Electrical Installation Self-employment offers freedom, flexibility, and the chance to grow your skills on diverse projects. But it also comes with downsides, especially when working with smaller or less reliable companies. Common challenges include: Despite these risks, I wouldn’t trade self-employment for anything. The variety of projects and the sense of independence make it worthwhile. But experiences like the one in Hayes highlight why it’s so important to choose your clients carefully. Finding Stability Through Trusted Networks Since I had already booked and paid for my Airbnb in London, I needed to find another project quickly. That’s when I got in touch with Kieran from Ascension Recruitment. Kieran understands the industry inside out. He values both professionalism and the human side of contracting. Unlike my Hayes experience, Kieran made sure everything was transparent: Within days, I was placed on a data center project in Slough, installing substations, cabinets, bus bars, and backup batteries. The contrast could not have been greater.Installing backup batteries for critical data center infrastructure.Bus bars ensure efficient power distribution across data centers. The Data Center Project in Slough The Slough project was an eye-opening experience in professionalism and scale. Unlike the chaotic Hayes job, everything here was structured, safe, and well-managed. Installing Substations One of my main tasks was installing substations. In a data center, substations are essential—they transform high-voltage electricity into usable levels for different parts of the facility. This required: Done right, substations ensure that servers, cooling systems, and backup batteries always have stable power.Data center substations form the heart of power distribution. Bus Bars: Power Highways of the Data Center Another critical responsibility was installing and testing bus bars. Instead of running hundreds of individual cables, bus bars act as power highways—efficiently delivering electricity across the facility. Every connection had to be precise. Improper torque or alignment could create hotspots, risking catastrophic failure.Bus bars distribute massive amounts of current safely and efficiently. Testing Bus Bars and Equipment After installation came the most important step: testing and commissioning. Data centers cannot afford downtime. By thoroughly testing every bus bar, substation, and cable, we made sure the system was stable before going live.Testing prevents failures that could cost millions in downtime. Lessons From Data Center Work Working in a data center environment taught me several important lessons: Precision installation keeps global digital infrastructure running. A Mini-Guide to Electrical Work in Data Centers For electricians considering this field, here’s what to expect: Typical Tasks Required Skills Benefits of Data Center Projects Data centers offer both technical challenges and rewarding opportunities. Why Strong Recruitment Connections Matter If Hayes showed me the risks of self-employment, Slough proved the value of having strong recruitment connections. With Kieran at Ascension Recruitment: For self-employed contractors, having someone in your corner who understands both your trade and your needs is invaluable.Strong professional networks turn self-employment into a stable career. Loving the Job Despite Challenges Even with setbacks like the Hayes experience, I still love what I do. Self-employment isn’t always easy—but when you find the right projects and the right people, the rewards far outweigh the difficulties.Passion for the trade keeps everything moving forward. Conclusion: From Setback to Success My journey from Hayes to Slough is proof that not every opportunity is worth taking. Walking away from a toxic environment may feel risky, but it can lead to something much better. In self-employment, you’ll encounter both unreliable companies and excellent ones. The key is to trust your instincts, learn from setbacks, and build strong networks. Thanks to Kieran and Ascension Recruitment, I went from chasing invoices in Hayes to installing substations and bus bars in one of the UK’s most important data centers. That’s the nature of self-employment: some weeks test your patience, others remind you why you love the job. And for me, despite the challenges—I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
We act in harmony with people and nature
Want to feel healthy and comfortable in your skin in a sustainable way? Weleda can help. Since 1921, we have been developing products for health and beauty and for a better world. Natural care for your skin Our skin needs protection and care, and the best way to do that is with natural ingredients. The raw ingredients we use for Weleda natural cosmetics are of natural origin. Our products are free from microplastics, free from genetically modified ingredients and free from mineral oil-based ingredients. We guarantee that 100 percent of our cosmetic products are certified natural cosmetics in accordance with the Natrue seal. More than 80 percent of our plant and animal-derived raw ingredients are sourced from certified organic farming. For your holistic health We take a holistic view of the human being. Being healthy means the body, mind and spirit are in balance. Weleda medicines can strengthen your body’s natural ability to heal itself. They contain active ingredients from plants or minerals, which we activate through pharmaceutical processes such as rhythmic procedures and applications of heat. For sustainability and biodiversity We are caring for the earth by nurturing healthy soils and fostering biodiversity. Our eight Weleda gardens worldwide are hotspots of biodiversity. With over 50 cultivation projects around the world, we are improving local conditions for people and nature. Weleda natural cosmetics not only feel good on your skin. We are actively fighting for biodiversity and continuing to reduce our emissions in order to become a carbon neutral company. So health and beauty can unfold We are contributing to a world in which health and beauty unfold in harmony with nature and the human being. We want to develop products that are not only good for you, but also for nature and the people we work with. That’s why we conduct our business in a way that is socially responsible and ecologically sound. We have laid out seven principles that define our philosophy. Biodiversity since 1921 A laboratory, a medicinal plant garden and a hospital: this is where our founding story begins. The physician Ita Wegman, the philosopher Rudolf Steiner and the chemist Oskar Schmiedel founded Weleda. Since the very beginning, we have been developing sustainable products using active ingredients sourced from nature. Some of the products we sell today date back to our founding in 1921, many more were added since. Now as then, we continue to pursue our vision to nurture health and beauty in harmony with people and nature.
Anthroposophy
Founded by Rudolf Steiner Anthroposophy was founded by the philosopher and natural scientist Rudolf Steiner, together with like-minded colleagues. The research method has influenced other disciplines including education, architecture, art and medicine and its impact can still be witnessed every day at Weleda. It’s a worldwide research method, with European roots, that explores spirituality with science. It offers ways to better understand the laws of humans and how to act accordingly, giving formulas and suggested actions for various areas in life. From scientific thinking to spiritual experience In contrast to the thinking of the day in academic and university circles, Steiner used the word anthroposophy to refer to the investigation of the spiritual realm through scientific and spiritual experience, and it was this to which he devoted his work. Anthroposophy takes its starting point from exact scientific thinking. The precise research methods that are otherwise limited to the world of matter are then extended to the spiritual through science. Anthroposophy can be described as follows: Humans understand the world through their senses and the processes of their minds – the knowledge of these findings is then called anthropology. Anthroposophy extended this approach to spiritual level, because humans can also perceive their environment with feelings and thoughts. Steiner called anthroposophy ‘the wisdom of man’, because in Greek anthropos means man and sophia wisdom. Steiner went on to found the General Anthroposophical Society in 1923, whose mission remains to maintain a free cultural and intellectual life, and to promote research into the spiritual realm. For the spiritual research the School of Spiritual Science was established in Dornach, only a few kilometres away from today’s Weleda headquarters in Arlesheim. The architecturally remarkable home of the school is called the Goetheanum. It’s a centre for anthroposophy – designed by Rudolf Steiner himself – which includes two performance halls seating 1500, a gallery, lecture rooms, a library, bookstore, and administrative spaces for the Anthroposophical Society. Conferences on themes of general interest continue to take place here several times a year. The influence of anthroposophy on Weleda The goal of anthroposophy is the development of the whole human being. Today it has branches in many areas including education, architecture, art, medicine and agriculture. At Steiner’s instigation the Waldorf schools – also called Steiner schools and kindergartens – anthroposophic medicine, natural body care products and biodynamic farming emerged. All of these disciplines are still integral to the Weleda of today. Whether it be in the manufacturing of our medicinal products and natural cosmetics, or in our dealings with partners, suppliers and employees, we always see humans, society and nature as a holistic whole, bound together by the relationship between our daily