Published on June 03, 2024Updated on September 10, 2024
It was born in the shade of the Rock, but it's with the sun that Lancaster has made its mark, as a premium cosmetics and suncare brand made in Monaco. Its motto? Protect and reveal your skin's radiance 365 days a year. Its commitments? Innovating in excellence and eco-responsibility, such as through its partnership with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. And this summer, Lancaster will be using the Sea Bay at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort as a sunny showcase for its suncare products.
Let there be light!
In 1946, in the aftermath of a devastating war, the time was ripe for reconstruction, a return to beauty, easy living and well-being. It was in response to women's desire to look after themselves that two men, Georges Wurz and Eugène Frezzatti, decided to create the Lancaster brand. The former was a distinguished industrialist, the latter an eminent chemist with expertise in cosmetics. And it was in the garage of a villa, boulevard du Larvotto that these two passionate visionaries inaugurated their first laboratory. Their project was unique: to design a range of skincare products tailored to the different needs of the skin. Behind this project lay a belief in the benefits of light, and a desire to shine a light on feminine beauty. Lancaster doesn't want the sun to be an enemy, but rather a source of life and fulfilment, a symbol of energy.
When liberation rhymes with innovation
Decade after decade, Lancaster has made continuous innovation its priority. From the outset, its famous Embryonic Night Cream became a benchmark for beauty and skin protection. In the 1960s, as skirts became shorter and swimming costumes more revealing, Lancaster expanded its skincare range to meet the needs of its customers. Then came the revolution of the seventies: women were liberated, their bodies unveiled and exposed. There again, Lancaster showed foresight by launching its first complete range of suncare products. It has set itself apart from the competition by offering, for the first time, a range of treatments that can be used before, during and after sunbathing. And in 1976, it shook up the cosmetics landscape with the introduction of retinol, the star molecule in anti-aging. The crowning glory of this revolutionary decade for Lancaster was the launch of a range of products entirely dedicated to Princess Grace, one of its most loyal customers. A luxurious Princely Line dressed all in white and gold, with packaging stamped with the seal "Patented supplier to Her Serene Highness Grace of Monaco"! Then in the 1980s, Lancaster was the first to oppose the "tan more" with the "tan better". And a little later, in 1993, it pioneered the use of oxygen in its cosmetics with its Skin Oxygen range.
For more responsible sun protection
Today, Lancaster remains one of the most creative brands in its sector, with patents such as Full Light Technology, Sun Repair System, Anti-Aging Technology, Glow Booster Complex and Tan Activator Complex. Its Fontvieille site in Monaco is now a centre of excellence for skin care, sun care and body care. A great local success! The brand has chosen to make this commitment to constant innovation part of a sustainable and responsible approach. In 2021, Lancaster signed the Energy Transition Pact, committing itself to reducing its carbon footprint by teleworking, recycling and redistributing unsold goods.
What's more, "as Europe's leading premium brand in the sun protection segment, we have a responsibility to protect skin from sun damage while limiting the impact of our formulas on the ocean", explains Florence Nadal, Scientific Communications Manager within the Monegasque company.
Product ranges that are all Clean and Ocean Friendly certified, with clean formulas and no water-soluble sunscreens, for sun protection that's as respectful of the skin as it is of the oceans, without compromising on efficacy or sensoriality.
Mediterranean Programme
It was important for the brand to anchor this commitment to respecting the oceans in the heart of the Mediterranean and the region where it was born. Deeply attached to its Monegasque roots, Lancaster has chosen to join forces with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation to support its Mediterranean Programme. "This collaboration goes beyond just sunscreens", notes Olivier Doucet, Vice President R&D Technology & Innovation. "Together, we want to raise public awareness and support the Foundation's work to preserve the environment in the Mediterranean basin." This is the first major step in Lancaster's drive to reduce its environmental impact. To mark this partnership with the Foundation, the brand is launching a limited edition of its iconic sun protection product, Protective Body Milk SPF50, in the most responsible tube ever designed by Lancaster. An original design where the iconic orange meets a new navy blue, between sun and ocean. Between Lancaster and the Foundation.
Lancaster at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort
When Lancaster's ode to the sun meets the pleasures of the sea and relaxation! This summer, Lancaster's suncare products will be on show beneath the generous sunshine of the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort. It seemed inevitable that the famous Monegasque brand would meet this chic, relaxed establishment, a veritable resort set on the water. Two "local children" naturally come together to sing the virtues of their region, between calm and beauty, gentleness and voluptuousness. In the heart of its 4 hectares of Mediterranean gardens, with its sandy lagoon winding between terraces, waterfalls and verdant islands, the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort is the ideal setting for the luminous Lancaster innovations. A setting with a green spirit, dedicated to well-being and the care of body and mind. Its Sea Bay areas, with direct access to the Mediterranean and the Larvotto nature reserve, will feature exceptional decorations in the brand's colours and a host of surprises. The perfect way to reveal your skin's luminosity for the duration of a beautiful aquatic dream. And don't forget to try a cocktail by Lancaster at L'Hippocampe. The guarantee of a 100% Lancaster Monaco experience!
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