For 40 years, Valmont has embodied an impressive fusion of science, nature and the art of refined living, with one singular objective – to offer an unparalleled beauty experience.
To comprehend Valmont is to immerse oneself in its esteemed medical lineage, which commenced in 1905 in the heart of the Swiss Riviera with the establishment of the Valmont Clinic. The highly acclaimed institution swiftly garnered praise for its avant-garde approach to wellness and aesthetic surgery, enticing illustrious figures including Charlie Chaplin and Coco Chanel, who sought refuge and rejuvenation within its hallowed halls. From this venerable legacy and pioneering ethos, Valmont’s skincare brand was born in 1985.
From its inception, Valmont’s groundbreaking methodology in cellular cosmetics distinguished it within the skincare industry. Each treatment, meticulously crafted for seamless compatibility with the skin, harnesses biomimetic active ingredients to emulate the skin’s inherent regenerative capabilities. At the helm of the brand since 1990 is the iconoclastic aesthete, Didier Guillon, who was later joined in 2000 by his visionary wife, Sophie Vann Guillon. Together, they form a harmonious duo, perpetually redefining the benchmarks of beauty and consistently pushing the boundaries of what is achievable within the realms of luxury skincare.
To commemorate its 40th anniversary, the distinguished Swiss brand has embarked upon a noteworthy metamorphosis of its original collection, first introduced to discerning consumers in 1985. This remarkable evolution unveils an new ingredient, painstakingly crafted for this momentous occasion. Valmont has developed five new, universally appealing formulations aimed at alleviating the initial signs of aging, collectively titled, the Vitality line.
Editor-in-Chief, Nina Catt, sat down with CEO, Sophie Vann Guillon, to unearth the beauty of the brand…
Happy 40th birthday to Valmont! How would you describe the brand, and what is its ethos? Thank you, we are very proud of this anniversary that shows Valmont has met the challenge to span the ages. Valmont really embodies the excellence of high-precision Swiss cellular cosmetics. We harness the natural resources of our alpine environment to create high-performance formulas that visibly reprogram the skin, for healthy, youthful Valmont skin. What guides us? Always staying close to our customers and connected to their changing world to anticipate their needs and create a deep, lasting relationship.
What inspired you to follow a career path in skincare? Was there a lightbulb moment? It all started when I was a child! I used to lock myself in the bathroom and take apart my aunts’ beauty products. I was fascinated by their composition and function: how a pump dispenser worked, how a lipstick turned out of its case…I always wanted to know more about cosmetics. I nurtured this passion for the beauty world when I grew up in Paris, as major luxury brands are nesting there. This curiosity to understand exactly how things work to get something new out of them is part of me. I had it during my studies and I still have it today.
What was the vision for Valmont when you first joined the brand, and how has it evolved or changed over the years? Valmont is a brand that needs to be lived and felt, above and beyond its effectiveness. I focus my passion and commitment on making it shine in a profound and singular way. My intuition leads me to take differentiating stances, to be daring, with a touch of the coiffé décoiffé effect, based on the association of opposites that clash and pose. I always start with the customer and the skin’s biology to bring my vision of beauty to life, to embark on a journey where the destination will always be the sublimation of the skin, in a personalised beauty experience that’s ever-evolving.
Valmont is at the forefront of cutting-edge research and advanced Alpine-sourced ingredients. How do you merge science and nature seamlessly? It’s all a question of hybridisation and alchemy. I love nature. It inspires me. It carries me. I’m curious by nature and I like to look for synergies and links where there are none at first sight. I like marrying opposites, balancing contrasts, and playing with materials to find the perfect alchemy between science and nature. Science harnesses the power of nature and enables me to create skincare products that don’t exist elsewhere. This is always in line with the motto of cellular cosmetics, which is to provide biocompatible ingredients for perfect affinity with the skin, and therefore greater effectiveness.
Which product is the brand’s hero and why do you think it’s so popular? Without a doubt: Prime Renewing Pack! This is our iconic multi-use product, so fluffy, so airy. It does it all as a fatigue eraser in only three minutes. Its visible radiance and anti-fatigue results are so amazing that its community has nicknamed it “Happy Mask”. We recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, and it has many more years of success ahead of it!
To celebrate Valmont’s 40th anniversary, you’ve transformed its original collection, Energy, into a more modern, universal creation. Tell us about the new iteration, Vitality, and how the formulas are improved? Because today’s society is plural and more unisex, I have redesigned this range to suit everyone. All genders, all ages and all skin types. For 40 years, we have pushed the boundaries of our fundamental research, notably by creating our own molecules. The new Vitality collection deserved to have a new exclusive ingredient created by our research and development teams: the new DNA-Silanol. It amplifies three key skin vitality mechanisms – cellular respiration, regeneration and protection. Its effectiveness has been demonstrated by a unique proteomic analysis of over 3,500 proteins! It is so powerful that it is the subject of a scientific publication.
Vitality is the future of anti-aging, available in a routine of five universal products. For the first time, I’ve created three different textures for the daytime skincare routine, to suit everyone’s needs. An ultra-light fluid, particularly popular with men, a fine cream, and a richer cream, complemented of course by a serum and an eye contour. This is truly the new must-have collection to correct signs of aging caused by stress, fatigue and pollution. It’s a true global anti-aging solution for everyone!
What’s your best advice for brides-to-be on their journey to better skin? When should an elevated regimen begin? For such an important occasion, one must get prepared some time in advance. I would recommend six months minimum. Setting a balance between the anti-inflammatory food, avoiding alcohol for glass skin – with the help of our Luminosity routine, proper sleep (between seven to eight hours ideally), and combine with the best treatments Valmont can offer to optimise the radiance of the skin. Regenerating Mask Treatment with collagen, LumiMask, and of course the star product, Prime Renewing Pack are my top recommendations. Your inner harmony is the source of radiant beauty, so the challenge is really to combine all factors to be at the top on D-Day.
What’s the number one piece of advice you have for brides on their wedding day? What are the dos and don’ts? One is for sure, never let negative vibes get to you on this special day. Your inner harmony is the source of radiant beauty. Next, sleep! As I mentioned, get as much of a good night’s sleep as possible to make the most of the skin’s natural nocturnal repair process. The little extra: apply a cream or mask, like our Prime Renewing Pack, and leave it on all night to get an even more radiant face when you wake up on the big day. And don’t overindulge in sweets, even if it is tempting. It accelerates skin ageing, as it generates the cellular phenomenon of glycation that rigidifies collagen and elastin fibres.
What are your thoughts on injectables? With the younger generation incorporating them into their routine at a much younger age, do you believe they can go hand in hand with a great skincare regimen? Younger ladies love to inject their lips nowadays and are keen on Botox in the forehead to block the first signs of ageing and wrinkles. Now, I would say that according to the codes of beauty, some will favour hyaluronic acid injections, but this trend is weakening in favour of a more natural, energy-based glow. Devices like LED, radio frequency and ultrasound machines are preferred. I do strongly believe these habits go hand in hand with skincare based on medical ingredients to converge into the best visible results.
What’s the one product in your own skincare regimen you couldn’t live without, and why is it so essential? It has to be a Valmont product of course! But I have so many favourite products in my routine. If I must name just one, then it would be Time Master. This treasure contains all our know-how. It was the hardest baby to get as it took me five years to put together all the ingredients into a nanoemulsion, and this intensive cure is simply amazing for the skin.
If you could go back to your younger self with advice on skincare, what do you tell her? I would certainly refrain from sunbathing outrageously all day long to work on the dark caramel skin tone. To achieve that was so much the sign of a healthy life back then. Nowadays, the trend is to use SPF products, which is a great improvement in mentalities. Also, for some occasions, I skipped the cleansing regimen out of exhaustion. Now this can NEVER happen again.
Great tips! Finally, what does the future of Valmont look like? We will continue to explore Swiss nature and natural resources and integrate them into our innovation excellence. This is the best way to offer our signature expertise to an audience that demands quality, technicality and personalisation, and to be a part of an increasingly circular economy.
Images courtesy of Sophie Vann Guillon / Valmont
