CERTIFIED & COMMITTED
BIO (DE-ÖKO-003)
EMAS-VALIDATED
VEGAN
GREEN BRANDS
BIODIVERSITY
An experience became a way of thinking.
On March 1, 1986, Margot Esser-Greineder founded PHARMOS NATUR in Munich.
The inspiration came from her personal experience with the healing power of fresh aloe vera leaves after she herself had suffered severe burns.
Through many years of developing skincare products based on aloe vera, we have come to realize that quality is inextricably linked to the origin of the plants used, how they are grown, and how they are processed.
What began with six products for sensitive skin has grown into a holistic concept: Holistic Beauty for external care, Holistic Treatments for professional use, and Holistic Food as a mindful complement to beauty care from the inside out.
It is of crucial importance not to reduce plants to individual, isolated active ingredients. PHARMOS NATUR preserves their naturally occurring composition of active ingredients and combines this understanding of plants with custom-developed formulations, long-term cultivation partnerships, and responsible business practices.
What a holistic approach means to us.
We view the skin as part of a living system. External care, nutrition, lifestyle, and personal attention all influence how we feel in our skin. Four guiding principles for our work stem from this understanding.
Holistic Beauty cares for the skin from the outside. Holistic Foods complements this beauty care from the inside. Both areas adhere to the same standards regarding origin, plant quality, and gentle processing. This results in an approach to skincare that doesn’t end at the skin’s surface, but rather incorporates people’s daily habits.
Every plant contains a broad spectrum of naturally occurring compounds. Within this naturally occurring complex of active ingredients, these compounds can complement, support, and balance one another. That is why we do not focus solely on individual, isolated active ingredients. What matters most is how they interact with the plant’s other components and within the specific formulation.
A plant develops its distinctive characteristics where the soil, climate, and cultivation methods are right for it. That is why we select the region where each plant can grow under suitable conditions. Our plants come from certified organic mixed-crop cultivation. They grow on fertile soil without synthetic chemical pesticides and are harvested at the right time.
About 200 farming families in various growing regions are part of the PHARMOS NATUR network. Many of these relationships have existed for decades. They are based on personal interaction, fair compensation, and a shared understanding of plant quality. The knowledge of local people is an important part of our work. For us, quality therefore does not stem solely from a raw material, but from a reliable relationship with the people who grow it.
40 years. Nature, that works.
What began as a personal experience has grown over four decades. Here is an overview of the key milestones.
Margot Esser is involved in an accident in the U.S. that leaves her with severe burns. At a naturopathic clinic, she is treated with fresh aloe vera gel. Her skin heals without surgery an experience that shapes the course of her life.
Margot Esser founded Pharmos GmbH in Munich. The first six natural cosmetics products were launched through select pharmacies in Germany.
Research and development have been at the heart of our efforts from the very beginning: a global search for the best conditions to ensure exceptional plant quality, through our own field studies and cultivation trials
Market launch of the organic aloe vera juice as the first "Lebensgesundmittel®️." 100% pure, with no additives. Close collaboration with food and cosmetics chemists, medical professionals, and naturopaths to develop unique natural cosmetics.
Paul Greineder joins the company. Margot Esser’s journey becomes a shared corporate journey.
New company headquarters in Uffing on Staffelsee
Cultivated in Yucatán using mixed cropping with small family farms. Hand-peeled as part of the low-germ pre-processing of the organic raw juice on-site. Organic certification of the aloe vera in Mexico and integration of all partners involved in the cultivation and production process into the organic certification chain.
Launch of an organic farming project in Sri Lanka. Construction of a drying facility for green tropical papaya. The collaboration comes to an end with the renewed outbreak of the civil war.
Collaboration with the natural medicine nursing department at the University Hospital of Bonn in the field of pediatric oncology. As part of the nursing care, products used include organic aloe vera juice, revitalizing gel, and body lotion.
Launch of a cultivation project for selected medicinal and rejuvenating plants in Gorkha, Nepal—Demeter-certified cultivation.
Collaboration with smallholder farming families on the cultivation of black sesame seeds in Nepal.
Financing and establishment of local facilities for manual processing, drying, and storage.
Recurring weather-related disasters in Mexico have led to the establishment of another certified organic aloe vera cultivation project using mixed organic farming methods in Colonche on Ecuador’s Pacific coast
Financial support for the construction of a school for 600 children in Colonche—in collaboration with the local priest
Co-founding of “Schülerhilfe für Nepal e.V.” and support for the construction of schools in the mountainous regions of Nepal
"Ethics in Business" Award for Corporate Social Responsibility in Action
Paul Greineder Receives the B.A.U.M. e.V. Environmental Award
Joined the “Biodiversity in Good Company” initiative
Received the SPA DIAMOND award for the holistic PHARMOS NATUR concept based on sacred plants and the Anti-Stress Calming & Regenerating Elixir
30 Years of PHARMOS NATUR. Relocation to Bernried on Lake Starnberg; inventory management, logistics, administration, sales, and the academy are consolidated at a single location.
Preparatory work for documenting the EMAS environmental management system
Recipient of the GALA SPA AWARD for the new Nature of Men product line
Die erste Ergänzung zur Uhr: Bandlets aus echtem Holz zum Stapeln und Kombinieren. Dazu die erste Solaruhr - Natur trifft Technologie.
Introduction of the EMAS environmental management system, including a sustainability strategy
Further investment in renewable energy
Relaunch of the PHARMOS NATUR Green Luxury brand identity
First-ever EMAS validation and registration based on 2019 environmental data, under registration number DE.155-00341
Pharmos Natur has been awarded the GREEN BRANDS 2021 seal of approval as an environmentally sustainable brand
Opening of the first PHARMOS NATUR store in Bernried
The aloe vera cultivation project in Colonche, Ecuador, cannot be continued due to the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
EMAS re-accreditation
Re-establishment of an organically certified aloe vera cultivation project using mixed organic farming in Campeche, Mexico, within the Maya cultural region.
Integration of the participating partners into the organic certification chain
Start of collaboration with AMAZONICA Akademie gGmbH to develop a project with the Achuar people in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest.
The focus is on rainforest conservation, the preservation of indigenous habitats and the exploration of long-term sustainable development opportunities.
Winner of the Marie Claire Prix d’Excellence de la Beauté Germany in the Sustainability category
EMAS re-validation for 2025
Margot Esser is involved in an accident in the U.S. that leaves her with severe burns. At a naturopathic clinic, she is treated with fresh aloe vera gel. Her skin heals without surgery an experience that shapes the course of her life.
Margot Esser founded Pharmos GmbH in Munich. The first six natural cosmetics products were launched through select pharmacies in Germany.
Research and development have been at the heart of our efforts from the very beginning: a global search for the best conditions to ensure exceptional plant quality, through our own field studies and cultivation trials
Market launch of the organic aloe vera juice as the first "Lebensgesundmittel®️." 100% pure, with no additives. Close collaboration with food and cosmetics chemists, medical professionals, and naturopaths to develop unique natural cosmetics.
Paul Greineder joins the company. Margot Esser’s journey becomes a shared corporate journey.
New company headquarters in Uffing on Staffelsee
Cultivated in Yucatán using mixed cropping with small family farms. Hand-peeled as part of the low-germ pre-processing of the organic raw juice on-site. Organic certification of the aloe vera in Mexico and integration of all partners involved in the cultivation and production process into the organic certification chain.
Launch of an organic farming project in Sri Lanka. Construction of a drying facility for green tropical papaya. The collaboration comes to an end with the renewed outbreak of the civil war.
Collaboration with the natural medicine nursing department at the University Hospital of Bonn in the field of pediatric oncology. As part of the nursing care, products used include organic aloe vera juice, revitalizing gel, and body lotion.
Launch of a cultivation project for selected medicinal and rejuvenating plants in Gorkha, Nepal—Demeter-certified cultivation.
Collaboration with smallholder farming families on the cultivation of black sesame seeds in Nepal.
Financing and establishment of local facilities for manual processing, drying, and storage.
Recurring weather-related disasters in Mexico have led to the establishment of another certified organic aloe vera cultivation project using mixed organic farming methods in Colonche on Ecuador’s Pacific coast
Financial support for the construction of a school for 600 children in Colonche—in collaboration with the local priest
Co-founding of “Schülerhilfe für Nepal e.V.” and support for the construction of schools in the mountainous regions of Nepal
"Ethics in Business" Award for Corporate Social Responsibility in Action
Paul Greineder Receives the B.A.U.M. e.V. Environmental Award
Joined the “Biodiversity in Good Company” initiative
Received the SPA DIAMOND award for the holistic PHARMOS NATUR concept based on sacred plants and the Anti-Stress Calming & Regenerating Elixir
30 Years of PHARMOS NATUR. Relocation to Bernried on Lake Starnberg; inventory management, logistics, administration, sales, and the academy are consolidated at a single location.
Preparatory work for documenting the EMAS environmental management system
Recipient of the GALA SPA AWARD for the new Nature of Men product line
Die erste Ergänzung zur Uhr: Bandlets aus echtem Holz zum Stapeln und Kombinieren. Dazu die erste Solaruhr - Natur trifft Technologie.
Introduction of the EMAS environmental management system, including a sustainability strategy
Further investment in renewable energy
Relaunch of the PHARMOS NATUR Green Luxury brand identity
First-ever EMAS validation and registration based on 2019 environmental data, under registration number DE.155-00341
Pharmos Natur has been awarded the GREEN BRANDS 2021 seal of approval as an environmentally sustainable brand
Opening of the first PHARMOS NATUR store in Bernried
The aloe vera cultivation project in Colonche, Ecuador, cannot be continued due to the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
EMAS re-accreditation
Re-establishment of an organically certified aloe vera cultivation project using mixed organic farming in Campeche, Mexico, within the Maya cultural region.
Integration of the participating partners into the organic certification chain
Start of collaboration with AMAZONICA Akademie gGmbH to develop a project with the Achuar people in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest.
The focus is on rainforest conservation, the preservation of indigenous habitats and the exploration of long-term sustainable development opportunities.
Winner of the Marie Claire Prix d’Excellence de la Beauté Germany in the Sustainability category
EMAS re-validation for 2025
Craftsmanship that preserves the quality of plants.
The quality of a formulation begins long before it is produced. Cultivation, harvesting, processing, and formulation must all work together to preserve the plants’ natural composition of active ingredients as much as possible.
The Extension
Our plants thrive in select regions where the climate and soil meet their natural needs. They are grown in certified organic mixed-crop systems and are carefully tended by experienced farming families.
Aloe vera is native to Yucatán and Campeche in Mexico. Other plants thrive in places such as Ecuador, India, or the Andes. Not every plant grows to the same high quality everywhere. That is why our selection process begins not with a list of raw materials, but with the plants’ natural origins.
Harvesting takes place once the plant has developed its characteristic qualities. After all, whatever is meant to have an effect later in a recipe must already be present in the field.
Long-standing relationships with farming families allow for close communication about cultivation, harvesting, and quality. This ensures that the origin and processing of the plants remain traceable. This fosters reliability for the people we work with and for the raw materials that go into our products.
The Processing
The aloe vera leaves are peeled by hand and carefully separated from the aloin-containing rind. The process does not involve fine filtration, the isolation of individual plant components, or freeze-drying and spray-drying.
Formulations containing a high proportion of Aloe Vera BioUrsaft and selected plant extracts also require reliable protection against microbial contamination. Gentle processing therefore does not mean foregoing preservatives; it must preserve the quality and safety of the product throughout its entire period of use.
For preservation, PHARMOS NATUR relies on organic pentylene glycol derived from sugar beets. It contributes to the formulation’s microbiological stability while also possessing moisture-binding properties. We deliberately avoid using alcohol or ethanol, parabens, citric acid, and phenoxyethanol as preservatives. Our goal is a preservation system that is precisely tailored to each specific formula and aligns with its plant-based skincare character.
The centerpiece
In many cosmetic formulations, water serves primarily as a neutral carrier. PHARMOS NATUR, on the other hand, uses a high proportion of hand-peeled organic aloe vera juice. It provides a rich, naturally occurring network of active ingredients and supplies the skin with moisture and nourishing plant components right from the base of the formulation.
The selected extracts, oils, and other active ingredients are incorporated into this plant-based matrix. The Aloe Vera Organic Juice helps ensure their even distribution on the skin and promotes the formulation’s absorption. Thus, the base itself is an active component of the skincare product, not just a neutral carrier.
BioUrsaft contains more than 160 naturally occurring ingredients. These include polysaccharides, amino acids, minerals, enzymes, and other plant-based components. Working together in harmony, they support the skin’s hydration and complement your skincare routine.
Aloe vera embodies both the origins and the application of PHARMOS NATUR. Its fresh leaves remain at the heart of select treatments to this day. As Organic Fresh Juice, it also shapes daily skincare—and thus the brand’s unique approach to formulations.
What we stand for. What we do without.
Our standards encompass both: what we use and what we consciously choose not to use.
What We Stand For
What We Do Without
Margot Esser-Greineder. The woman behind the brand.
An accident in the U.S. and treatment with fresh aloe vera marked a turning point for Margot Esser-Greineder: She left the pharmaceutical industry and founded PHARMOS NATUR in 1986. What has remained is her conviction that beauty and health go hand in hand and that a plant can be most effective when its origin, cultivation, and processing are just right.
"When the mind and heart are in harmony, everything begins to flow."
Continuity. Under new ownership.
In its anniversary year of 2026, PHARMOS NATUR is reorganizing its leadership. Operational and strategic responsibility is being handed over to the next generation: Alexander Esser, the founder’s son and a lawyer, will take over as CEO alongside Marc Hees, a management consultant.
Alexander Esser grew up surrounded by the partner families, the growing regions, and the company’s philosophy. He has known many of the farming families who grow crops for PHARMOS NATUR around the world since he was a child. The work continues on this foundation.
Margot Esser-Greineder and Paul Greineder are actively guiding the transition and will remain closely connected to the company.
Mehr über PHARMOS NATUR
About Pharmos Natur
The brand, the philosophy, the history—developed over 40 years, rooted in a core ethos.
