The Skincare Line I Must Share: Alchimie Forever of Switzerland
There’s a skincare line that I must share: Alchimie Forever of Switzerland. I’m such a believer that when I was recently invited to participate in their brand campaign, I said yes – even though I was reluctant at first. If you know me, I much prefer to be behind-the-scenes, making others beautiful (and handsome) and camera-ready.
Whenever a customer comes into Bellacara for a product consultation, I always recommend first working on the base, their skin. I do not want my customers to cover their skin with makeup, I want the makeup products to accentuate their glowing skin.
As the owner of Bellacara, I have tested hundreds of skincare lines throughout my tenure, and will only carry products that I use myself. And this is why it was so special for me to be one of six DMV-based women featured in Alchimie's global campaign. We’re real business women that live and work where you do.
Here I am applying the brand's inaugural and cult status product, Alchimie Forever Kantic Brightening Moisture Mask. This is the product that started everything. In 1986, the now–internationally renowned Dr. Luigi Polla opened his practice in Geneva, Switzerland. He was the first dermatologist to offer pulsed dye laser technology to treat children suffering from port-wine stains and hemangiomas. Parents brought their children from near and far to have Dr. Polla erase these debilitating birthmarks, an endeavor that required numerous treatments.
In the earlier years, his daughter Ada worked at the front desk, and would see these young patients coming out in tears after their treatments—as these new lasers created a burning sensation, redness and inflammation. Unable to find the right product to ease their pain and help them heal, Dr. Polla would send the families to a neighborhood pharmacy with a compounding prescription, the pharmacist would whip up this “magical” product, and the child would stop crying. The cream’s botanical ingredients also smelled so good that the mothers started using it, and asked for more. “It makes my skin glow,” they would say.
Ultimately, Dr. Polla’s practice made its transformation into the first fully integrated European medical day spa, the Forever Institut. In 2002, Ada launched Alchimie Forever with her father and made DC (Georgetown specifically) her home, where many of the brand’s operations are headquartered. And that first product her father created is now known as the Kantic® Brightening Moisture Mask ($60).
The other hero product I highly recommend is the Peptide Lip Booster ($29). It instantly plumps and hydrates lips while also providing long-term hydration and age-defying benefits. Here’s a video we created showing women applying it (women not in their 20s I might add! :) I am with esthetician Maria Tolson and Arlington restaurateur Zena Polin.
Editor’s note: I was given a sample of this lip peptide and I confess Vaseline has been the go-to on my lips at night and in the morning since I was a teen — but this stuff is amazing!
Two areas of concern for women as they get older are their hands and neck and chest area. Alchimie’s Firming Gel for Neck and Chest ($49) is anoil-free upper body gel that helps to tone and firm the appearance of the neck, bust, and arms, for a more youthful appearance to this often-forgotten part of the body. We’re always zoned in on our faces naturally as we see it the most, but I highly recommend adding this to your skincare regimen. Natural antioxidants derived from green tea and rosemary rejuvenate the décolleté, and reduce the look of fine lines and crepiness. It’s also a great product for pregnant women and new moms.
Bellacara is the only location in Old Town that carries the full range of the Alchimie Forever product line. Come on in and try a sample for yourself. If you haven’t stepped inside yet, we’re located at 1000 King Street.
SEE ALSO: LED Light Therapy: Repairs, Revitalizes and Reduces the Appearance of Lines
