I’m watching Margaret de Heinrich de Omorovicza tell her story on YouTube. Refreshingly honest, beautiful and wise, with flawless skin and an elegance reminiscent of Grace Kelly, she mentions the “horrible” skin (her words) she had when she was younger.
The Omorovicza story begins with an expected and what turned out to be fortuitious offer of a diplomatic post in Budapest that changed the trajectory of Margaret’s life and brought her from the US to Hungary. Fortune favours the brave, they say, and not long after her arrival she crossed paths with the man she would soon marry, Stephen de Heinrich de Omorovicza.
When they first met, Stephen took Margaret to the historic Rácz Spa owned by his family, which was to become the inspiration for their new skincare brand. Captivated, and completely convinced by the healing qualities of the Rácz Spa’s rich mineral waters, she and Stephen collaborated with the head of a Nobel Prize winning dermatology laboratory in Hungary (the same laboratory that discovered Vitamin C) to create Omorovicza.
Fast forward eleven years later and the rest, as they say, is history.
Transformative, gorgeous to use and ultra-coveted, Omorovicza’s products were the ones beauty editors couldn’t wait to take home from the office until the rest of us heard about, tried, and fell in love with them, too.
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WOMEN WE LOVE:
Margaret de Heinrich de Omorovicza
Q: Omorovicza has just launched a completely unique two-part treatment with the English National Ballet, at EQUINOX, to prep the body for intense exercise, involving deep tissue massage and reflexology to lengthen and strengthen muscles and energise the body overall.
This sounds really different – can you tell us more?
Omorovicza teams up with the English National Ballet
A: We are so excited about this treatment! We came up with the idea after a particularly inspiring brainstorm with the ENB. We were all sitting around a table with some hugely talented people and listening to their experiences in healing dancers’ bodies combining best practices from all around the world. It blew our mind and we thought it would be an exciting opportunity to share this innovative approach with others whose bodies were also exposed to intense exercise.
Q: Omorovicza, like the world’s best brands (Fortnum & Mason springs to mind here) has a real elegance, exclusivity and rich heritage about it. What was the first real big highlight moment for you in the earlier pages of the Omorovicza story?
A: What a compliment – thank you! An early highlight was opening our store in Budapest. Seeing our name on the door and building a strong team, many of whom are still with us, was and remains super exciting.
Q: We all seem to be juggling a million different things against the clock these days, how do you switch off amid the constant buzz of work, life and family?
A: I wake up every morning 30 minutes earlier than I used to and start with meditation and then do a 7 minute work out (a brilliant app). I took a great class at the London Meditation Center which has made an enormous difference. I find clearing my head and doing a bit of exercise helps me start the day with much needed clarity. These are 2 very simple things and I find that it is typically the small, simple things done with regularity that make the biggest difference.
“I find that it is typically the small, simple things done with regularity that make the biggest difference”
Q: Omorovicza’s spa heritage is such a big part of the brand’s appeal, what new, different trends in the next 2 or 3 years do you think will hit the global beauty and spa radar soon?
A: This is an extremely exciting time in the beauty and spa world as the way people are experiencing and buying beauty, is changing beneath our feet. Having the web be at the core of business is key – everything from the customer’s ability to find and book your treatments anywhere in the world to establishing communities online for training colleagues and answering customers queries is the new normal. However, no matter what trends or innovations pop in or out, a brand’s appeal really comes down to offering distinct, relevant experiences, instant, visible results, and superb service.
“Look up from whatever task or screen which is consuming you and be inspired by the beauty all around you”
Q: Do you have a personal “life philosophy” you live by?
A: I have a quite a few! One is that I try and remind myself and my children to ‘look up’ … look up from whatever task or screen which is consuming you and be inspired by the beauty all around you. I also love this quote by Emerson, ‘Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind..’ or in other words, don’t listen too much to what other people say, rely more on your own thoughts and judgement.
“Don’t listen too much to what other people say, rely more on your own thoughts and judgement”
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WHAT’S NEW?
OMOROVICZA’S SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION TRAVEL SIZE QUEEN OF HUNGARY MIST LAUNCHES THIS MONTH
Ruth Crilly, A Model Recommends, packs Omorovicza’s Queen of Hungary Mist when she’s off on a long-haul flight, and with a whole summer of weekends and holidays ahead, the timing of the arrival of Omorovicza’s new special Limited Edition Travel Size Queen of Hungary Mist, this month, could not be better.
In the 1800s, the Omorovicza family commissioned Hungary’s most famous architect, Miklos Ybl, to restore the beautiful Rácz spa on the site of a medieval healing spring. The beautiful design of this bottle was inspired by the stunning architecture within this thermal bath.
Design details at the Rácz spa, the inspiration for the new travel size, limited edition Queen of Hungary mist
The neroli and rose-scented Queen of Hungary Mist refreshes the skin and lifts the spirits. Purifying and hydrating, this toner was inspired by the Queen of Hungary Water, the world’s first recorded perfume, formulated for Queen Elisabeth of Hungary in the 14th century.
The” spa science” behind Omorovicza
Hydro Mineral Transference™
One vital USP that sets Omorovicza apart from other skincare brands is its unique Hydro Mineral Transference™ delivery system, designed to dramatically enhance the absorption of minerals into the skin. A special bio-fermentation process re-configures the molecular structure of the minerals, making them more bio-available where it matters most – the epidermis.
Each Omorovicza product celebrates the healing, beautifying power of Budapest’s historic Rácz Spa (the word “spa”, many believe, is a Roman acronym of “sanitas per aquam” which means “healing through water”).
I’d be particularly hard-pressed to single out a favourite from the Omorovicza range, but I think my top 5 would be:
- GLAM GLOW – this is my absolute favourite self-tanner (especially for the face although it’s face/body), because it’s mineral-infused and has a built-in “glow” that delivers incredibly natural colour which you can build gradually if you like. I’ve never found a product quite like it and as staying out of the sun is a life-long shortcut to way fewer lines along the way, this product – for me – is completely indispensable.
- Omoroviza’s Oxygen Booster. “When there’s no time for a lengthy oxygen-infused facial at the spa, this cooling liquid gel delivers O2 molecules (plus hyaluronic acid and healing mineral waters) to plump skin and minimize wrinkles on the go.” – Vogue
- Thermal Cleansing Balm One of Omorovicza’s cult heroes, it’s suitable for all skin types, takes off everything, and it’s an SOS if you’re really serious about deep cleansing and like the idea of a mineral-rich product that will rejuvenate and “feed” your skin. I love switching to this in early autumn, after a summer of a little too much sun (!) – e.g. when you feel the need to up your cleansing game at the crossroads of a new season.
- and 5. would probably be the travel-friendly Essential Set containing Omorovicza’s best-sellers including the must-try Thermal Cleansing Balm, Queen of Hungary Mist, Illuminating Moisturiser and Night Cream – suitable for skin types: Sensitive, Dry, Oily, Combination/Normal. With a 15ml size of the Thermal Cleansing Balm and Night Cream, and a 30ml size each of the Illuminating Moisturiser and Queen of Hungary Mist, this kit would double as a nice Discovery Set, too (when the Discovery Set sells out – which it does…a lot). Last but not least, the Queen of Hungary Mist is a true original. We test a lot of mists in our Awards every year and rather like Glam Glow in the self-tanning department, for me, Omorovicza’s neroli and rose-scented, Hungarian Thermal Water-based Queen of Hungary Mist, full of vitamins, minerals and fruit extracts is in a league of its own.
(Follow @Omorovicza to be the first to hear how to get your complimentary summer-inspired bouquet from a top London florist…details coming soon!)
www.omorovicza.com/uk
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