Aveda
What makes Aveda unique
The products are made to have a positive influence on humans and the world.
CRUELTY FREE, NO TO ANIMAL TESTING
Human tested products
MADE FROM NATURAL INGREDIENTS
Extracted from plants, not mineral oils.
MANUFACTURED USING WIND POWER
All our products are manufactured 100% wind energy. Using certified renewable energy sources.
PIONEERS IN POST-CONSUMER RECYCLE PACKAGING
First cosmetics company using 100% recycled PET.
PURE-FUME™ AROMA
Extracted from pure flower and plant essence.
The Founder of Aveda
The legacy of Horst Rechelbacher extends far beyond the creation of Aveda. A pioneer of holistic beauty and a champion of environmental responsibility, Horst’s purpose and passion have taken on a momentum of their own as part of a greater global movement toward balance and harmony, both individual and collective.
Born in Austria in 1941 to an herbalist mother and a shoemaker father, Horst began working in the salon across the street at the age of 14. "I was not a good student at all but I was very eager to be something different", he said. Horst was a natural talent, and by 17 he was working as a stylist at a prestigious salon in Rome, tending to international celebrities. By the young age of 20 he had won the European Hairstyling Championship, which he used as a springboard to tour Europe and the United States. "What is a calling? It’s like almost a fire inside me and it keeps me alive", he said.
"Our mission at Aveda is to care for the world we live in, from the products we make to the ways in which we give back to society. At Aveda, we strive to set an example for environmental leadership and responsibility, not just in the world of beauty, but around the world."
Horst Rechelbacher, Founder
Ayurvedic roots
5,000 years of results our earliest roots lie in Ayurveda, the Indian healing tradition based on the knowledge of life and the interconnectedness of all things. It has proven, over 5,000 years, that treating the whole person leads to greater balance and well-being, so we consider the effects of our products not only on hair or skin, but on body, mind and emotion.
Our relationship with Ayurveda began in 1976, thanks to two renowned Ayurvedic physicians and scholars, Drs. Vinod and Kusum Upadhyay. Globally sought for their expertise in Ayurvedic medicine, pharmacology, botanical research and aromatherapy, they brought 1,000s of years of Vedic and Ayurvedic tradition to bear on Aveda’s work. Their guidance first helped us identify botanical actives for our products, allowed us to pioneer "functional aromas" (with our Chakra™ Balancing Aroma Blends), and helped us launch innovative, powerful naturally derived formulas such as Invati™ Solutions for Thinning Hair.
In keeping with Ayurvedic principles — and because of our concern for our planet — Aveda is committed to using organic ingredients. This has led to another Ayurvedic partnership — between Aveda and the Indian firm, Nisarga.
Nisarga — which means "nature" in Sanskrit — grows Ayurvedic herbs with organic agriculture. We have partnered with them to obtain organic turmeric and amla for use in some of our products including Invati™ Solutions for Thinning Hair.
Nisarga employs an environmentally friendly extraction method using CO2, which leaves no toxic residues and works at a lower temperature — yielding highly potent extracts.
Because of the company’s concern about the dangers of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, Nisarga works to encourage farmers to convert to organic agriculture. They have held regular educational seminars for about 35,000 farmers over the years, convincing many to go organic. Nisarga pays the organic certification costs for the farmers they partner with and also provides educational support to help make the conversion successful.