Having had a career as a beauty editor for fashion magazines, I’ve been lucky enough to have tried nearly every luxury skincare product released. From the La Mer’s to the La Prairie’s, my skin has sampled the crème de la crème of skincare. But alas, my bathroom cabinet is a dusty graveyard of half-used jars that just didn’t quite stand-up to their expensive promises. Unfortunately for some of the lavish creams on cosmetic counters, you end up paying for prestige and not a brilliant product. But the times are changing thanks to indie-luxury beauty brands like LA FERVANCE. Yes, this skincare is just as expensive as its traditional rivals, but here you can be assured that you’re parting with your money to years of research, testing and development, the finest ingredients at the most effective concentrations, and that’s just the tip of it.
Created by Australians and developed in France, where requirements for beauty products are stricter than other jurisdictions, LA FERVANCE is revolutionising the luxury skincare market. LA FERVANCE is dermatologically tested, sustainably produced, and delivers supercharged results cleanly, while also offering that deliriously opulent, sensorial experience that makes luxury skincare so very special. There’s a lot to unpack about this brand, and founder Melissa Obeid does a beautiful job of it in our interview below. But first I want to talk you through my experience with LA FERVANCE.
LA FERVANCE launched in 2019 with a single product, Éclat Extraordinaire, an extravagant multi-use balm that fuses Australian native ingredients with French luxury and performance.
When the Éclat Extraordinaire first landed on my desk, I was immediately inspired to take a picture of the midnight blue and embossed gold box, all of which is recyclable and crafted from recycled materials. Something so exquisite had to be memorialised with an iPhone photo. Nestled inside the box is a gold jar, symbolic of its shimmering contents. Beyond the balm’s glistening texture, the next thing I notice is its divine fragrance. Earthy woods and sweet honey, I wish it were a bottled perfume. Eager to experience Éclat Extraordinaire, I cleansed my face and applied to it fresh skin. The texture is unbelievably light, yet it feels rich and nourishing at once. There is no tingle, my skin feels comfortable and soft and immediately I have a dewy glow.
I know this is going to be addictive.
Éclat Extraordinaire has firmly secured a top-tier position in my routine. I love slathering a layer to my face and neck before bed as the only product in my night routine. My dry, sensitive complexion drinks it in and by morning it’s looking juicy, glowy, evenly toned and alive.
This is the closest thing I’ve found to beauty sleep in a jar.
In the morning, I like to warm a pea-size amount between my fingers then massage into my skin before applying sunscreen and make-up. It grants my skin a true lit-from-within radiance which is partly due to the 23-karat gold dust in the formula, and partly due to the considered blend of active ingredients that increase cell turnover, encourage renewal and boost overall skin health.
Read on below for my chat with LA FERVANCE’s founder Melissa, to discover more about the brand that was inspired by a 19th century Napoleonic expedition and eventually had its very own Emily In Paris moment.
MELISSA: LA FERVANCE was inspired in Melbourne, conceived in Provence and born in Paris. The conceptual seed for the brand was planted during a major Napoleon exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria during my time there in Senior Management. It was also inspired by my desire to fill a void in luxury skincare. LA FERVANCE is the first and only clinically proven, certified sustainable, luxurious, 100 percent made in France, 100 percent clean, from 100 percent natural origins, fusion beauty brand. It’s a highly personal brand and everything has its raison d’etre.
MELISSA: I’ve loved every moment of my personal and professional journey, which I sometimes feel has taken on a life of its own. Being the founder of a luxury skincare brand in France was never on the list. However, I’ve always been faithful to following a soul-led life. Through creative freedom and listening to my intuition, I received flashes of inspiration for LA FERVANCE. It’s almost as though the brand found me, and my role was to make it into a reality. To do otherwise would have been a life with regrets.
It was never a case of identifying market demands or trends and seeing the opportunity to cash in. On the contrary, when the conceptual seeds were planted back in 2015, the buzzwords “clean beauty”, “sustainable beauty”, “indie brands” were not what they are today. I simply could not find a brand that corresponded with what I was looking for. So, we invested our personal funds into creating LA FERVANCE in a foreign country and surmounting many obstacles along the way. I have the most extraordinary friends, family and life partner in Jamie who has worked with me on creating the brand and supported my dream and passion every step of the way – despite his homesickness for Oz. It’s been quite an undertaking, but I’m pleased we never gave up and I’m super proud of the results.
MELISSA: In 2016, Jamie and I decided to press pause on our comfortable Bayside life in Melbourne for a French family sabbatical to give our children a linguistic and European travel experience and to study the luxury skincare space. After leaving the NGV in 2014, I had created natural skincare for children, collaborating with the most accomplished Australian skincare scientists and manufacturing facilities. It was at this time I decided to develop a sustainable luxury skincare brand from 100 percent natural origins. I was already quite advanced in this process in Melbourne when we departed for France. During our meetings with the cosmetics labs, we soon identified that the compliance and regulations for the production of skincare in France is like nothing we had encountered. It’s so controlled, multi-layered and strict. We knew that to do a prestige product to the highest possible degree; it absolutely had to be done in France.
MELISSA: This is an excellent question as it forms the foundations of our LA FERVANCE Fusionistique brand ethos. This being the fusion of ingredients, cultures, rituals, philosophies, packaging and standards. We’re proud Australians with a love of our birth country, its lifestyle, indigenous heritage and ancient ingredients. My love affair with France commenced decades ago and I adore the language, history, culture and overall savoir-faire. While in Paris at the commencement of this trip and surrounded by much of Napoleon’s influence, the memories of the 2014 NGV exhibition returned, namely the 1800 expedition to Australia which returned to France with over 200,000 species of flora and fauna, many of which thrive to this day. That was the flash of inspiration! LA FERVANCE would fuse ingredients from Australia and France into an offering which screamed luxury at every touchpoint, offering a new 360-degree philosophy in skincare.
MELISSA: With no regulations around the terms “natural” and “clean”, I see brands that are not really clean using these terms haphazardly. I see the confusion this greenwashing creates for well-meaning consumers attempting to avoid contentious chemicals but who become overwhelmed with the myriad of unsubstantiated claims. It’s important for consumers to look beyond the marketing hype, to read the ingredients and seek recognised certifications. For me, LA FERVANCE’s definition of clean beauty is perfectly clear and transparent. We offer fewer, more active, traceable French and Australian ingredients from 100 percent natural origins. Our formulations are entirely custom-made, presented in French hand-crafted, hand-filled glass and 100 percent recyclable packaging made from recycled materials. All of this is created under the strict guidelines of Ecocert COSMOS Natural certification. This is as “clean” as a brand can be, and such elements are an absolute guarantee to the consumer that we are who we claim to be.
That’s an incredible effort! Now we have talk about the product, your pot of skincare gold, the multi-purpose Éclat Extraordinaire is unlike any skincare I’ve tried. Every detail from the silky, texture to the delicate scent is supremely luxurious.
MELISSA: I’m really pleased you are enjoying the discovery of Éclat Extraordinaire! We spent the past five years developing a concise collection of complimentary multi-functional formulations. When working with highly active, targeted formulations there’s really no need for too many products and very often advocating a seven-step routine is simply a strategy for brands to increase their bottom line.
Éclat Extraordinaire is the essential in our collection and will remain the signature product. There are many qualities which make the product a stand-out, however, I believe the texture which we call “TransformActive” is the real differentiator. A luscious beauty balm with three effective uses and a texture which transforms accordingly, encouraging frequent usage as a morning glow, emulsion mask and indulgent sleep mask.
MELISSA: The bespoke fragrance development commenced at the beginning of the French product development in 2016. We worked exclusively with one of the most established perfumeries in Grasse on the creation of our custom-made scents. This element is very important to me as I want using LA FERVANCE to be a complete and unique sensorial experience with the fragrance of each product designed to evoke different emotions. The “Expedition 1800” fragrance is designed to evoke feelings of grounding. Combining the natural sensuality of a mix of modern wood notes, such as star anise and sandalwood, with the depth of warm honey and patchouli projects a feeling of passion and determination.
MELISSA: The Éclat Extraordinaire is for everyone! Even though brands are permitted to conduct their own in-house testing with volunteers, we appointed an independent testing lab and used a four-phase testing approach, incorporating instrumental, dermatological, clinical and blind consumer testing over a 28-day period and on all skin-types. Our testing complies with the French and International standards and the results are outstanding. The feedback we’ve received since launch is also extremely gratifying. People become addicted to the product and keep asking us to promise we will never stop making it!
Depending on the age and condition of the skin, customers will see and experience different results. Certainly they’ll see wrinkle and pigmentation reduction, lifting and plumping, a brighter skin tone and of course the most natural, real gold dust glow ever! For younger skin – even my 11-year-old daughter uses it nightly – it’s an excellent preventative product and extremely soothing. We’ve also had excellent feedback on pimple clearing when “nothing else has worked”, as well as eczema.
Our latest devotee is Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu who plays Silvie in Emily In Paris. She adores Éclat Extraordinaire’s texture, fragrance and visible effects on her skin. I was delighted when I saw her unexpectedly post about it with the most gorgeous portrait photo!
MELISSA: Éclat Extraordinaire can be used on its own as a morning, sleep and mask ritual or within an existing skincare routine – and always as the final step.
For an instant golden glow in the morning, rub a small amount between fingers to activate the balm, then apply it to the face and neck as the final step in your routine. The gold in the formula embellishes the skin and the sucrose fatty acid ester basis provides a silky protective veil, locking in moisture for up to 24 hours. The Baobab gives an immediate tensing effect to minimise fine lines and the Australian Kakadu Plum improves the response to UV light leaving skin nourished, toned, smoothed and hydrated.
To apply it as a mask whenever your skin needs a pick me up, apply a thick layer to cleansed skin for 10 minutes, or longer. The Australian Mountain Harvest Plant Complex will clear, calm and heal the skin. The French 100 percent Double Hyaluronic Acid nourishes and plumps and the Mimosa, also known as Australian Wattle Extract, is powerfully regenerating. The innovative ester base transforms to an oil with massage and becomes a milky emulsion with water. Remove the residue to reveal skin that’s lifted, plump and alive with increased circulation. Follow with your moisturiser or a thin layer of the Éclat Extraordinaire.
To apply it as part of your sleep ritual, apply a moderate layer to the face and neck after cleansing. The optional use of a massage tool will increase circulation, helping to lift, tone, smooth, drain lymph nodes, calm stress and enhance penetration for more intense results and benefits. Buriti Oil in the formula is rich in beta-carotene with excellent antioxidant, cooling, soothing and rejuvenating properties. It helps to increase cell turn-over, is high in vitamins A, C and E, and protects the skin from UV damage. Our ethically sourced Propolis maintains 98 percent of its characteristics for excellent antibacterial and cell renewal.
MELISSA: I truly love the potent, locally sourced ingredients we’ve used in the Éclat Extraordinaire. The Australian native ingredients are my particular favourites! Our philosophy is to use fewer, targeted active ingredients in their effective recommended dosages for real results. The 23-karat gold dust was chosen as what ingredient other than pure gold dust can provide the most authentic golden glow? Ours is the most ethical gold possible and is certified “conflict-free”. We obtain it directly from the undisputed source of the best gold in the world – Italian gold. It’s a food-grade product and provides the most subtle, luxurious glow either as a stand-alone leave on morning product or under makeup. The gold aides in draining the lymph nodes, improve skin elasticity, delays collagen depletion, stimulates cell renewal for firmer skin and increases blood circulation.
MELISSA: We’re extremely excited about the future of LA FERVANCE. Despite launching an indie-luxury brand in the luxury capital of the world just a couple of months before the 2020 pandemic hit, we are pleased with how well the brand has been received by key retailers and consumers. More than ever, discerning consumers are seeking authenticity, transparency and efficacy from their brands. LA FERVANCE offers all this and more.
Our second product is in pre-production and is due for launch in the European Spring and Aussie Autumn. Everyone who has tested this gommage absolutely adores it! And we expect the response to be as enthusiastic as the Éclat Extraordinaire.
Éclat Extraordinaire
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