Living Beauty, Issue 02

Living beautifully is about so much more than just how we look on the outside. It’s a lifestyle that prioritizes personal growth and wellness. Over the past three years, our understanding of the importance of taking care has deepened significantly, so we asked some of our experts for their insights on the future of living well. Here, they share where wellness is headed next, from intuitive individuality to interpersonal intimacy and everything in between.

Karen B.K. Chan

Sex and Emotional Literacy Educator

“Through the pandemic, we saw that wellness is not just a nice-to-have; it has life and death consequences. For many, it was a wake-up call. It also increased our prioritization of gratification, connection, time and rest, as there’s an increased dissatisfaction with the daily grind and a work-life imbalance. Social distancing emphasized both the day-to-day isolation that’s embedded in our ways of life and the urgent need for social connection—recent research on loneliness has shown that it’s comparable to other risks for cardiovascular disease. My personal opinion is that how we understand intimacy has changed; it is appreciated more and more as a felt experience and not just something one can check off a list or accumulate. Moving forward, I see interest in comprehensive wellness increasing along with choosiness regarding where we work, how we work and how we spend our time. This ultimately changes where we live, who we live with and what we spend our time doing.”

Rupert Schmid

Co-President/Co-Chairman, Biologique Recherche

“Whatever the political and economic challenges we will face, wellness will continue to grow all over the world. The average annual growth rate of the wellness industry is over 10 percent, and this will continue in the coming years. This does not include the many aspects of ‘wellbeing’ like walking in nature, hiking or eating more natural products, for example, which are hardly monetizable. These are now promoted at a local level, which leads me to think that they will be more than successful, and not only in wealthy countries. Each customer will be looking for wellness in their daily lives and every industry will have to evolve. Consumers will continue to become more and more concerned and educated. They will value true wellness benefits and corporate social responsibility and will no longer accept shortcuts. They will value real relationships, they will value real personalization and they will value transparency much more than in the past. At BR, we have always believed that each person, each life, each DNA, each RNA, each emotion is unique.”

Kim Carmichael

Assistant Spa Director, Willow Stream Spa, Fairmont Pacific Rim

“There have been incredible advancements in technology and it’s become increasingly important to offer touchless treatments and virtual and self-guided experiences. Take sound therapy, where you use sound to harmonize your nervous system by activating different parts of your brain. Treatments that merge sound vibration and music tap into your own chakras to reduce stress and improve concentration. Guests can just put on earphones and take a self-guided journey.

Depending on what playlist you select, there’s different benefits like improved concentration or physical performance. Customizing experiences is still something that we’re trying to do by making sure that we’re focusing on the individual versus à la carte. There’s more focus on self-care that factors in nutrition, sleep, diet and activities that restore and re-energize the body, mind and spirit.

Perhaps it’s more of an investment in the self versus filling your closet with more things.”

greatest pleasures. I think we have to broaden our scope of what this means so we create more beauty in our world. The one-sizefits-all beauty is robbing us of so much.”

Dr. Shari Caplan Medical Director and Founder, VitalityMD Toronto

“People are seeking out information on how to stay healthy. Where traditional care is focused on waiting until you’re sick and then doing something, the more holistic approach is asking what you can do now to keep yourself healthy. More people are aware that there’s a different type of medicine called functional integrative medicine and they’re looking for those practitioners. They realize that it’s not just about a prescription—it’s about eating better, exercising and managing stress and psychological health. People are biochemistry sets and if you don’t have all the right ingredients, we’re not going to work well or feel well. People are also looking for connection. In today’s world, a lot of people are stressed and libido goes out the window. If they can reconnect with their partner and have better sex, then why not? It’s been very exciting that people are willing to talk about it.”

It's time for a wellness reset...”

Colette Yeomans Owner, Clarité Wellness

“With all of the advances we will see in technology and our world over this next decade, we will benefit greatly from bringing old-world wisdom and practices in to keep us balanced, and I think people will be seeking this out more. The interesting thing about advances in science is that it often does a full circle back to what was always known and practiced in the past. I think the emphasis will likely shift from synthetic isolates to bioavailable plant extracts, from synthetic scents to properly distilled essential oils and natural infusions, from overuse of ablative intensive resurfacing to more restorative treatments and from a one-sizefits-all approach to truly bespoke treatments. As a society we have mastered and overvalued the logical, pragmatic ‘masculine’ way, but we have to make more space for the integration of the ‘feminine’ aspects to emerge now. In the wellness industry I believe this means listening in a new way. To feel beautiful, [and to] smell, taste and see beauty is one of life's

Charlotte Diassé

Export Sales Manager, Biologique Recherche

“Beauty and skin health has become very, very important in people’s minds. It always has been but looking good—not only your skin and beauty but also your style, your clothes, your haircut—has become very important because of the exposure on social media. More and more people are working remotely and look at their reflection and appearance during video calls. An increasing number of people have been doing aesthetic medicine with doctors, injections to fix what they dislike, however the texture of your skin and its health cannot be changed with injections.

You still need cosmetics, you need hydration and you need high-quality products to have a nice skin texture. Today, receiving a treatment is, yes, of course, taking care of my skin,but also offering myself a parenthesis of relaxation. We’ve been doing a study that looks at neuroscience and proved that, if you received a treatment—you lay down on the bed, that you let yourself be taken care of by someone—it is going to have an impact on your wellbeing induced by this facial care. This approach aims to decipher the psychophysiological mechanisms triggered during a Biologique Recherche facial treatment and provide new understandings that link treatments to the construction of emotional wellbeing in its psychological and physiological dimensions.” 

Founder's Letter

The pursuit of wellness and self-care started out with good intentions, offering accessible ways to heal ourselves and find calm in an increasingly chaotic world. But thanks to an emphasis on commodification and the advent of some increasingly impractical pursuits—not to mention societal obligation—wellness has morphed into a series of time-consuming, and often quite expensive, lifestyle requirements. In a recent issue of The Atlantic, writer Sophie Gilbert examined how being well has added even more tasks to our never-ending to-do list, and is starting to feel like a chore—and we couldn’t agree more.

It’s clear that we’re heading into a new era of wellness that’s focused on strengthening the mind-body connection while honouring our personal experiences. We’ve dedicated this issue of the Living Beauty newsletter to exploring what it means to live well in 2023, from expert predictions on the evolution of wellness to a guide to the best retreats around the world and tips and tricks on improving your sleep.

The key takeaway? It’s time to stop putting pressure on ourselves to follow the wellness fads that don’t serve us and listen to our own intuition instead.

What still rings true is that quality is always going to be your best investment, and nothing is more valuable in life than the relationships that fill your cup with positive energy. Whether that’s spending time with your family or maintaining a connection with a skincare professional, the best medicine is other people.

xo Mariam Founder and CEO, Living Beauty Inc.

“It’s time to stop putting pressure on ourselves to follow the wellness fads that don’t serve us and listen to our own intuition instead.”

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Discover the secret backstory behind Lotion P50, the most famous product from Biologique Recherche, in the words of Research and Creative Director Dr. Philippe Allouche.

It’s impossible to pick a favourite from Biologique Recherche’s all-star lineup of skincare innovations, but if there’s one that continues to shine in the spotlight, it’s Lotion P50. Beloved for its gentle yet effective exfoliating prowess and equally famous for its unusual scent, P50 is regarded as the secret ingredient in achieving that inimitable Biologique Recherche glow.

Lotion P50 was created by Biologique Recherche Founder Yvan Allouche in 1970 as a way to gently exfoliate the skin, regulate excess sebum secretion, moisturize and help maintain the epidermis’ pH level. We caught up with his son, Dr. Philippe Allouche, to get the full family backstory behind this skincare gamechanger.

“Lotion P50 is our most famous and coveted product, and the cornerstone to Biologique Recherche skincare treatments. All Biologique Recherche skincare treatments, whether administered at home or in a beauty institute, start with the ‘P50 ritual’ in the morning and evening.

My father came up with the product, and my mother came up with the technique. She was a physiotherapist and, for her, the epidermis was the interface to connect to the rest of the body. When my father and I would present P50 to the press in France, they would say, ‘You know, it smells.’ To which we would reply, ‘Who cares what it smells like? Look what you have inside.’ We were drawing attention to the ingredients, which was unusual at the time. The editors didn’t like the smell, but they all started using it.

It took us a long time to arrive at the most perfect formula. Indeed, the production protocol of the Lotion P50 is very important, considering its composition, which is rich in active ingredients such as fruit acids. It’s a production process that takes a lot of time and attention. The order of incorporation of the materials and the agitation times are essential—that’s what makes Lotion P50 unique.

My father understood that skin had to be respected and he wanted to create something to rebuild the epidermis. He thought it would be better to have a gradual, soft exfoliation with acids that could also enrich the natural moisturizing factor in our skin. Although exfoliation is a natural process whereby the skin gets rid of dead cells, it slows down with age. We do not believe in facial scrubs,

repeatedly using strong peels, extractions or anything else that is going to weaken or potentially damage the epidermis. It is tremendously important to have a fully potent and strong epidermis, as it impacts the overall health and look of skin.

Instead, we use products that restore and strengthen the protective barrier function of the epidermis, accelerate epidermal reconstruction and restructure by boosting the repair capacity of damaged skin. The process is not immediate—nor should it be—but it is well used for a progressively balanced skin. Lotion P50 has always been a product of its time, and it will continue to be. If someone loves this product, they will love it for the rest of their life.” 

Guest Editor

Ali Budd, President and Principal Designer, Ali Budd Interiors

As a business owner, HGTV star and mom to three small children, interior designer Ali Budd understands the importance of honing your wellness rituals, especially when time is limited.

“For me, it’s about little traditions that make me feel relaxed and good,” she says.

One of those traditions is her ongoing relationship with Karmen LaMer, founder of Tight, the downtown Toronto clinic and Biologique Recherche partner where Ali is a regular.

“Not only have I tried almost every treatment available, Karmen has become a close friend and I absolutely love what she stands for as a human and entrepreneur.”

We caught up with Ali to discover a few of her personal wellness essentials, from tech-free dog walks to what helps her feel her best at home, plus her must-have skincare products.

Biologique Recherche Lait U 250 ml, $62

Tight Clinic Toronto

“I’ve been visiting the Tight Clinic since 2020 and consider it essential to my overall wellness. You walk in there and feel so welcomed, so warm and always leave looking just a touch younger and tighter.”

Dog Walks

“A year ago, Karmen helped me rescue our beautiful potcake puppy Lincoln from Turks and Caicos. I love taking him for walks without my phone. I know it sounds silly, but 20 minutes technology-free to just breathe and not be answering anyone or talking is such a great part of my day.”

Comfy Clothing

“The first thing I do when I get home from work—after hugging my children—is change into something loose and comfy. It could be anything from my cashmere tracksuit from Ani and Wren to my husband’s sweatpants. Under no circumstances can I relax or de-stress in ‘work’ clothes. Hanging out in jeans or a tight dress sounds like a nightmare.”

YOUR GUIDE TO LIVING BEAUTIFULLY

Biologique Recherche Lotion P50T 250 ml, $129

“A cult classic. I use it approximately three times a week.”

Biologique Recherche Creme PIGM 400 50 ml, $236

“My absolute favourite thick nighttime moisturizer.”

Silk Pillowcase

“Another one of the little things I do religiously is sleep on a silk pillowcase. Slip makes my favourite ones. I change it every three days.”

Biologique Recherche Masque Biosensible 100 ml, $208

No. 03 — HYDRATION STATION

Dehydrated skin is pretty much unavoidable at this time of year, but it’s nothing that a Biologique Recherche professional can’t fix. To keep a bright glow throughout the winter, book a personalized facial at one of our partner spas.

No. 04 — JOYFUL VISUALS

Your environment has a huge impact on your sense of wellbeing, and we’re all about creating an atmosphere that triggers happiness through art and beautiful objects. That includes Olverum’s Bath Oil (250 ml, $130), a bottle of which instantly elevates any bathscape. For your walls, Canadian artist Erin Armstong’s colourful paintings are an instant mood-booster and bring a kiss of happiness to any space.

No. 05 — THE POWER OF THE OCEAN

The sea continues to reveal the ancient secrets hidden in its depths, an almost supernatural power that’s captured in Biologique Recherche’s new Serum Collagene Originel (8 ml, $92; 30 ml, $210). The wrinkle-fighting serum is made with Type-0 collagen sourced from a primitive planktonic organism that hasn’t evolved in some 600 million years, earning it the badge of honour of being the original basis of all collagen.

No. 01 — SKIN FITNESS

Consider face workouts the new Thighmaster. New treatments and tools specializing in sculpting, lifting and toning the facial muscles are changing the way we approach maintaining skin’s quality. Adipeau’s Active Face Cream (50 ml, $120) specializes in improving facial fitness by keeping the fat cells in the dermis at the optimal size, restoring volume, accelerating recovery and regeneration, and improving any sinking and sagging.

No. 02 — PLEASURE ON THE SPOT

We love sessions that incorporate all the bells and whistles, but sometimes quick and easy is the way to go. Dame’s new Dip ($58) vibe keeps it simple with an accessible price point, ergonomic shape and body-safe, waterproof silicone that can be used for all types of intimate play.

Discover some of the trends and movements on Living Beauty Founder and CEO Mariam White’s radar this season and find out how they’re impacting the beauty world.

“One of the things that is sacred to me is my evening skincare routine. It’s 15 minutes I take for myself at the end of every day to feel good and prepare to get into bed. I’m a big BR fan and have a few key items I use daily. I always cleanse my skin with the Lait U.”

“If I want to mask, I love the Masque Biosensible. It’s rich and yummy.”

Curl, Interrupted

WHAT DOES LIVING WELL IN 2023 MEAN TO YOU?

With a more profound understanding of wellness as we kick off 2023, we asked some of our professional partners from across the country to share what they’ll be doing to live well this year.

Skincare has become ultrapersonalized for every skin type under the sun, and the haircare industry is quickly catching up. Just like skin, hair varies from person to person and can benefit greatly from some tailored products and care routines. We asked Nikko Godard, Living Beauty Inc.’s Account Executive for Western Canada and a former hairstylist with a decade of experience behind the chair, to share his advice on caring for each hair type, including what to use and how to give your strands some extra TLC.

STRAIGHT HAIR

WHAT IS IT?

Straight hair has no natural curl and may be thick or thin.

WHAT TO USE

Shaeri Shampooing ( 200 ml ) , $30

→ Shampoo your hair two to three times a week.

Shaeri Soin Intense ( 250 ml ) , $56

→ Use as a conditioner (there’s no need to leave it in longer than one minute) or as a pre-shampoo mask for five minutes when your hair needs some extra nourishment.

Shaeri Huile de Soin ( 100 ml ) , $49

→ Apply sparingly at night from mid-lengths to ends.

HOW TO CARE

Stop yanking your brush through knots and tangles. If tangles are present, start brushing from the ends, working your way up to the root to detangle your hair without breakage. If your hair is prone to tangles, apply conditioner and brush it through with a brush like the Manta Healthy Hair Brush.

WAVY HAIR

WHAT IS IT?

Wavy hair can be seen as having a gentle, tousled texture typically starting at about eye level and going down to the ends.

WHAT TO USE

Shaeri Shampooing ( 200 ml ) , $30

→ Shampoo your hair two to three times a week.

Shaeri Soin Intense ( 250 ml ) , $56

→ Use this as a deep conditioner after shampooing and leave in for three to five minutes.

Shaeri Soin Quotidien ( 100 ml ) , $36

→ Apply liberally to towel-dried hair and allow your hair to dry naturally.

HOW TO CARE

Schedule a haircut every six to eight weeks to control your split ends. Doing so allows your hair stylist to do more of a dusting or trim instead of chopping off two to three inches every visit. I’m telling you: when we ask you to pre-book a haircut, we are doing this for the health of your hair.

CURLY HAIR

WHAT IS IT?

Curly hair has S-shaped curls that vary in tightness and definition.

WHAT TO USE

Shaeri Soin Lavant ( 200 ml ) , $46

→ Use as often as needed and comb it through your hair with the Manta Healthy Hair Brush.

Shaeri Huile de Soin ( 100 ml ) , $49, and Soin Quotidien ( 100 ml ) , $36

→ Mix these two products together at a ratio of one-toone to refresh and tame your curls on days you do not wash your hair.

Shaeri Hair Mist (50 ml ) , $95

→ Add a delicate scent of milky fig and orange blossom to your hair. To nourish and protect the hair, it's formulated with zero percent alcohol.

HOW TO CARE

Stop washing your hair in hot water, which can dehydrate hair, leading to even more frizz. Opt for a cooler finish to your shower and watch your hair thrive. Your skin will benefit, too!

BRUSH ON

The most caring caress for every hair type, the Manta Healthy Hair Brush is ultra-gentle for minimum hair breakage and maximum shine. Its patented flexguard technology enables each bristle to have complete 360-degree motion, gently freeing knots while minimizing breakage.

COILY HAIR

WHAT IS IT?

Coils are tight curls about the diameter of a pencil or smaller.

WHAT TO USE

Shaeri Pure Scrub ( 100 ml ) , $38

→ Apply to the scalp to remove product buildup from infrequent washing.

Shaeri Soin Intense ( 250 ml ) , $56

→ Apply as a styling cream to smooth and hydrate very dry coily hair.

Shaeri Huile de Soin ( 100 ml ) , $49

→ Use as a pre-shampoo treatment by applying the oil liberally from mid lengths to ends, leave it in for 10 to 20 minutes or plan for an overnight treatment—just do not hit snooze on your alarm in the morning!

HOW TO CARE

For coily hair, avoid using shampoos on a weekly basis. Instead, use Shaeri’s Pure Scrub every two weeks to avoid overstripping the hair. Moisture is key when it comes to this hair texture, so stick with leave-in conditioners, styling creams and hair oils.

“For me, 2023 is about being more conscious and aware combined with a commitment to learning and growing. I believe we need to ask ourselves questions concerning how to positively contribute and share within a community and society, while at the same time practicing patience, loving ourselves physically, emotionally and mentally, and celebrating each moment with the intention of presence and experiencing joy.”

Beate von Huene, Co-Founder and CEO, Boutique Skin Envie, Hudson, Que.

“Taking care of ourselves by finding pleasure in small moments with ourselves and our loved ones around us. It is to flourish spiritually, emotionally and mentally. It's having the energy and the discipline to show up in reality for things. It is a state of mind that goes beyond physical fitness performance. Wellness is a concept that encompasses physical condition.”

Sarah-Maude Cabana, Founder, Loshen & Crem, Edmonton

“My plan for living well in 2023 is balance, first and foremost. Taking the time to do the things for myself that I do for others. Listening to my body when it's trying to tell me that I'm overworked, stressed and needing some love. On my self-love list is exercise, therapy, some sexy time with the hubby and, of course, more BR facials! It's incredibly difficult to shut off—I think that most women can relate to that—so the overarching message would be to slow down and live in the moment.”

Erin Rocco, Director of Operations, 8 West Cosmetic Surgery &Skin Clinic Vancouver

Shaeri Soin Lavant ( 200 ml ) , $46

Shaeri Hair Mist (50 ml ) , $95

Shaeri Soin Quotidien ( 100 ml ) , $36

Shaeri Huile de Soin ( 100 ml ) , $49 Manta Healthy Hair Brush, $42

Shaeri Soin Intense ( 250 ml ) , $56

Shaeri Shampooing ( 200 ml ) , $30

Shaeri Pure Scrub ( 100 ml ) , $38

We polled our Living Beauty family members on their top 10 wellness retreats around the world. From otherworldly vistas in Israel to energy-balancing islands in South Korea, simply pack your bags and let your cares melt away with one of these once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

For Skin Instants with sensitivity, the highly potent active ingredients used to treat conditions like acne and pigmentation can end up causing some irritation. Cooling the skin with products like Biologique Recherche’s Toleskin [C] and Serum Biosensible is the first step towards addressing many skin concerns, as it allows delicate, sensitive skin to strengthen its tolerance for more targeted treatments.

Clockwise from top: Biologique Recherche Toleskin [C] (40ml), $188, Serum Biosensible (30 ml), $214, Cryo-Sticks, $175 for two, and Masque Biosensible (100ml), $208

ICE AGE

After three decades in the biz, supermodel Kate Moss has likely seen every beauty hack under the sun. Her favourite?

“The ice plunge is the best trick,” she told The Telegraph in 2016. “Fill a sink with ice cubes, cold water and slices of cucumber and hold your face in for as long as you can. It instantly reduces puffiness and tightens up your skin.” It sounds drastic (if not extremely unpleasant), but there’s science to back up this old-school technique. “When you cool down any material in the world, it gets tighter. Our skin is exactly the same,” says Mahtab Moaven, International Lead Educator Consultant at Biologique Recherche, explaining that cold temperatures help to reduce redness,

calm capillaries and promote vasoconstriction, the tightening of the blood vessels.

But you certainly don’t need to plunge your visage into a vat of ice to reap the benefits of the cold. Moaven points out that there are endless professional facial treatments that incorporate key cooling steps, like Biologique Recherche’s Cold Mask, a soothing, peel-off alginate mask that’s exclusively for professional use, and the brand’s Cryo-Sticks, a set of stainless steel orbs that can be stored in your fridge to use at home (Moaven recommends using them to depuff and drain the eye area in the mornings). She also suggests a quick blast of cold water at the end of your shower, washing

your face with cool water and storing your eye creams in the fridge.

But what about the conventional wisdom that steam is the secret to opening pores? According to Moaven, recent improvements in product formulations, along with stronger active ingredients (Biologique Recherche exclusively uses cold-pressed ingredients to maintain their potency), mean that steam is no longer required to thoroughly and deeply cleanse the skin. “We stimulate the skin with our ingredients so we don’t need extra heat,” she says. “If we want to have firm and toned skin, the best thing is to cool it down.” 

Cooling down your skin is always a good idea. Here’s how to take the plunge.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL KAZIMIERCZUK, PROP STYLING BY DANI REYNOLDS