Meet Melissa Obeid, founder of LA FERVANCE—who has found her brand following in esteemed personalities like Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, known for her role as Sylvie in “Emily in Paris.” When you think of meeting someone like her, you never know what to expect but safe to say: her gentleness, style, and firm belief in the power of good intentions had me in awe of her at the launch event of LA FERVANCE. Obeid’s approach to life and her brand exudes a sense of purpose and thoughtfulness that is both inspiring and endearing. Her commitment to intentional beauty and her journey in creating a brand that stands for more than just skincare are reflected in her demeanour and how she engages with the world around her.
Here, we are spotlighting LA FERVANCE for its remarkable collection of award-winning skincare products that immerse users in 100 percent natural beauty rituals, setting new benchmarks in modern skincare. Read on to delve into the luxurious and wholesome world of LA FERVANCE skincare and discover the inspiring story of its founder, Melissa Obeid.
Lavenderoom: What sparked the idea to build a skincare brand when so many already exist?
Melissa Obeid: “The inspiration for LA FERVANCE was a natural evolution. The brand found its creator, almost as if they were a conduit to bring it to life. This journey began with a spark of inspiration at a Napoleon exhibition and the realization that the market lacked offerings in the natural, luxurious, high-performance skincare segment. A pivotal, epiphany-like moment on a balcony in Paris during a family sabbatical in France further solidified the concept. Thus, LA FERVANCE is more than just another skincare brand; it embodies a personal story of resilience, perseverance, and the pursuit of uncompromising excellence.”
LR: What does LA FERVANCE stand for and what can users expect when using it?
MO: “LA FERVANCE represents a new philosophy in luxury beauty. It stands out as the world’s first luxury skincare brand that is 100 percent natural and entirely ‘Made in France’. The brand is known for its two best-selling, award-winning products that promise to transform the skin while offering a therapeutic experience through scents. Utilizing high-performance, peer-reviewed active ingredients from France and Australia in their most effective concentrations, LA FERVANCE aims to deliver visible results. The products are designed to be multi-ritual, meaning they are effective in three different functions, simplifying the daily skincare routine while enhancing the visual outcomes. Additionally, the packaging is handcrafted in France and is 100% recyclable, emphasizing the brand’s commitment to quality and luxury at every touchpoint. The name ”fervence”, an old French word for ”fervour”, encapsulates the energy and passion invested in creating this ambitious project. It is also a homage to the charming bastide in Provence, where the concept of LA FERVANCE was nurtured and developed.
LR: Tell us about your life before LA FERVANCE happened to you.
MO: “I was raised in a loving family with Lebanese heritage and am a proud child of the 70s & 80s, which were wonderful times for me. After completing my university studies, I travelled around Europe, living in cities like Rome, London, and Paris. I attended the Paris Fashion Institute, which began my career in the fashion industry, working with some of the biggest names in global fashion. I eventually returned to Melbourne, where I continued my career. I also co-founded my fashion label and moved into different sectors, including advertising and event management. My career journey led me to a Senior Management position at the National Gallery of Victoria, where I spent 13 years. After my time at the NGV, I got involved in my father’s business, working with Australia’s most renowned cosmetic scientists to create baby skincare products. During this period, I identified a gap in the luxury skincare market. This realization, combined with my husband Jamie’s support, led us to relocate to France to research this opportunity further. We were convinced that true luxury in skincare could only be achieved if ‘Made in France’. This movement marked the beginning of the LA FERVANCE journey.”
LR: What were some initial challenges you faced in starting LA FERVANCE, and how did you tackle them?
MO: “One of the initial challenges I faced was convincing prestigious French laboratories and packaging partners to collaborate with us. When we presented our concept, they were immediately intrigued, but the challenge lay in the high minimum order quantities (MOQs) they required, which were quite steep for an independent beauty brand like ours. To overcome this hurdle, I drew parallels to iconic brands that started small: I reminded them that Chanel began with just one hat and Hermès with a single saddle. I emphasized that we had ambitions for greatness while starting with just one product. This perspective helped in convincing them to lower their MOQs for us. We have been working and growing with these partners ever since.”
LR: You are a firm believer in intentional beauty—what does it mean to you?
MO: “Intentionality is the foundation of a dynamic and purpose-driven life, and this philosophy extends to our approach to skincare. Intentional beauty means focusing on quality rather than quantity and embracing a ”less is more” mindset. Instead of purchasing numerous products, each with different claims and environmental impacts, I choose fewer products but with greater concentrations. This is the core reason why LA FERVANCE focuses on creating multi-functional products. Our highly concentrated products are designed to streamline the daily skincare ritual while enhancing visible results. The transformation our products offer is instant and progressively improves over time. This embodies what authentic luxury in skincare truly means.”
LR: You place a lot of emphasis on setting intentions and visualizing them as mind-strengthening tools. Tell us more about these techniques and how one can incorporate them?
MO: “Absolutely; setting intentions and visualizing are fundamental to my function. My spiritual solid faith anchors my belief that our thoughts can shape our reality. Mastering our thought processes, especially in light of past experiences and daily pressures, is ongoing. I am a firm advocate of using vision boards and the practice of writing down objectives. The act of putting our intentions into writing has a remarkable power. This belief in the power of intentions was highlighted during the official launch of LA FERVANCE at Soho House in Mumbai on September 20, where we presented guests with stunning, bespoke LA FERVANCE intention journals. Having a clear purpose in life is invaluable. It guides us in setting meaningful goals and visualizing the path to achieving them, enhancing our mental strength and focus.”
LR: In the world of clean beauty, where some brands opt for fragrance-free products, your products come with a beautiful scent. Tell us a little about it.
MO: “The olfactive experience is a crucial aspect of LA FERVANCE. We strive for a 360-degree approach where every element, including scent, is the best it can be and serves a purpose. For us, the scents in our products must be therapeutic and evoke specific emotions. We’ve established a reputation for bespoke and unique scents in the Eclat Extraordinaire. The Gommage Extraordinaire features a COSMOS-certified scent blend that includes balancing and calming Vetiver, Rose Centifolia from the Grasse region ideal for refining pores, and the mood-harmonizing, earthy sweetness of Patchouli. We created a 100 percent natural, COSMOS-certified scent in Grasse, France, for the Eclat Extraordinaire. This limited our perfumer to a much smaller palette of ingredients compared to using only natural elements. The aim was to craft a bespoke scent that provokes a sensory connection and specific emotion – in this case, a sense of grounding to feel anchored and secure. The scent of Eclat Extraordinaire is warm, woody, and spicy, with undertones of Star of Anise, Patchouli, and Honey, perfect for an olfactory therapeutic experience.”
LR: What advice would you give someone who wants to follow their dream but doesn’t feel they have everything figured out?
MO: “My advice is that we never truly have everything sorted out before we start. If you can dream it, you can achieve it, and the only fundamental limitation is our self-belief. So, go for it! Just begin, and the universe will support your passion and vision. My own experience is a testament to this. If I could move from Melbourne to France with my husband, who is not only my life partner but also my business partner in LA FERVANCE and the father of our beautiful children, sell our home and create a standard of excellence in luxury beauty in the world’s luxury capital. Anyone dreaming a dream can achieve it, too. The key is to start and let your passion guide you.”
MUST-HAVE PRODUCTS FROM LA FERVANCE
“Our star products are designed for everyone and are suitable for all skin types. They’re meant to transform the skin and soothe the soul with their transformative textures, targeted outcomes, and abundant peer-reviewed active ingredients,” says Melissa Obeid.
- LA FERVANCE Eclat Extraordinaire: It has taken four years of development and testing. This product is not just a traditional beauty balm; it’s a golden balm-to-oil treatment that acts as a serum, masque, and moisturizer in one. It’s perfect for all skin types, including oily or acne-prone skin. A combination of Eclat Extraordinaire and a mist like Rosewater can be used for better absorption for oily skin. It is an antioxidant-rich balm that prevents DNA damage and collagen breakdown, ensuring a radiant complexion. It combines antioxidants from Australian botanicals like Kakadu plum and wattle extract, which effectively improve skin colour, elasticity, and radiance and reduce wrinkles.
LA FERVANCE Gommage Extraordinaire: This is a 3-in-1 treatment mask designed to cleanse, detoxify, and strengthen the skin barrier. It transforms from a cream to an oil to a milk, providing a deep cleanse and gentle exfoliation. It contains activated charcoal, red seaweed, and antioxidants from macadamia oil, olive seed oil, and papaya. The combination of French quartz powder, olive stones, bamboo charcoal, and Australian tropical fruit enzymes offers a unique texture and spa-like experience.
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