The Interview with The Iron Lady of Nice Cosmetology, Catherine Feher

When you're looking for authenticity in beauty, you'll sure find some power inside, too. I met the Iron Lady of Cosmetology Niçoise and I let you discover her, too, in my interview below.

Catherine Feher is a name, here on the Cote d'Azur, representing a whole story in the world beauty. Where did it all begin?

I am a Parisian basically. I did two years of Medicine, after I entered a school called IRCA which is a research school in applied cosmetology in Versailles and which lead me then, in the last year, to several projects, in particular to create some products for a Chanel line with products of parapharmacy. Also for all that it is peeling I studied there! This way I put the foot on the dermo-cosmetic land! Parallel to that, I was offered the direction of the School of Higher Esthetics in Paris that I accepted, which it was a great experience for me. I had classes in my specialty: in cosmetic methodology, classes in cosmetic physics, that is to say how a product can return, why some will never return. Then, the chance of life and my private life made me move to Cote d'Azur. They asked me to run a school that is well known on the Cote d'Azur, the Gontard school that belonged to Mrs. Marcelle Gontard who is now deceased. She had just created a Bac +2 in aesthetics and cosmetology. There was no graduate to open this section in Nice. As I was correcting the exams with her in Paris, she asked me if I was free and, at the time, I was really free. So, I moved to Nice. That's how I put the foot in the pure aesthetic field. I had ran this school for many years. The school was sold to a couple who had the same qualifications as I did. They asked me to leave. They did well and I bought an anti-aging center on the floor where we are today and where I prepared the postoperative aesthetic surgery. I do not do traditional aesthetics like nails, waxing etc.

What is what you do exactly ?

My job is postoperative lymphatic drainage, receiving women or men who have had cosmetic surgery with a change in their body image such as breast prostheses or an obesity surgery or a woman who wants to rejuvenate by doing facelift. I am as much for an aesthetic care or listening to these people. Parallel to that, I have the degree of the Order of Doctors for all that it's peeling of rejuvenation for 25 years. I do only aesthetics with results. I have 18 year old girls who come to my center who do not need to be rejuvenated but who have healing problems, acne, hormonal problems. I have peels based on acetylsalicylic acid, aspirin, which make that acne get absorbed or diminished.

You are, also, the owned of a cosmetic range of products ...

Previously I worked with laboratories that promised me many things but did not keep their promises on a verbal plan than and also at a chemical level, too. I realized that they exploited my diplomas, my know-how with their advertising. One day, like any self-respecting woman, I said stop. I had the necessary qualifications to create my own anti-aging range. I contacted a laboratory that I partially bought in Paris where there is a pharmacist working with me, we chose the formula and so many things. It's like making a child! For a year and a half only now, I have been having this range!

What is the concept and philosophy of your range?

The concept and philosophy is prevention, to teach the consumer, men and women, because it is a mixed range, to avoid putting soap on the face, to learn hygiene habits because the Dermo-cosmetic products are hygiene products, protect the skin even at 18, regulate the active secretions. I have a role of prevention and, even more, of healing because I have brought here new techniques of meso aesthetics, rejuvenation without injection.

What are the techniques you use?

Micro-needling that everyone knows of! I brought an extraordinary pen from Paris with which I can introduce hyaluronic acid, I can treat the volume of face, the side lift tensor, the spots, the problems of the falling hair. Beforehand, we produce skincare products with good results. I also have a peeling technique with glycolic acid with sugar cane which is natural, then, radio frequency cold technique where I can enter my own serum. It is a range that has eleven products.

What types of ingredients do you use?

I use hyaluronic acid that is organic, vitamin A, vitamin E which is very rarely used, vitamin C to boost cell renewal and give some skin glow and cicatrisation for people who have had acne. I don't use it on an inflammatory state.

You are on the Cote d'Azur with a new cosmetic product line. How do you distinguish yourself from others who are in the same field?

I distinguish myself through a very good value for money, compared to a competition of which I will not speak because I do not like backbiting, a high quality for me, I think. These are products that are between 60 and 95 or 100 euros the most expensive. It is very affordable although it is luxurious. I distinguish myself through a packaging that is simple, clean, you do not touch any cream with your fingers, everything is on an airless system, rickshaw. It is also a mixed range. We separate men from women so much that I wanted to approach them even more.

Even if there is a difference between men and women ...

There is a difference in skin thickness. Men have thicker skin than us, they have to put more products. It is useless to put darker packagings for men, clearer for women. It's like when we dress baby boys in blue and baby girls in pink. It's debatable! For me, there are many men who love my range.

What is your beauty ritual?

In the morning I always clean the skin with Revital lotion which is in my range, a lotion that contains a lot of hyaluronic acid and it is an immediate repulpant. It has a plant that comes from Namibia that is really refreshing and wakes up the complexion. It is a spray that can be put in your bag and use it in solar period, put it on the cleavage. Then, I mix the two sera of my range and, for the eye area, I put the Eye Contour serum which contains 2% caffeine and which also makes the contour of the mouth. It is the only product around the eyes that has a mixed texture, between the gel and the cream. The cream is too fat, the gel too desiccant, in my opinion. After, I put a cream that I change depending on the season. Radiance cream thatcan be used day and night. If I have very dehydrated skin or if I do sports or I'm going to do sports, I put Hydrasoft. In the evening, I remove makeup with a cleansing milk which is not in my range. I do not have makeup removers. Then I apply the serum and the moisturizer.

Do you have a certain diet style?

I do not drink alcohol and I avoid all that it is gluten for reasons of diet, of silhouette. I love vegetables, fruits, not too much red meat, I eat a lot of fish, but it happens to me to crack on chocolate. And I play sports!

What kind of sport do you do?

Running! It allows me to release my tensions of the week. I sometimes do a little classical dance with a group of friends who are between 45 and 60 years old, who are in my age. We have a lot of fun together and we revive our childhood a bit.

You are a graduate cosmetologist and a business woman at the time! How do you mix the two and what is your power in this regard?

I arrive at a stage of my life where I choose a few people who come to my center. It's not pretentious, it's because I've always been very honest in my work, too. Sometimes there are women who want miracles and that I can not do, we are not in Lourdes. I have key people who have been here for 20 years. This year I am 25 years old here. As a business woman, I work a lot, very late at night with the time difference of St Barth, Dubai, Morocco where I have facilities with distributors who have trusted me. It's like a title of nobility! Even when I'm tired, I'm counting on myself and I start again.

That's the power of a business woman ...

That's it ! And, besides, I'm in love with my work!

It's the passion !

I am passionate ! I trained so many aestheticians with Bac +2 when I was a teacher and school principal that I see, that at this moment, the heritage is very important. The passion is not being transmitted to young girls in schools.
In my protocol of skincare without injection, very important is the training. And I try, in a very short time, to transmit all this passion that has animated me for a long time.

How do you see the future of cosmetology, of aesthetics?

We're going more and more towards cosmetology. I do not mean vegan because it's fashionable and it's going to fade away but more to a connected beauty.

What does it mean ?

It means that, in a very far future, we will have, perhaps, applications on our smartphones, or by sticking them on our skins or we will see the rate of hydration. Maybe it already exists. It is about bespoke skincare.

If we talk about the future, how do you see yourself and your range in the future?

The future goal of the range is to be international, distributed by people who are in love with their work. I refused collaborations with young people who had very small institutes and who asked me products at 15 euros and who did not care what was inside, they wanted a beautiful packaging. People who are not in love with their work it's bad publicity for us.

You see yourself as a successful business woman with your products all over the world ...

Maybe in China, it's very hard to enter China! Everything French in China is working very well. The United States is still a problem because there is the FDA and they are considered drugs. It takes time, I have to travel. I have only a year and a half of existence with my range and I think I did a lot, almost alone.

We will finish with your advice regarding women, men who are interested in this area, who want to come to you ...

My advice is to take care of your skin, do not put facial soap, we reserve it for the body. There are some very simple things you can do, such as taking care of your skin, putting on your little serum, putting on your cream, making your mask once a week, trusting, preventing skin aging and looking younger. That's the goal today!

Interview with Catherine Feher
Anti Age Institute - 12 Alphone Karr Street

Author Andra Oprea