Self tan

At Rudolph Care, we view our certifications as a positive tool for education and change: a third party guarantees that what we say and write about our products is true, just as the certifications help to emphasize the quality, effect and impact of our products in the world. We always develop our products to meet the standards of our core certifications – the Nordic Swan Ecolabel and Ecocert COSMOS Organic – but unfortunately it is not always possible to attain both. If we create a fantastic product that both we and many of you love, our team of experts carefully evaluates the overall experience of the product, the exclusive ingredients, the effect and the quality before we make an addition or exclusion to its formula.

Our A Hint of Summer self tanning series doesn’t carry the Nordic Swan Ecolabel due to the ingredient DHA (dihydroxyacetone), a sugar molecule that turns the skin golden brown, but which is suspected of developing the potentially allergenic formaldehyde over time and depending on storage. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel therefore no longer approves self tanners containing DHA.

Formaldehyde is everywhere in our everyday life. It is formed naturally in the body, it is in our indoor climate, as well as in air pollution outside. It is a part of our food and is also found as an impurity in many cosmetic products, although it is neither added deliberately nor should it be there.

The Nordic Swan label's greatest task is to respond to the latest knowledge and development. More detailed studies are currently underway, and the new policy is based on a precautionary approach. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel ensures the safety of those who suffer from allergic reactions and/or contact dermatitis by no longer certifying products containing DHA.

If you know that you are predisposed to allergic reactions and/or have previously experienced contact dermatitis or other types of allergic reactions, you can perform a patch test on your skin with A Hint of Summer. If, on the other hand, you have never previously experienced allergic reactions when using A Hint of Summer, you can continue to safely use the series' products.

Rudolph Care's founder, Andrea Elisabeth Rudolph, says:

"When we develop products at Rudolph Care, we always aim to combine certifications that complement each other. It is part of Rudolph Care's DNA to caring for both people and planet while creating products that are effective, luxurious and stimulate all the senses. The Nordic Ecolabel is a time-limited certification as ingredient requirements are continually evaluated and updated according to the latest developments. This underpins Nordic Ecolabel's very existence: to be watchful.

We believe that the A Hint of Summer series still lives up to Rudolph Care's requirements for responsible chemistry that is environmentally friendly and free from known endocrine disruptors. We also firmly believe that we continue to have some of the best natural self tanners on the market.”

Launching the A Hint of Summer series, we wanted to make it easy for you to navigate through our series. That’s why the A Hint of Summer series has been given its own light-blue color to separate it from our rose Care series that carries the Nordic Swan Ecolabel and Ecocert COSMOS Organic.

Learn about the differences between the three self tanners in the series here.