skin deep
The Mandarin Oriental in downtown Kuala Lumpur has always been synonymous with luxury – whether it’s extravagant Michelin starred meals at the Mandarin Grill or the opulent grandeur of their property and suites. March saw the debut of a more discreet form of indulgence at their highly-regarded spa – the launch of a singular range of exclusive beauty treatments by renowned French company, Biologique Recherche. Although this 40- year-old company may not be immediately recognisable, it’s because Biologique Recherche have deliberately kept their clientele base exclusive to ensure treatments are as personalised as possible. Those in the know have long patronised this cult favourite including age-defying celebrities such as Brad Pitt, Jennifer Lopez and Michelle Pfeiffer to name but a few.
Yan and Josette Allouche, a biologist and physiotherapist, founded Biologique Recherche with a holistic vision of skincare, one where the diagnosis of the skin is at the centre of their approach. The focus took on a more clinical slant when their son, Dr. Phillippe Allouche, an expert in internal medicine, joined the family firm in the early 2000’s. Since then the company has built a reputation for delivering outstanding immediate and long-lasting results which respect the skin as an organ and are formulated around the skin’s ability to renew itself.
“The big difference with the brand is that everything starts with understanding the skin. After making the right diagnosis, we try to prescribe the products, the procedures and the hand techniques to solve the problem. As such, we never look for new ingredients or magic bullets. We first look at the skin and how it works or doesn’t work and then we create the cocktail that targets the problem in the best way possible,” explains Pierre-Louis Delapalmae, CEO and co-owner of Biologique Recherche. “The reputation of the brand is based on us putting investments into research rather than marketing. Our philosophy and vision has been the same from the beginning except now technology is now helping us deliver results which were not possible 40 years ago.”
To date, Biologique Recherche is available in 72 countries worldwide and Dr Allouche stresses that in any given country, they always collaborate with the best spa in town. Their partnership with Mandarin Oriental started around five years ago in Tokyo and Taiwan as they were impressed at how the range of treatments offered at the Mandarin Oriental spa went beyond the just pampering. “Mandarin Oriental are very innovative in the way they manage their spa, they’ve even collaborated with the Mayo Clinic so we knew it would be a good fit,” reveals Dr Allouche.
In Kuala Lumpur, every consultation starts with a Skin Instant Lab where the skin is analysed via a series of questions and dermo-cosmetic diagnosis system. Based on this, the therapist suggests an extensive regimen of products developed by their Paris-based laboratories to best target individual skin concerns. The appropriate on-site treatment is then recommended and this is when the magic happens – a facial which is nothing short of transformative combining cutting-edge products with special hand techniques. While the gentlemen from Biologique Recherche were emphatic that magic bullets and quick fixes are not what their brand is about, immediately post-treatment, this writer shared a lift with a female hotel guest and on the ride to the ground floor, said writer received a spontaneous compliment of “You’re very beautiful”. The ultimate affirmation indeed.
