Dermatologist Review of Guinot

Guinot Laboratories was founded by Mr. Rene Guinot in France in 1963. Mr. Guinot, a chemical engineer, designed the first skin device that allowed for the safe application of galvanic current to the skin during facial beauty treatment. Guinot called the treatment ‘cathiodermie’ and found that it resulted in augmented results from facial beauty treatment. Today this treatment, renamed hydradermie, is employed in the signature Hydradermie Facial available at Guinot Paris spas/salons.

Jean Daniel Mondin, a doctor of pharmacy, took control of Guinot in 1972 and remains CEO. Under Mondin’s oversight, Guinot Institut Paris has become one of the most prominent beauty companies in France and is well known worldwide. The company reports controlling over 50% market share for skin care product sales in spas and salons within France. Guinot Paris products and treatments are available worldwide in over 11,000 spas and salons in over 70 countries. Over 1,500 of these spas and salons are in France.

Guinot Paris provides beauty care for face, body and sun. The company speaks to the concept of beauty care rather than beauty products because of the Guinot philosophy that professional expertise with respect to product selection and usage is essential for optimal results with Guinot products. Guinot believes that optimal results occur with synergy of professional services and retail products. To that end, Guinot offers esthetician training at its headquarters in New York and Los Angeles.

The Guinot Paris product range is extensive. The line consists of eight cleansers, two toners, three exfoliators, twenty one facial moisturizers, ten serums, eight masks, seven eye care products, six problem specific treatments, four lighteners, three light SPF foundations, four ‘mens’ products, two self-tanners, seven sunscreens, three after sun products, and ten products designed for the body. With this many choices Guinot’s philosophy of having beauty experts pick specific products for overall customized regimens makes sense. The range of products is enormous.

Guinot products are made in what might be referred to as a ‘French’ style. Fragrances are prominent throughout the line. Products are produced in state of the art facilities that meet European pharmaceutical standards. Water is specially purified, ingredients weighed twice for accuracy and formula consistency. The entire manufacturing process occurs in the equivalent of a ‘clean room’.

Guinot products have earned a reputation as being pleasant to use and contributory to an improved aesthetic. Guinot’s cleansers such as Hydra Tendre or Refreshing Cleansing Milk and toners such as Moisture Rich Toning Lotion are particularly popular amongst DermStore customers. Guinot creams, generally speaking, are quite smooth, refined and rapidly absorbing.

Technologically speaking, the company offers many unique and interestingly named brand-specific key ingredients. A number of other typical active ingredients such as Vitamin C also figure prominently in the line. CEO Mondin has been working in conjunction with Biology Professors at Cochin Hospital in Paris since 1986. This partnership resulted in the development of what Guinot has named ‘Cellular Life Complex’ that is reported to be nourishing to the skin. The complex apparently contains 56 components, many of which are peptides. Guinot research and development has also maintained a focus on ways to facilitate deeper penetration of active components into the skin in the ongoing quest for optimized product results.

Guinot branding is distinct. The all capitals Guinot Institut Paris appears prominently on all packaging, typically in gold. Product names are displayed consistently just below the Guinot name in a French-sign style – all capital white letters on an off-red background with a gold rim. The look is eye-catching and has a characteristically French flair. Boxes are graced with lots of writing presumably due to requirements that the package information be present in multiple languages. Color palates on ‘mens’ and body products are different and allow these product types to be easily distinguished from others. Products are packaged in tubes, plastic pumps, plastic bottles and glass jars. Generally speaking, the quality of the packaging is good and reflects substantial attention to detail. The use of glass jars for many creams is interesting, particularly given environmental attention during the manufacturing process. As discussed elsewhere, however, some creams are easier to work with in jars, customers like them, and product air exposure issues are typically non-existent.

Guinot marketing is multifaceted and sophisticated. The brand has a major focus on spas/salons and thus invests heavily in assuring that spa/salon operators are trained and receive ongoing education. Guinot has been a sponsor of ice skating in recent years and the Guinot brand has been prominently featured in recent international figure skating competitions.

Guinot is a powerhouse French beauty company. The company has built its reputation over decades and is very widely distributed through quality channels. The products are a solid addition to beauty care in the French tradition. Guinot is continuing to look to the future as it adds to its extensive line of products and ramps up its research and development efforts to remain at the forefront of the French and international beauty scene.