Going back to THALGO’s ROOTS 14 THALGO NEWS SPRING <strong>2011</strong>
While we are focused on looking to the future, THALGO’s heritage is also one of its greatest assets. With that in mind, let’s take a look back at THALGO’s history and the inspiration for the brand: the sea... THE ORIGINAL MARINE BEAUTY AND SPA BRAND Based in the South of France, THALGO has over forty years of expertise in drawing on the riches of the sea to develop highly effective skincare products and exceptional professional beauty treatments. THALGO was founded back in 1964 when a French pharmacist conducted research into utilising marine algae to treat medical and cosmetic concerns. His initial aim was to manufacture seawater and algae-based products to alleviate skin conditions such as scarring, eczema and psoriasis. The name “THALGO” is an amalgamation of “thalassotherapy” and “algae" and was first registered in 1968. Ever since the 1800s, treatments using seawater and algae-based products have been highly popular in Europe and have long been recognised for their amazing abilities to treat wide-ranging problems such as arthritis, rheumatism, skin conditions and blood circulation disorders. The French coined the term "thalassotherapy", which is the treatment of the body using seawater. It is considered to be so beneficial and effective that it was prescribed by doctors in France as a medical “cure”. Sadly, thalassotherapy is not available in the UK primarily due to the considerable financial implications of building an authentic thalassotherapy spa (it must be next to the sea so that vast quantities of seawater can be pumped into the spa). Initially, thalassotherapy used crushed or pulverised seaweeds, which were then made into poultices, in its therapies. The breakthrough came in 1966 with THALGO’s development of “Micronisation” and the subsequent registration of a process patent and a medical patent. The scientific explanation of Micronisation is that with conventional pulverised marine algae, the tough and rubbery cell walls are simply flattened, liberating little more than their pigments, while Micronisation THALGO has the widest range of marine skincare to meet any skin or beauty concern “explodes” the algae cells, allowing the dissolution of their mineral salts and trace elements in water. THALGO’s signature treatments such as the 3 Algae Wrap using Micronised Marine Algae form part of the thalassotherapy cure at many thalasso centres. There are 25,000 different species of algae. THALGO uses many different types in their product ranges, which contain high proportions of vitamins, minerals and trace elements known for their detoxifying, healing and rebalancing properties. The algae are harvested off the coast of Brittany only at the equinoxes, when nutrients are at their maximum. In 1975, the Simone Weil directive came into force, stating that only a chemical engineer or a pharmacist could make and sell cosmetic products, creating a strong demand for professionally-made products for beauty salons. With this new directive in place and the continuing success of the MMA innovation, from 1978 onwards THALGO branched into the cosmetology field with the introduction of plant, fruit and protein-based lines. In 1981, the Laboratory and production moved to Roquebrune-sur-Argens in the South of France and THALGO recruited its first overseas distributors - with <strong>Thalgo</strong> UK as one of the first. Today, THALGO has the widest range of marine skincare to meet any skin or beauty concern, whether it is detox, firming, antiageing, rebalancing, purifying, weightloss or simply relaxation. THALGO is currently available in over 500 outlets in the UK, including Hoar Cross Hall, St David’s Spa, The Scotsman in Edinburgh and Harrods Urban Retreat. Worldwide, THALGO is available in over 20,000 outlets in 90 countries, with over 500 resort spas. THE SEA AND US Our bodies have a remarkable affinity with the sea. Evolutionists believe life began in the sea, and the first living organisms were single cell blue algae. What’s more, our bodies are made up of roughly 70% water and if you compare blood plasma with seawater, their make-up is virtually identical. This goes a long way to explaining our bodies’ remarkable affinity with the sea and therefore the effectiveness of marine ingredients. Algae are super-plants with incredible nutritional properties One of the best ways to get the benefits of marine ingredients even when you’re not by the sea is THALGO’s range of nutritional supplements. SPRING <strong>2011</strong> THALGO NEWS 15
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