TUCKED in the heart of Le Marais, Paris is an abandoned 17th-century alchemist’s house that once stirred botanical fragrance and became a catalyst and inspiration for the inception of next generation French organic beauty apothecary, Huygens.
Co-founded by Daan Sins and Sébastien Guerra in 2013, Maison Huygens occupies the exceptional mansion and breathes its lingering energy of bygone past.
Huygens’ Métiers d’Art’ flagship store now lined with herringbone parquet and art nouveau friezes of yesteryear give nod to its intrinsic Parisian charm, at the same time its hard-to-miss blue facade and window panes are signs of a contemporary vision.
The duo’s goal is to share their knowledge of aromatherapy, carefully informing customers of how naturally derived essential oils can be used for, and how and when they should be applied.
Now the brand has arrived on Malaysian shores with a launch hosted by Sebastien Guerra at the Huygens boutique located in Robinsons The Garden Mall.
The pure and natural aspect of Huygens is magically set into motion in its campaign film.
Its illustrated visuals and thematic narrative bares reminiscence of the old Walt Disney animated classics and brought to life its brand philosophy “L’Officine de beauté naturelle” (the natural beauty pharmacy) as Huygens’ fundamental identity.
We see conceptual imageries of an enchanted forest with luscious botanical florals and with it an open-sky laboratory, as if the botanical plants were collected at dawn and immediately transported to Huygens boutique in Le Marais.
The film echoes its comprehensive range of organic beauty products that is suitable for everyone.
These include face care formulas, customisable bespoke body, bath and hair collection, home & aromatherapy and perfumes made from the finest natural raw ingredients.
Guerra shared: “In the past, organic cosmetics were often lacking sensoriality and efficacy, but Daan and I were convinced that organic cosmetics are far more pleasant and efficacious than conventional cosmetics.
“Following the success of some of our very first products in 2013, we then produced a complete range of beauty products in sync with the aspirations of modern conscientious women and men who want clean and natural head to toe cosmetics.”
Clean, organic, cruelty-free, vegan, eco-friendly packaging and locally produced are all the hallmarks of Huygens. But the question is, what makes a product clean?
‘Clean’ is the new standard of beauty - non-toxic, chemical-free products made without an extensive list of unregulated ingredients linked to potentially harmful health effects from hormone disruption to as simple as skin irritation.
Guerra carefully explained: “What we meant by clean is that we have completely avoided all damaging ingredients such as parabens, endocrine, mineral oils, nanoparticles, silicones and many more that the public might not realise in everyday personal care products.
“And to keep our clean ingredients in check has been a constant challenge for us, yet nonetheless, we’re always accessing the ingredients’ natural origin to ensure full traceability and transparency.
“We’ve further reinforced our track record of clean and organic cosmetics, especially for our skincare by sending out 1.5 million samples for French women to test out its efficacy. It is possibly the best approach that one can really do because if at any case there is a report for allergy then we would know and quickly act on it.”
Huygens bespoke body, bath and hair collection presents an innovative customisation concept totalling up to 192 possible combinations.
In a dedicated space with unique in-store experience, pick from a selection of 12 neutral formulas and one from 15 natural essential oils to create a personalised Huygens product that meets individual preference.
Huygens stores are available at Robinsons The Gardens Mall, Robinsons Four Seasons KL and Parkson 1 Utama.
