Nannette de Gaspé Beaubien never set out to create her own brand, but when an undeniably revolutionary technology landed in her lap (and by word of none other than Michael Kors Canada president Debra Margles), De Gaspé Beaubien (a private equity investor) couldn’t ignore the gaping hole in the beauty industry, or the product that was going to fill it.
It was Karine Théberge of Biomod Concepts, with an innovative product that was thus-far unheard of, who sought De Gaspé Beaubien’s financial backing. Théberge had developed a type of lipid molecule (a biomimetic microvector to be exact), that can deliver wrinkle-fighting active ingredients to the epidermis, and also creates reserves that continue to supply skin with the active ingredients for six to eight hours. The process of dry printing these formulations onto textiles for a “dry mask” concept, was also developed by Théberge.
De Gaspé Beaubien and Biomod Concepts finally launched the groundbreaking line of dry masks under the name Nannette de Gaspé, and the dawn of dry masking was here.
If you’re wondering how on earth a dry mask could possibly serve up results, you’d be like the rest of our office. But the secret of this technology lies within the aforementioned fabric and molecule that Biomod Concepts developed. The textile on which ingredients are printed is activated by the skin’s pH and light massage. I experienced this witchcraft first hand, literally, when De Gaspé Beaubien applied a hand mask on me during our interview. After fifteen minutes I removed the sheet to reveal glistening skin that was balmy to the touch.
So, why wouldn’t Biomod just skip the textiles, and use the ingredients in a typical wet mask? Well, according to the brand, most masks are made up of up to 85% water with active ingredients constituting as few as 5%. The Nannette de Gaspé Youth Revealed Restorative Techstile Masques are comprised of 87% active ingredients and emollients, meaning, the dry fabric allows a more concentrated delivery of anti-aging goodness.
As one would expect of state-of-the-art technology, these waterless masks are priced in the luxury range, which makes their three-time-use lifespan especially amazing.
Nannette de Gaspé’s Restorative Techstile Masque collection is available exclusively at Holt Renfrew this September.