Everything’s coming up roses

When Rustan’s announced that it was launching Annick Goutal’s skincare line, I thought I had misread the text. Fragrance fans know Annick Goutal as the French perfume house and the elegant lady behind it, who created cult classics like the crisp, citrusy Eau d’Hadrien. In the regular world, the name Annick Goutal would not usually be associated with the word "skincare."

But few know that Goutal worked in cosmetics before setting up her "Maison de Parfum"— as a nose scenting creams for skincare firms. Even after becoming an independent perfumer, Goutal harbored dreams of creating her own skincare line one day. But the dream was not realized before Goutal died in 1999 and the house passed into the capable hands of her daughter Camille.

But Goutal’s legacy was too powerful to end along with her, it seems. "While going through her mother’s things, Camille found recipes for face creams and skincare," relates Jeff Santos, Rustan’s brand manager for Annick Goutal. "She decided to make those recipes, which all used essences of rose."

As a perfumer, Goutal was famous for her love affair with the rose. She incorporated a hint of rose into every perfume she ever created, not counting full-blown homages like Rose Absolue, a gorgeous bouquet of six different kinds of rose, and Grand Amour, a scent poem for her husband that combined Turkish rose with four other aphrodisiac florals. In her personal life, Goutal would drop rose oil into her bathwater and even went as far as drinking it in secret tea recipes. Clearly, her belief in the beautifying and rejuvenating effects of the rose was boundless.

And well-placed, discovered Camille, who had a team of biologists study all the substances in this queen of the flowers. In addition to the fragrance that could be extracted from the petals, they found that rose sap is rich in nourishing trace elements like magnesium and calcium, and vitamins A, B5, E, and F — all powerful anti-agers, antioxidants, moisturizers and whiteners. The anti-bacterial sap also allowed the amount of chemical preservatives required to be kept to a minimum. Camille used this magical Active Rose Serum as the basis of a collection of products aptly named "Splendide."

Crème Splendide. This satiny pink day cream is already a cult favorite. In addition to the Active Rose Serum, all the Splendide products also have anti-aging Muscat rose oil, regenerative Mimosa Tenuiflora, and healing blackcurrant bud extract. Dermatologically tested and hypoallergenic, Crème Splendide was shown to reduce even deep wrinkles (by 41 percent) after 28 days. A pleasure to use, the cream melts into the skin with no greasy afterfeel, and you’ll love its subtle rose bouquet and the fresh, green notes of the rose serum.

Crème Splendide Genereuse. Meant for dry, sensitive or mature skin, this has all the benefits of the original formula plus hyaluronic, amino and lactic acids to keep moisture in, protect and rejuvenate.

Splendide Eye Balm. With added wheat germ oil and shea butter to fight dryness, this anti-aging balm firms and tones the eye area and restores its youthful appearance so your eyes will look rested and radiant.

Masque Splendide. A unique gel-cream with clay to suck out all the impurities and a vitamin cocktail to recharge and energize skin. After removing the mask with a cotton ball soaked in Rosée Splendide toner, your complexion feels fresh and looks radiant in 15 minutes flat.

Rosée Splendide. A rosewater toner that also has grapefruit extract to reduce redness and dryness, close pores and prime skin for the action of the other products in the range.

Crème Splendide Body Cream. Caffeine and palmitoyl-carnitine work together to break down fatty acids and firm skin, while macadamia, apricot and camellia oils nourish and protect.

Splendide Night Cream. This highly concentrated version of the day cream repairs skin, renews elasticity, pumps in moisture and boosts radiance while you sleep, so you wake up to glowing skin.

Cleaning Gel Splendide Face & Eyes. This super-fresh gel removes makeup while moisturizing and leaves skin feeling clean and revived.

Facial Scrub Splendide. Like her mom, Camille put every part of the rose to good use. Here, crushed rose thorns gently exfoliate and smooth even the most sensitive of skins to reveal the rosiness beneath.

Body Scrub Splendide. The sleeper hit of the line, this is already a local best seller. Everyone loves its luxe scent, texture, and the way it gratifyingly sloughs off every inch of dead skin.

Splendide Hand Balm. A true indulgence, this has high concentrations of rose serum, macadamia and hazelnut oils so the hands get as much anti-aging treatment as the face.

Everyone who sees the line can’t help but comment on the stunning packaging as well, based on custom patterns of Calais embroidery. Both boxes and jars are so elegant they can turn the humblest home into a palace. "Annick Goutal has always stood for beauty," notes Santos, and we definitely have to agree.

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Annick Goutal Splendide Skincare is exclusively available at Rustan’s.