Weleda Skin Food Light Review

I am a big fan of Weleda Skin Food and since the brand launched the light version of the original Skin Food, I’ve wanted to give it try. Finally, I got to try it this month and in this review, you will read my honest thoughts about this cream and find out about the differences and similarities between Weleda Skin Food Light and the original (regular) Skin Food.

Weleda Skin Food Light

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Weleda Skin Food Light – Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you will find in Weleda Skin Food Light, what they do and their benefits:

  • Water (Aqua)
  • Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil – fatty acids, especially linolenic acid, in this oil help to replenish and strengthen the skin.
  • Glycerin – moisturising agent
  • Alcohol – a non-drying type of alcohol (“raw grain alcohol”) that acts as a preservative
  • Glyceryl Stearate Citrate – an emulsifier that helps water and oil to mix without separating
  • Beeswax (Cera Alba) – moisturises and softens the skin
  • Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter – creates a protective barrier on the skin to hold in moisture.
  • Cetearyl Alcohol – natural fatty alcohol that acts as an emulsifier but also has emollient abilities so it helps to soften and smooth the skin. This type of alcohol is non-drying and good for the skin.
  • Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter – soothing moisturising with healing properties
  • Limonene* – found in essential oils, it is used to make the product smell nice. It has a fresh, citrus scent, however, it can cause irritation in sensitive skin types.
  • Viola Tricolor (wild pansy) Extract – rich in various minerals and vitamins, this extract is used for its healing and soothing properties.
  • Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract – a powerful antioxidant that helps to protect the skin.
  • Chamomilla Recutita (chamomile) Flower Extract – it has skin-soothing and healing properties.
  • Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract –  it has anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.
  • Lanolin – derived from sheep’s wool, lanolin is an extremely hydrating substance that also softens the skin.
  • Carrageenan – derived from red algae, this natural thickener also helps to keep skin hydrated.
  • Xanthan Gum – Thickener and emulsifying agent
  • Lactic Acid – it mildly exfoliates the skin, helping to improve the skin tone and texture.
  • Glyceryl Caprylate – a preservative with antimicrobial and antifungal properties.
  • Fragrance (Parfum)*
  • Linalool*, Geraniol* and Citral* – compounds naturally found in essential oils, may cause irritation and allergies in some people.

*from natural essential oils

Weleda Skin Food Light contains animal-derived ingredients such as lanolin and beeswax so it’s not suitable for vegans.

My review

Scent

When I first opened a tube of Weleda Skin Food Light, a wonderful citrusy scent hit my face and I thought it was divine! It’s pretty strong and invigorating and I know not everybody likes that, but I love it. Once you apply it to the skin, the scent will not that quickly dissipate but that doesn’t bother me.

The texture

The texture of this cream is similar to the texture of a lotion, only that it is much more nourishing and it’s also a bit greasy. Some online reviewers say that this cream is not greasy but I have to disagree. I would say it’s slightly greasy but it absorbs quite quickly so you can get on with your daily activities with no problems. It does feel a bit sticky after application though but this feeling will eventually go away.

Weleda Skin Food Light - texture
Weleda Skin Food Light consistency on the back of the hand

Performance

I like to use Skin Food Light mostly as a daytime hand cream as it’s quick to absorb and doesn’t leave hands greasy. However, it can quickly take care of other dry areas of your body as well. It’s a wonderful multi-purpose moisturiser suitable for use all over your body, including your face.

I’d say it’s perfect for slightly dry skin as it quickly gets rid of dryness and leaves the skin feeling nice and soft. Using this cream regularly, you will be able to keep on top of your dry areas so that they don’t become super dry.

Wherever I apply Skin Food Light I see an improvement but for really rough and dry skin this doesn’t work as well as the Original Skin Food. It’s still good though and it’s perfect for when you don’t have time to wait around for the cream to absorb.

Weleda Skin Food Light vs the Original Skin Food

So how does Weleda Skin Food Light compare to the Original Skin Food? If you’ve tried the Original Weleda Skin Food but not the Skin Food Light, here I explain what the differences are.

Ingredients

Here you can see the ingredients of both creams side by side:

Skin Food OriginalWater (Aqua), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Lanolin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Beeswax (Cera Alba), Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Glycerin, Limonene, Viola Tricolor Extract, Fragrance (Parfum), Hydrolyzed Beeswax, Sorbitan Olivate, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Arginine, Zinc Sulfate, Linalool, Geraniol, Citral, Coumarin.
from natural essential oils.
Skin Food LightWater (Aqua), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Glycerin, Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Beeswax (Cera Alba), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Limonene, Viola Tricolor (wild pansy) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (rosemary) Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (chamomile) Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Lanolin, Carrageenan, Xanthan Gum, Lactic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Fragrance (Parfum), Linalool, Geraniol, Citral*. *from natural essential oils

The ingredients found in both creams are similar but there are some key differences:

  • Certain ingredients are found in lower concentrations in Skin Food Light, for example, lanolin
  • There is no sweet almond oil in Skin Food Light and it seems that cocoa seed butter is used instead.
  • Skin Food Light does not contain plant-based emulsifier Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, instead, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate is being used.
  • There is no shea butter in the original Skin Food.
  • There is no arginine and zinc sulfate in Skin Food Light.

Despite some differences in the main ingredients, the healing and soothing plant extracts remain the same, so both creams contain:

  • Viola Tricola Extract
  • Rosemary Leaf Extract
  • Chamomile Flower Extract
  • Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract

The scent

Weleda Skin Food Light has a very strong citrusy scent (which I love) but the scent of the original Skin Food is much more subtle. There is a bit of scent which is similar to the scent of Skin Food Light but it’s not overpowering.

The texture

The original Skin Food has a thick and greasy texture that doesn’t absorb easily. Due to the consistency, it’s not so easy to spread and it leaves the skin feeling greasy and shiny. The Light version of Skin Food, on the other hand, has a light texture, spreads easily and although it’s slightly greasy, it gets absorbed quickly and you will not have a greasy feel on your skin in the end.

Weleda Skin Food (Original)
Weleda Skin Food Original
Weleda Skin Food Light

Performance

Both creams are wonderful moisturisers but the original Skin Food is more suitable for very dry and rough skin. I’ve tested both creams on my dry knees and feet and while Skin Food Light offers some nourishment and slightly improves the condition of my very dry areas, the original Skin Food is much much better. For me, this is the best foot cream that I’ve ever tried. After a few days of regular use, my rough skin looks totally renewed and it is much softer and smoother. It does an amazing job also on other very dry and rough areas.

Based on my experience with both creams I would recommend Skin Food Light to moisturise slightly dry areas to prevent them from becoming overly dry and the original Skin Food should be used on very rough, thirsty skin that is in a pretty bad condition. But due to its greasiness, this cream is best used at night.

FAQs

Since Weleda Skin Food Light is a relatively new product, many people have questions related to its usage. Here I try to answer some of the most commonly asked questions as best as I can.

Can you use Weleda Skin Food Light on your face?

Yes, it is suitable to use on your face as well, however, if your skin is very sensitive or acne-prone I suggest you first do a patch test to see whether you get any reaction. It’s better to test this cream on a small area of your face first to see how your skin tolerates it.

Can you use Weleda Skin Food Light on acne?

If you have acne-prone skin, Weleda Skin Food Light may not be the best choice of a moisturiser since it contains some ingredients which may clog your pores such as lanolin and carrageenan.

Carrageenan is derived from red algae (seaweed) and many seaweed-based ingredients are known to clog pores which can lead to pimples. However, in the case of carrageenan is not clear cut – there is very little research on this ingredient and its connection to acne so you may be ok. However, you may still get pimples from lanolin although in Weleda Skin Food Light this ingredient is listed towards the end. This means that in this product it’s only found in lower concentrations.

Is Weleda Skin Food Light suitable for skin prone to eczema?

Eczema is a skin condition exacerbated by various irritants such as fragrances, essential oils, and even lanolin. All these ingredients are found in Weleda Skin Food Light and for this reason, this cream is not suitable for skin prone to eczema.

Final thoughts

All in all, Weleda Skin Food Light is a great lightweight moisturiser that many people will like as it’s quick to absorb and doesn’t leave the greasy feeling behind. It’s not suitable for everybody though as it contains essential oils and lanolin which some people react to. Also keep in mind that if you have acne-prone skin, Weleda Skin Food Light may give you breakouts. The best is to do a patch test first if you want to use it on your face to see how well your skin tolerates it.

If your skin is very dry and rough, Skin Food Light will offer some relief but in this case, it’s still better to use the original Skin Food as it’s more nourishing and helps skin to recover faster.

You can buy Weleda Skin Food products on Amazon >

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Petra Nakashian (previously Kravos) is a dedicated natural health and beauty blogger, driven by the loss of her parents to cancer, which led her to meticulously research beauty product ingredients. With over 10 years of experience, her in-depth knowledge has made her a trusted expert in the field. Founder of Be Healthy Now and Green Beauty Talk, Petra recently expanded her expertise with Beauty Insights Hub, exploring a wider range of beauty treatments. Committed to transparency and honesty, her work is a vital resource for navigating the complex world of beauty.