Premium Beauty News – Vichy Laboratoires is a pioneer in dermocosmetics in France. How do you define the brand today?
Vania Lacascade- Founded by a physician nearly 90 years ago, it is firmly rooted in health and science. It is part of the Active Cosmetics Division of L’Oréal and is distributed mainly in pharmacies and parapharmacies. It is recommended by over 50,000 dermatologists worldwide, including the anti-ageing and hair care ranges.
Two years ago, we returned to our initial brand hallmark, dating back to the 1990s: health also depends on our skin. It really is the philosophy of the brand: the skin is a barometer of health, that’s why we must know it and take care of it. Health is more than ever at the center of all our concerns.
Premium Beauty News – How do you express this health concern?
Vania Lacascade- We have been working on exosome science for several years: it is the study of the impact on our skin of our environment (pollution, climate), lifestyles, but also hormonal variations, which can have significant consequences on the biological functions of the skin. We have three committees of dermatologists dedicated to the study of the exposome to understand the cumulative effects of these different factors on the skin and scalp, at different stages of life.
During the 2000s, the brand decided to get deeply involved in managing menopause and its impacts on the skin. This topic is still taboo in society, but people are starting to talk about it. Last September we relaunched Neovadiol, our skin care line dedicated to menopause. It was also a new way to openly communicate about this key phase of women’s lives.
Premium Beauty News – How does scientific expertise stand out?
Vania Lacascade- In the last three years, we have considerably strengthened our presence with health professionals. We carried out around forty studies, published around twenty articles and reappeared strongly in the main dermatology congresses. In addition, we strengthen our relationships with dermatologists, but also with pharmacists, in particular when it comes to menopause. For our part, this topic was a major area for improvement, thanks to our research into the impact of hormonal variations on the skin, in particular, falling estrogen levels and rising cortisol levels. Our relationship with pharmacists became even more essential in managing this phase of women’s lives. I am a pharmacist myself and I know how crucial it is to benefit from this support in pharmacies, because they can help women with it.
We review this skin care range to be in line with our advances in knowledge, particularly as regards the two phases of menopause, peri-menopause and post-menopause, which do not have the same needs.
As I said, it is still a taboo, so we also launched an awareness campaign with our range called “menopausal skin care”, without any ambiguity. It was crucial to open the debate, in particular with round tables, testimonies and tips. Our goal was to get women to speak up and support each of them at this stage of their lives and with their management by health professionals.
Premium Beauty News – How does Vichy Laboratoires position itself compared to the other brands in the group?
Vania Lacascade- With its scientific expertise in the impacts of the exposome on the skin and scalp, Vichy targets women and men at all stages of life. Puberty with Normaderm, thirty with daily treatments such as Mineral, the first signs of aging, even dark spots, with Lift Active, menopause with Neovadiol… At the same time, the Dercos range helps us to act scientifically on the scalp. So we are complementary to our sister brands, we support people throughout their lives. Our brand is very close to the consumer, highly inclusive: it is aimed at women and men of all ages.
Premium Beauty News – What About Sustainability?
Vania Lacascade- It is a global approach of the L’Oréal group. Our demanding dermatological charter helps us guarantee the safety and efficacy of our products, but with the great challenge of developing more sustainable formulas with dermatological raw materials and ingredients derived from sustainable sources. Biotechnology also contributes a lot in this field.
We have clear targets, i.e. 95% bio-sourced or abundant mineral-rich ingredients by 2030 and 100% derived from sustainable sources. We constantly review our formulas to improve their environmental profiles, particularly their biodegradability. Regarding solar products, we have been reformulating our portfolio to offer a more friendly profile with marine and oceanic biodiversity. When it comes to packaging, our goal is to reduce weight and use recycled plastic. This sustainable innovation strategy has been embedded in our development program for years and forms part of the group’s more global approach.
Premium Beauty News – What are your projects in terms of innovation?
Vania Lacascade- Prioritize the main categories, move forward with anti-aging skin care, explore the topic of hormones, in particular menopause and hair care, but also sun care, since the impact of UV rays is an important factor of exposure to be taken into account. All this is part of a strategy of continuous improvement of the environmental footprint and profile of our formulas, while guaranteeing safety and efficacy.
Premium Beauty News – What can you tell us about your market goals?
Vania Lacascade- The brand is present in more than 60 countries and is well established in Europe, our historical market. It is also very strong in countries like Canada and Brazil. The latter is actually our largest market globally: the brand’s positioning is geared towards healthcare, particularly hair care. Dercos is the #1 dermatologist recommended brand for dandruff care. China and the US are markets where we intend to develop further, in particular with facial and hair care.
Ultimately, our goal is to continue re-embedding the brand in its medical arena, both for healthcare professionals and consumers. We are more legitimate than ever in the dermocosmetics market, thanks to our scientific expertise, and we pay special attention to developing a real proximity and an authentic tone in our communication.
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