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Beauty
FAMILY MATTERS
Imagine growing up with one of the best global beauty brands as the family business. Christine d’Ornano doesn’t have to. As Sisley’s global vice-president she’s had a front row seat. Here, she talks family, career highs and beauty secrets.
When it comes to a family empire, Christine d’Ornano hit the jackpot. In 1976, Hubert d'Ornano founded Sisley with his wife Isabelle. The couple set out to offer luxury products made entirely of natural plant extracts, revolutionising the beauty industry. Forty years earlier, Hubert's grandfather, Guillaume d'Ornano co-founded Lancôme so its safe to say the beauty bloodline runs deep in the DNA.
Today, Sisley remains family-owned and Christine d'Ornano is proud to carry on and evolve the legacy created by her parents. Here, she shares the importance of family, her favourite product of all time and the skincare advice she gives her daughters.
ON WHO INSPIRES HER MOST…
"My mother who created Sisley alongside my father is very inspiring to me. She believes in very practical, efficient but also pleasurable products and that is what, I believe, has carved Sisley's reputation.”
I think it is a great asset to have three generations working in the business. We have the experience but also the fresh perspective.
ON MIXING FAMILY WITH BUSINESS…
"My father together with my mother created the brand, my brother now runs it and I work alongside him. We all bring different attributes to the business and it is a wonderful adventure to work together. Now, my niece, Daria Botin has also joined. She is in charge of the Creative Studio. I work a lot alongside her and I really enjoy it."
ON WHAT SHE LEARNT FROM HER FATHER…
"My parents have always been a strong influence. From my father, I learned to be persistent, have tenacity, and search for quality. He aimed for perfection even in the smallest details. I try to draw upon these values every day when I work on the brands image or when I contribute to the development of products."
We really want to make things better. We are really looking for long-term solutions, not marketing opportunities.
ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABILITY…
“First of all, we are a company whose products are based on plants, so we understand natures potency. We are very careful where our plants come from, and they come from all over the world. We have a committee that looks at every aspect of our business and tries to make it as sustainable as possible. But we are really looking for long-term solutions, not marketing opportunities. We really want to make things better. When we created our factory, we were the first beauty factory in France to have the HQE appellation, which means High Environmental Quality. It was an important investment, but we wanted to plan the factory of the future. Since then, we have improved every year and we are really proud of it! Being a family business, we engage in those changes because we believe in them. We want to produce better and use more sustainable materials. That is the way we approach the subject. We have for instance now launched our first product in an entirely recycled packaging (Le Sculpteur).”
ON HER BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT TO DATE…
“I was very proud of setting up the Mexican subsidiary for Sisley aged 24. I then went on to set up the UK subsidiary. I am also very proud of the people I have hired and the teams I have created. At Sisley, we are a family business and this extends to our employees. We have close teams and they feel a sense of belonging to the brand.”
ON HER SKINCARE ROUTINE…
“I cleanse and remove any makeup with our new triple oil cleansing balm and then apply the Sisleya L'integrale Eclat Serum. If my skin feels dry, I'll follow that Sisleya Lintegrale Face and always Sisleya Lintegrale Eye Cream. I use the redoki tool (that comes with the eye cream) to massage the fragile area around the eyes. I also do a quick neck massage with upwards movements. I aim for 20 strokes. During lockdown, I learned all these new massage techniques and I have incorporated them into my evening routine. Our scientists all agree that massage helps the creams work even better.”
ON WHAT’S IN HER BAG…
"I always have our Sisley lip balm in my bag as well as our Le Phyto Rouge lipstick in a pinkish colour. I also carry the Blur powder. It's a compact powder that is almost like an Instagram filter for your skin. It blurs imperfections and mattifies without looking powdery."
ON HER FAVOURITE PRODUCT OF ALL TIME…
“All Day All Year is what you need to protect your skin from future ageing. Seventy per cent of ageing comes from external factors so protecting your skin is key. This cream has encapsulated UVA and UVB filters that protect your skin all day long.”
Having good skin gives great confidence. I have told my children to look after their skin since the age of 10!
ON WHAT’S NEW FOR SISLEY…
“I'm most excited about the new Sisleÿa LIntégral Anti-Âge Eclat serum. In my forties, I've started having a few pigmentation spots and I see they have really diminished since I've started using the serum. It has unified my complexion and given it more clarity which is great.”
ON THE BEAUTY ADVICE SHE GIVES HER DAUGHTERS...
"Having good skin gives great confidence. I have told my children to look after their skin since the age of 10! Not obsessively, but having good hygiene and a simple routine. As you age you need to give more nourishment to your skin and there are many ingredients that add firmness and give a great glow. I am a great believer in good skin rather than too much makeup but makeup does enhance your skin and sometimes it is fun to use more and create more dramatic looks."
SHOP CHRISTINE'S MUST-HAVE BEAUTY BUYS:
SISLEY Sisleÿa L'Intégral Anti-Âge Anti-Wrinkle Concentrated Serum
Now £355.72
Was £395.24
SISLEY Sisleÿa L'Integral Anti-Age Eye and Lip Contour Cream
Now £152.03
Was £168.92
SISLEY L’Intégral Anti-Age
Now £355.72
Was £395.24
SISLEY Lyslait Cleansing Milk
Now £82.66
Was £91.84
SISLEY Blur Expert
Now £67.16
Was £74.62
SISLEY Le Phyto Rouge
£38.38 - £39.11
£42.64 - £43.46
SISLEY Confort Extrême Nutritive Lip Balm
Now £35.01
Was £50.02
SISLEY All Day All Year 50 ml
Now £181.96
Was £259.94
SISLEY Black Rose Cream Mask
Now £113.65
Was £126.28
Visit the Sisley boutique exclusively at Brown Thomas Dublin and Cork, and discover the highly coveted range with the expertise of our knowledgeable team members. Or, shop Sisley's best-sellers by browsing the collections online.
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