The SÉREN Journal

What Célia learned from Madame Allouche

A well-kept roof, the way you apply a lotion, and a story about horses’ legs. Three lessons help explain how we approach a Biologique Recherche facial at SÉREN.

The skin is like the roof of a house

Madame Allouche taught Célia to think of the skin’s surface as the roof of a house. A sturdy, well-kept roof shields the rooms beneath it, keeping them safe and clean. In the same way, keeping the skin’s surface healthy and intact helps it protect what lies beneath.

That lesson still guides us at SÉREN. We choose products and techniques that work with the skin’s natural ability to renew itself, and avoid harsh chemicals or overly aggressive treatments that could damage its protective surface.

Look at the skin in front of you

Célia Gratiot learned this approach in Paris directly from Biologique Recherche co-founder Josette Allouche and went on to teach facial care internationally. Her experience informs how we assess the skin, prepare it for treatment and choose the products and techniques for the facial you book.

Biologique Recherche says it selects active ingredients for their performance and their role in the formula, leaving out unnecessary additives. In a 2022 interview, then co-chairman Rupert Schmid said the brand had developed more than 100 facial skincare products over the years. Skin analysis helps us decide which products suit your skin on the day.

Why technique matters

Lotion P50 is one example. In its first-week instructions, Biologique Recherche describes dabbing the lotion onto the skin with a damp cotton pad, moving from bottom to top. The choice of product and the way it is applied both matter.

When your skin feels comfortable and your makeup goes on smoothly, it can change how you feel about the day. At SÉREN, the price of a facial reflects the time we take to understand your skin and choose the products and hands-on techniques that suit it. Afterwards, we explain what we used and why.

A story from Célia’s training

Madame Allouche trained as a physiotherapist and had a deep understanding of how muscles recover. During Célia’s training, she told her about a high-frequency treatment used to help tired muscles in horses’ legs recover. As Célia recalls it, that treatment gave Madame Allouche the idea for a skin remodelling treatment for the face.

BR’s approach to formulations · Lotion P50 application instructions · 2022 interview with Rupert Schmid