We are very proud to have such a well-established brand as Phytomer with us at Bath & Unwind. I caught up with training manager Nicola Simmons to find out a bit more about the brand.
Tell us a little about the history of Phytomer.
A French farmer named Jean Gedouin had suffered with painful gout. He tried several types of medication but to no effect. He had heard of the benefits of seawater being used in thallasotherapy centres around Brittany where he lived, but could not afford to visit one. So, he decided to drink a glass of seawater every day for a month. After just two weeks his pain had subsided, his mind was alert, his skin glowing and hair shiny. Within three months his gout had disappeared: he was cured! So, he decided to create a product that everyone could benefit from and the result was Oligomer, or ‘the little sea’. Phytomer was born.
Phytomer use lots of ingredients derived from the sea. Why is this?
Phytomer means ‘plants of the sea’. The ingredients are based on seawater, seaweed and sea plants. Oligomer is the core ingredient in every product. It is 100% freeze dried, salt reduced seawater. What is interesting is that seawater and our blood are very similar. During the Second World War, seawater was used in replacement of blood for transfusions. We naturally produce the trace elements found in seawater, but not in the quantities we need. These trace elements have been proven to revitalise, energise, reduce tension and strengthen the skin. It has been discovered that seaweeds suffer the same aggressions as skin, such as heat, cold, wind, sun and pollution. Therefore, the scientists at Phytomer are able to study the way seaweeds protect themselves and apply those concepts to the skin.
Most of us suffer from cellulite at some point. What would you recommend to combat this problem?
What is a serum and why do we need to use them?
A serum is a booster product. The ingredients are very concentrated so they work at much deeper levels of the skin than a moisturiser, which works at the skin’s surface. A serum is designed to be used for 6-8 weeks under your moisturiser to give quicker, more intensive results.
What are the benefits of using face masks?
A mask is a “quick fix” that will give fast results, ideal before going on a night out as a quick pick me up.
Do we really need a separate eye moisturiser?
Yes! Eye creams are not gimmicks. The skin around the eyes is about 50% thinner than the face. If you use any facial moisturiser around the eyes it will cause puffiness, therefore stretching the skin. Eye creams are much lighter in consistency with much smaller molecules, so they are able to penetrate this delicate skin. The size of a grain of rice is enough for both eyes.
What is your personal star Phytomer product?
This is a hard one, as I love everything! I am going to say the Oligomer Pure Seawater Bath, purely because the effects are immediate. If you are feeling tired, stressed, run down, have a cold or any illness, this is fabulous. It will make you feel like a new person.
What is it like working for Phytomer?
It is a pleasure working for Phytomer. I’ve been in the beauty industry for 24 years and after using many, many brands I can say Phytomer has really changed my skin. Every year I go to Phytomer HQ in France and am always so excited to see where it all happens!
How do you like to relax?
I love to read in an Oligomer bath, always with a face mask on! So I get to relax, remineralise and treat my face all at once.
Thanks Nicola.
