MyBlend is a cutting-edge new collection dreamed up by the experts at Clarins …
We see a lot of new skincare brands every month. But a launch for MyBlend at the Merrion this week felt rather different, and intrigued us for several reasons. First, the experts at Clarins are behind myBlend. This is huge – it means everything benefits from the knowledge, experience and capabilities of the Clarins labs. Dr Olivier Courtin (son of Clarins founder Jacques Courtin Clarins), an orthopaedic surgeon for many years before joining the family firm in 1995, is the innovator behind myBlend.
MyBlend is centred on a 360-degree approach, combining skincare, food supplements and technology to focus on a truly “inside out” approach. MD of myBlend, Henri du Masle, (previously general manager of Clarins France) says the new brand “aims to go to the cutting edge of beauty” and deliver proven results. The bottom line: this is what you turn to if you’re starting to think of doing something more invasive, but would prefer not to. The gender-free range, aimed at ages 45-plus, is aiming to be the hottest new name in beauty.
While myBlend launched in some countries last June, and has been in development for many years before that, it has just landed here, and will be available now at Skin by Olga in Donnybrook, Dublin 4; www.skinbyolga.ie. And that’s a further reason to take notice: salon owner and star facialist Olga Kochlewska (pictured below) is an ambassador. “I always love a modern approach to the skin,” says Kochlewska, who was drawn to the innovative use of peptides in the skincare; she particularly rates the Revitalising Cream (€240). If you’ve tried other skincare the skin expert rates – from Biologique Recherche to Future Cosmetics – you’ll know she only works with skincare solutions that are effective, without being invasive.
THE LOWDOWN
So what’s in the range? We haven’t tried it out yet, but here’s the lowdown. There are eight specialist serums (from €60), plus a selection of tools, including an (incredibly soft) face brush to use when cleansing – we’re intrigued. The skincare is big on peptides, maximising all that Clarins lab expertise. Your routine will be customised, via my SkinDiag: a skin diagnosis will help with this, using cutting-edge diagnostic tools created by a French start-up company. We’re excited to try the Glow Fluid (€60), designed to give skin an instant glow via peptides, fermented turmeric, squalane and more star ingredients.
The LED mask for home use is particularly special. The French-made LED mask (an investment buy at €1200; www.my-blend.com). It channels 144 red LEDs and 144 infrared LED lights, to stimulate the fibroblasts in the skin, to synthesise collagen and elastin, and thus boost firmness, radiance and skin texture. It is an entirely safe and non-invasive treatment. If you’ve ever experienced LED in a salon, you’ll know it can also lift your mood – it’s like lying in safe sunshine, and feels very uplifting. This mask is different as it has been carefully designed for a better fit, which is vital for the best results (the mask is not flat, but shaped based on an average of 1,000 faces). It also extends to the neck area, which is often neglected. Ideally, you use it for five minutes every two days, for two months, says du Masle.
While you’ll always get more emphatic results with in-salon LED technology, the results on this one are highly promising: clinical studies on 30 women show skin “appearing three years younger”, after one month of use. At €1,200, you would expect good results, and this medical device is easy to use, high quality and guaranteed for two years. So far, 70 per cent of myBlend sales have been the mask.
The packaging reflects myBlend’s aims of becoming a BCorp company by next year, casting a careful eye on sustainability, with recycled and recyclable cartons, and less than four per cent of the range uses plastic (for pumps). The brand is adopting a different approach to stockists, too, choosing selective distribution such as five-star spa hotels (such as the Four Seasons in Mauritius), plus Harrods in London and specialist perfumeries in France. The flagship myBlend studio and spa in the Marais, Paris, sounds quite the place. And Skin by Olga is the place to discover this intriguing new take on beauty here in Ireland. We look forward to trying it out and reporting back …
MyBlend is available at Skin by Olga, 34 Donnybrook Road, Dublin 4; www.skinbyolga.ie.
