It is curious how, in many different industries, one place in the world seems to emerge as the natural centre of developments. In computers, for example, it is Silicon Valley, California. In the treatment of ageing there is no doubt about where the centre is located : it is the region around Montreux on the Swiss Riviera, a beautiful stretch of countryside along the shore of Lake Geneva.
O.D.M. Diffusions Cosmétiques S.A.
Why Montreux ? It all began because of the weather. The town is squeezed between the lake and the mountains in a unique little corridor which, quite accidentally, gives it a surprisingly gentle climate. Palm trees grow happily at the water’s edge in Montreux when just a few kilometres away it can be freezing.
Generations of Europe’s wealthiest people have always enjoyed visiting peaceful, orderly Switzerland with its clean mountain air, and when the time has come for them to retire they have been particularly attracted by the special micro-climate of Montreux. As a result, this is where many of the world’s most famous clinics for the treatment of ageing have been established. There are more clinics specialising in this field near Montreux than any other place in the world.
But it is more than just clinics. A whole network of researchers and laboratories has grown up nearby and has made many of the most important developments in the scientific study of ageing, in particular the ageing of the skin. One of the most active is O.D.M. Diffusions Cosmétiques S.A., producer of the ILLYSSIA range of skin-care products. These are third generation products based on the unique body of experience that has been gained in skin treatment in Swiss clinics over the past thirty years.
The developments of the ILLYSSIA range began with a very detailed analysis of young skin, identifying its constituents and its process of cell regeneration. The results were carefully examined in the light of what was already known about the differences between natural and premature skin ageing, and the CHL Complex was gradually developed. This CHL formula contains a complex of ingredients such as RNA & DNA, Plant Oligoproteins and Echinacea extract in Liposomes.
The CHL complex acts in different ways in different layers of the skin. In the permeability barrier it helps to repair the damage that is caused by everyday living. In the stratum corneum, it stimulates the restoration of the lipid membranes. In the epidermal layer it helps to retain moisture, and so preserve flexibility and elasticity.
O.D.M. Diffusions Cosmétiques S.A. is a young company and, like successful firms in many areas, it is a combination of substantial professional experience and youthful enthusiasm. The founding partners are directly involved with the company and watch carefully over the development of the products at every stage. At the same time they are prepared to challenge the established wisdom of the big, famous names. For example, while skin care products have traditionally been developed with Europeans and North Americans in mind, O.D.M. Diffusions Cosmétiques S.A. has made a special study of the differences that exist in the skin of people from different parts of the world.
Like any other organ of the body, the skin has evolved in response to its environment. But the skin is the organ which is most directly affected by the climate and in many parts of Asia, for instance, the climate is particularly hostile. Tropical temperatures and high humidity have led to the evolution of a skin that is a little thicker and has a slightly higher fat content than the skin of people from the more temperate regions of the world. This produces a higher incidence of dilated pores, and oiliness. As a result, acne is a common problem.
But the difference does not only arise from evolution. The widespread use of air conditioning in offices, shops, and homes, creates an environment that is highly aggressive to the skin. Many of our customers live the greater part of their lives in air-conditioned surroundings.
The analysis of different skin types, and the recognition of the special challenges that exist for skin care, has enabled O.D.M. Diffusions Cosmétiques S.A. to formulate the ILLYSSIA range paying special attention to the needs of different types of customers.
There is another reason for the skin care industry to be based in Switzerland, and it has nothing to do with climate, or history. It has to do with mentality. Skin care must be a continuous, regular process if it is to be successful, and the Swiss, with their reputation in highly skilled activities like watchmaking, know that nothing worthwhile is achieved in a hurry. It has been possible to carry out long, careful testing programmes in Switzerland knowing that the products were being used correctly over an extended period of time.
We believe our clients feel very comfortable with this methodical approach and this is why we have prepared and marketed a range of products intended exclusively for people seriously concerned with skin care. We are not interested in making products for people who want miracle results overnight. The ILLYSSIA range is at the very forefront of the science of skin care, using expensive ingredients prepared to very exacting standards.
We are confident that if these products are used properly and regularly, our customers will be delighted with the results. That is why we chose the name very carefully: ILLYSSIA comes from classical Greek mythology and, as in the famous CHAMPS ELYSEES in Paris, it means Paradise, the place of eternal well-being.
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Association for the Protection of the Origin of Swiss Cosmetics