BEAUTY HEROES: OMOROVICZA
Meet the founder of one of our favourites, which harnesses the powers of Hungary’s amazing healing waters
To understand the story of Omorovicza, we must travel back in time to the 1800s, when founder Stephen de Heinrich de Omorovicza’s ancestors commissioned the establishment of a structure known as the Racz Spa in Budapest, atop a medieval healing spring. There it has sat for over a century, servicing the citizens of Hungary’s capital city.
Stephen was on a date with an American diplomat by the name of Margaret, the chief of staff to the US ambassador, when he decided to take her to the family spa. A long-time sufferer of skin problems, Margaret was impressed by how the waters cleared up issues that couldn’t be solved by strong antibiotics — and before long, the couple decided to start their own beauty brand. They took their healing waters to a Nobel Prize-winning team of scientists, and in 2006, Omorovicza was born.
The now-married couple now runs a global beauty empire whose skincare solutions are award-winning. We talked to Margaret de Heinrich about the secrets behind the brand.
What’s so amazing about the healing waters of Hungary?
For over two thousand years, the thermal waters of Hungary have been renowned for their medicinal and health benefits. The earth’s crust is thinner, so waters gather more beneficial minerals as they journey to the surface. There are upwards of twenty minerals and trace elements within these waters, including calcium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, copper and zinc. The unique combination of minerals in the water we use has many beneficial effects. It’s an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, which helps to firm and soften the skin.
The other ingredients are also natural. Tell us about your belief in non-synthetic ingredients.
Both Stephen and I believe that the future of beauty doesn’t include harmful, unnecessary synthetic ingredients, which are occlusive and prevent the skin from breathing. Therefore, Omorovicza has a “zero-nasties” policy, and we don’t use glycols, silicone, parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulphate, synthetic colours, synthetic fragrances or chemical sunscreen.
If someone is encountering your brand for the first time, what are the products they must know or try?
Definitely the Thermal Cleansing Balm! It’s our global bestseller. Enriched with calcium and magnesium-rich Moor mud from Lake Heviz in Hungary, the largest thermal lake in Europe, the balm detoxifies and purifies the skin. This balm removes all impurities — including waterproof make-up!
Tell us about your proprietary facial treatments as well, which are available in Budapest, London, New York and now Hong Kong SAR.
We offer a number of facial treatments, steeped in Hungarian heritage and catered towards specific skin concerns. All our treatments feature the transformative, traditional Hungarian massage combined with our award-winning products to revitalise and energise the skin.
What’s your personal skincare routine?
It really depends on the condition of my skin. In general, I like using fewer products that have multiple benefits. For instance, our Complexion Perfectors are a foundation, cover-up, serum, sunscreen and moisturiser all in one. I also love our Miracle Facial Oil, which features super-ingredient Bakuchiol, a natural alternative to retinol, and our Blue Diamond Concentrate, which is perfect for improving the skin’s fitness and restoring vitality.