It's very important because a beautician is perfect to explain what product is the best for the customer, according to the skin type and so on.
You can put all the product that you want.
If you don't choose the correct one, it won't work as you want.
Welcome to this week's episode of Beauty Babble.
Today, we're joined by our special guest, Christelle Pereira.
She's the global export sales manager with Bernard Cassier Skincare Line.
She's going to be sharing some insights from global markets as well as a sneak peek into the brand and its holistic philosophy.
Christelle, welcome. Thank you so much for joining us.
Can you let us kick it off and tell us a bit more about yourself?
Yes. Well, thank you for having me with you today.
So, as you said, I'm an export sales manager for Bernard Cassier for five years now.
It's a French brand. I don't know if everyone knows the brand.
So it's a French brand.
It's part of the SOTYS International Group.
The same. I don't know.
It's as it's very professional cosmetics brand.
I don't know how much it is well known.
So in the company, I'm working specifically with international distributors all over the world.
We are present in around 40 countries.
So it's quite a nice job, let's say.
Well, I'm not doing managing and working with all the country.
I have one colleague who is helping me.
But while it's nice and interesting and also the brand, I don't know how much it is well known and famous in Canada.
But it's very interesting brand and yeah, well, it's curious.
Well, we're big fans of it.
So we just let you know we have listeners all over the globe.
So maybe some of our listeners are familiar with it from their own.
But for Canada, we know for ourselves like Bernard Cassie is connected to us in the sense that it is imported into Canada or Western Canada by beauty cult.
And both Suzanne and I have worked with the brand to been in on some education and we're a little biased because we're both both big fans of the brand and love the products.
And I will put in the in the show descriptions.
I'm going to put links to Bernard Cassie's website and just like, I mean, our listeners, I'm sure, no, but when you're talking about it being a professional brand, you sell to beauty suppliers and distributors who then sell the product to the spas or the estheticians that work directly with the clients.
Then you can't really get it any other way, right?
So it is remains very professional in that sense.
Yes, we only work with with professionals.
We don't you can find the brand in beauty salon in spas in all kind of really professional.
It's very important to remain this because a beautician is perfect to explain what product is the best for the customer according to the skin type and so on.
So this is why also it's important to go through professional places, you know, because the advice is essential.
You can put all the product that you want if you don't choose the correct one.
It won't work as as you want.
So this is why it's important to remain as professional as possible.
And what is interesting is that being professional means that yes, you are in institutes and so on.
So you have the product, you can receive the treatment, you can have all the this feeling in the institute in the spa and so on.
But you also can find the same product in retail to have at home.
So it's not it doesn't mean that you only can find it and receive the treatment.
You can have the product and the perfect one for you at home.
So you made me think of a question for you when you said that because it's around the world and you are basically bringing it to distributors that you're relying on their standards, I guess I could say, on who they're selling to as well.
Because education globally is very different.
So how do you know or how do you go about choosing distributors to, I guess, have your line present because you're really trusting them with your product that's going into the right hands.
Exactly.
They are when we find a new distributor.
We gave them all we educate them, we train them, you know, we give them all the of the support they need to introduce the product in their in their country.
But then they are free to how on how to adapt the offer on the country because depending on each country's them even the the canals where you sell are different.
Some are not working.
They don't have Institute as we know it in France, you know, they have home Institute.
It's very different, different according to the country.
And also the product, they will highlight the product they want, they offer the one and so on.
So we give them all the keys to adapt the offer to their countries.
And then they are doing according to the needs and how it works there.
But it's every time we start with a new distributor, it's important that we still tell them we're going to have a new distributor.
So tell them we are professional brand.
We have to remain professional.
And so we give them instruction.
You don't you cannot go in this kind of places.
So we have a distribution agreement with them, giving all this, this information where they have to sell the product, how they have to communicate, you know, because we need to be to keep our image, you know, it's very important.
And so when we start with a distributor, we check that they will respect this professional part and how we try to understand how they will adapt the distribution to their market and so on.
Just to be sure that they are we are sharing the same philosophy.
The most important thing also working with a distributor is that they are sharing the same philosophy as we as as ours.
So, so, and then when we agree on all this, this is when we we are introducing starting signing contracts and so on.
So yes, I think I would say the most important thing that sharing the same philosophy on the ground on the cosmetic also you an approach.
Very good.
Absolutely.
So I think I'm sorry, I'm going to just mention really quick in Canada, that's where we're based out of.
I've noticed that people are calling lines to a French line but we're going to distinguish that this is a European French line not a Canada Quebec line, just so that people understand there is a difference in it because of the standards that you have to go through in order to to make and produce a
manufacturer and distribute products. Is that something you can talk a little bit about about the standards of, you know, the laws, the, what can you use what can't you use how do you, how do you market that when it becomes globally as well when you have to deal with every country has their
own laws and standards of what you're allowed to use not to use your the wording that you use as well has to be very specific.
Yes, as you said we are French, European French brands so far from France everything all our laboratory, our production plant, everything is located in France in the south of France, a small town.
And so, because of that we have to follow the European European regulation when we develop a product so it's it's one of the strictest in the world. So we have to really follow this regulation if we want a product to be able to be sold in the market the European market.
And, despite all this we are also having our own standard because even it's already the regulation is strict but we go even further.
For example, there are some ingredients that can allowed according to the European regulation. And we found it's not it's a bit controversial we see coming them the and if that it will be forbidden later you know we have this also this view.
And so we decide not to use this ingredient if we have the possibility to use another. So we are going even further to the European regulation.
And then sometimes it can happen that abroad in outside Europe. There are some regulation which is a bit different. So we have a team in our laboratory with following this all over the world and seeing okay this product we follow this.
But in, I don't know what country but in Canada let's say excuse the Canada the regulation does say that it won't you won't be able to import if you keep this ingredient so we try to find a solution when it's possible to adapt to most countries possible.
So, sometimes it's not possible, but as long as we can we are trying to and with the wording the same. The thing is that with wording, each country can also because they have to translate.
So they can choose also the correct name not lying you know just choosing the correct name the great translation because our product the wording is in in French and English but when we go to Poland when we go to Malaysia when we go to Korea, we have to put the words in their own language so if necessary they can also adapt respecting
well the the regulations and the the reality of the product.
One thing that I really love about Bernard Cassier is that it's kind of a two way communication with the distributors.
A while back I'd worked with beauty cult and one of the things that I worked with the rep from Bernard Cassier at the time was on the descriptions on the bottles and following health Canada's health Canada has a list of like acceptable claims and non acceptable claims.
And it was a collaborative approach to understanding what are the acceptable claims remaining truthful but it is in the words that you choose and how you choose to describe them so there's always been that back and forth and you'd mentioned that you take that feedback from the distributors as well based on where they are in the world.
Yes, exactly. We try to actually when we do product when we do we develop a product. The most important is that it fits the customers and the market.
So how the best way to be able to do this is to share, listen and exchange with for for France it's with directly with the beauticians with our team and abroad is through our distributors who are very important for us because they are really the they represent really the brand there and they are better.
Well, they know better the market as we do. So, it's, yes, I think it's the best way to be able to find the and produce the product correctly.
You mentioned of the brand's global but you also talk a little bit about that holistic philosophy. Can you tell us a little bit more about that and Bernard Cassier and the holistic philosophies.
Well, this this philosophy, I think it's, it's coming from the start because it's, it's at first we are we are around with with respecting the naturality and so on so for us natural.
Nature is very important and so we are respecting the nature and so on and from this, it's, it comes also the well being of people because now we know it's important to want to feel good with this with naturality with this and with our self as in the inside and so on.
And nowadays people are looking for a more holistic approach of the beauty. So, you have to.
How could I say you have to yes to to feel.
Not only the product are important to the product, the beauty, the cream, the day cream, the night cream, the serum, they are all important essential for the skin but they are not miraculous as I said.
And so if you have to go to use the product but not only if you stay to that.
I think your skin won't be as perfect as you want you have to have you must have a perfect healthy life. You have to feel good, you know, in the inside practice meditation yoga, whatever you want to feel good you know it's an experience of well being.
And this is what we try to bring with in our offer. It's a product that is efficient. So, with hydrating the skin with working on the wrinkles and so on but also the experience that will bring you to a well being a global well being.
So, with, for example, in the spirulina line we are working with the healthy food with spirulina with that is used a lot by sports people and so on.
We are introducing yoga experience with the detox line you know we are trying to to go in this direction of global well being both on the inside and on the outside this is how you will.
We will have the perfect skin actually.
So when you say that you're incorporating, you're talking about the yes the ingredient of the product but you're also talking the technique and the movements of the technicians hands and what they're bringing forth in these treatments it's not just a basic general facial massage, let's say it's from the start to the end, the techniques that you develop.
So, I, what's not you specifically but Bernard Cassier does, and they spend time really researching and bringing, you know, globally the, the, like ancient traditions of Gua Sha and digi point and, you know, that you press your points and so there's a lot behind and when you incorporate that into your
treatments and what the goal behind the actual holistic Institute treatment is I think that's a huge unique part about what you bring forth as a brand.
And a lot of people don't realize, I think they're coming slowly more especially here in North America noticing that the certain massage techniques that actually will help lift the skin and drain lymphatic and there's more training involved it's not just you take your
hands and you're done and you, you know, you never go back to learn more and I think with the brand like Bernard Cassier does is that you're always looking forward and very very ahead, because holistic is not new for Bernard you've been doing holistic treatments for how long.
It's been quite a few years right.
Yes, we, we, as I said we introduced I think it we, it's part of our self so we are introducing this for several years now, because well the goal is also that to the customers the consumer is very important we need to please them to to propose efficient and nice product but also we want our beauticians to like
practicing our product. This is also very important and since the beginning we are trying to propose things that because if you like to practice and to do a treatment to your customers to your customer, you will do it with well you the customer will feel it and it will be part also of the
beginning because they, it will be the, the global mood everything, everybody will be happy, happy to be there, the customer to receive a nice treatment, the beautician to practice a nice treatment and we are trying yes to introduce, as you said, with the
this and the acupressure point I don't know how to say that in English, so it's very specific so you have to to to know how to do that so training is very important it's not just okay this is a massage I have to do that and this is done now there is there is a reason that we you are using this more than this
this massage this so yes training is very important and both training and feeling good with the treatment so we are trying to take all this into account when developing a product because this is how you last and how it works because you have the perfect product for the
customer but also for the practice that the beautician so yeah very good. Another thing to kind of talk about you mentioned you're not, you know, you did say I'm not sure how many people in Canada North America are aware of Bernard Cassie, but it is a global, globally known and very popular in other parts of the
world as well. One thing being the company I guess you could say in the forefront of it in their vision, having your own laboratory own production your own scientists, the whole thing, talking a little bit about the online world and the different ways that, like why is that so unique that you have your
own, you know, scientists development research production laboratory and you and you do not do other brands outside of the SOTIS group, and what's unique about that is not just the control of what you have but you're you're looking at other places that I know for a fact that
they're producing more than one line out of their laboratories will say the recipe is the same recipe with a different packaging, I think is kind of the idea behind that.
Yes, there are some, there are some different brands, it depends on how the brand has decided to work and so on, and not a lot of brand have the opportunity and the chance to have a laboratory to have their own production plan to have all this, it's obviously allows us to to control from A to Z, the
the product and the efficiency and to follow up also, but it also has to to to propose something original, you know, we have our own formula this way, and we can create and do it according to what we want to create because a lot of companies would have their own laboratory,
their own production plant and so on can go, I have to produce in a certain way and they have to go to groups or company who are proposing formulas and made formulas and then while some companies can work and having their own formula but it has a cost.
So most of the company will some companies will choose to have a formula all made from a catalog and they will okay I want this formula for hydrating for hydration, it's, it looks working quite good I like the ingredients because they know what they choose also, of course, but they choose the formula all made and then the company can produce for this for a specific brand,
the product but they can also because they have another customer another brand, who ordered the same, the same formula they can do a big batch, they produce this big batch and then just putting different levelings and so on so it's some companies are working this way so not all obviously and and luckily not all but some are working this way and obviously it's not as expensive.
As doing our own research, doing our own testing, because it's long to create and produce to create design a product it takes 24 months to design a product from the conception from from the idea to the, you have the testing period to make sure that it's stable that it's safe and so on so when you create your own formula it takes time.
And, and this has a cost so it's a question of choice you know it's either you use your own formula or you go on something simpler and and cheaper.
And then so we have to know that you have different kind of brands that exist and depending on the price and the philosophy on a lot of things that so I think that having our own laboratory is allowing us also to to stay true to our philosophy this way because we we control everything and we know what we propose and that we are unique this way.
And you also have, well not everything's there but your own garden that you grow your own a tonical, I guess way of saying it like cornflower I know is there.
How long ago do you know when that start I remember was so to speak I think that was the seven, the 2000s I think when they first talked about it and the whole production of that was like a seven to 10 year.
So you're still, you know, adding to that, and, you know, imagine going out it's like us going to our garden and picking our tomato and eating it and you get to go pick your own flowers or, or whatever it is that ingredients you're looking for and bring it to the laboratory and use it there.
I think that's a very unique side of Bernard Cassie or SOTI's group itself is that you've managed to bring it to the level where you start in your own area into France and then into Europe and then globally.
And maybe can you talk a little bit about that side of it like you you you're not just picking Cacao just to pick the tail you know like you're you're searching and sourcing out how do you choose who you're getting your your ingredients from.
Well, we most of the product we are trying to have a product from from France from from even locally as you said we really choose carefully the ingredient and the suppliers we are working with it's very important because as you said we're not going to choose randomly any cacao because we we need cacao to put it in the in the formula so we really select suppliers.
They need to share the same philosophy as we have they need to, for example, for since I think 2016 the micro plastics are controversial are forbidden in the in well it's controlled in the formulas.
So we are trying to select suppliers that are not using this.
And recently we had an experience one supplier wasn't very transparent on this. So we didn't we decided not to work with him and looking for another one so first, I need also to to say that it's very important to select the correct supplier and suppliers can be all over the world depending on the
ingredients we use for example for the body line mango we are using mango we don't have them in France so we have to go and pick a road but we choose the supplier we choose something organic when it's possible ethical when it's possible and so on so it's very important this part but also we since for several years
now we are trying to use ingredients from as you said our own garden like that we know we control from even before a to the because we know well that we we are respecting all the steps everything we really know the ingredients and we have now we have
confluores from our garden we have them honey that is coming from the garden we have soon coming soon we have also spring water from our garden so yes as well we can which we're trying to do so and yes as you said the garden is so it's very important for us because it's it's a way to have good
ingredients and to control them but it's also a way to share them the philosophy of the brand to share all these two to local people because we as you said we have local garden it's it was an idea it was very important for the the founder of the group
Mr Bernhard Maas to have this garden and so he was lately as he was he was a bit old and not working as much closely to the business he was very involved in this garden it was very important for him and now for the family so you have a botanical garden that you can go and visit there are a lot of story around this going through the garden
and also we we are using on the hidden hidden from the from the the visitors we also a garden where we grew we grow the the ingredients for for Bernard Cassier and Sotis the other brand of the group also have some some from from the garden less that we have because they don't have the the same philosophy the same let's say we are natural brand we are it's very important for us to to have
this so we are don't we don't have the same positioning but they are still using some some ingredients so it's let's say it's very important for for us for because it's it's good for for the brand and also because because we are part of the local people in in their life and so on so it's important to to be abroad is very very far but we it's important also to be close to people for
us to people from here you know a family brand and we feel it you know in through through the daily work because we are a small team in a small bigger group but not a big big group and so it's it's really nice to work with people that work close and the the founder we we met him regularly his sons when he was alive and their son
we are now the the CEO of the company we see them we are working with them on a daily basis we it's not a big big group you know where everybody is anonymous so it's a pleasure also to share this because it's it's I think it's it's transparent through our offer this this willing you know we we are willing we want to share to share this this family way of working so it's a
pleasure sharing this with you amazing I love that and it translates all the way through with the product so thank you so much for joining us today thank you thank you for having me thanks for listening to beauty Babel.