What Is Biodynamic Farming (and What It Means for Your Skin)

Now that more attention than ever before has been drawn to the ingredients list on our skin care and beauty products, we consumers want to know what companies are encouraging us to put all over our precious face and body. For this reason, one of the biggest buzzwords in the industry is “organic,” which essentially means naturally derived, or free of pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, etc. But there’s actually another step after organic: it's called “biodynamic,” which is essentially the truest method of growing ingredients and creating healthy products.

What Is Biodynamic?

The term itself means “life in motion and balance,” and is actually a farming practice developed in the 1920s. “The basis of biodynamic farming uses nature’s elements to grow crops with the harmony of the seasons and the alignment of the earth, the stars and the moon. It’s the way farmers have been growing plants for centuries,” explains Attila Koronczay, co-owner of Eminence Organic Skin Care.

Other elements of biodynamic farming, he explains, include seasonal and annual crop rotation to keep the soil healthy, companion planting (some plants grow best next to others), no chemical pesticides (ladybugs are a natural option!), no genetically modified organisms and no synthetic fertilizer.

Biodynamic vs. Organic

So how is it really different than organic? Biodynamic farming guides incorporate the moon cycle. “The full moon draws the tide and water deep underground higher to the soil’s surface, meaning the seeds have greater chance of thriving from the earth’s natural water sources,” Koronczay explains. “Similar to a Farmer’s Almanac, a biodynamic calendar is released based on the stars, the moon and the seasons.” For example, days are categorized into “fruit,” “flower,” “leaf” or “root.” According to Koronczay, you should harvest fruit on “fruit” days for the best tasting, most nutrient-rich crop yield, and harvest all “roots” such as carrots on “root” days.

Just like organic beauty products are certified by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), biodynamic products go through a similar process. They are certified by Demeter, the official certifying body for Biodynamic products which holds the strictest standards in the world. In fact, according to Koronczay, Demeter standards even exceed government-mandated organic regulations. “From the way ingredients are grown, to over 200 processing and production standards, Biodynamic beauty products undergo strict regulation and review before certification is granted,” she adds. “The manufacturing process is reviewed and re-certified every few years to ensure the high standards of Biodynamic certification are upheld.”

Benefits of Biodynamic Products

According to research, both organic and biodynamic ingredients have been shown to have a better nutrition content 59 percent of the time, and up to 20 percent fewer toxins than conventional produce. However, biodynamic beauty products come with additional benefits—one being an inflated concentration of vitamins and nutrients. “Because of the harmonious way that biodynamic crops are grown with the land, they have been found to contain up to 13 percent more potassium, 20 percent more sodium, 34 percent more iron and 47 percent more vitamin C than conventional produce,” says Koronczay. “The high concentration of vitamins and nutrients found in biodynamically grown ingredients mean that the Biodynamic beauty products are that much healthier for your skin, imparting topical benefits without harsh chemicals.”

Because this method of farming focuses on producing the purest, most nutrient-rich ingredients, it also helps heal the earth. “Biodynamic farming practices regard the farm, the plants and the animals as a self-supporting ecosystem that lives and breathes,” Koronczay explains. “It renders fruits and herbs—that are unusually high in nutrients—and active compounds, then harnesses these potent ingredients into a collection of products that are the ultimate in pureness and results-driven skin care.”