CHILDREN and the ENVIRONMENT 2008

In 2007, MACLEAY S.A.R.L. / NOGATEC INTERNATIONAL (NI), worked actively to make progress in two areas social areas that they have supported in the past:
1/ The expansion of their “Reach Out to the Children Programme” created in 2004 to accompany the global development of our Omaré brand of spa and thalassotherapy products & treatments.
2/ Changes in promotional material and product packaging that contribute to improving the environment.

Omaré’s “Reach Out to the Children Programme” is designed to provide support for non-profit organisations that seek to improve the daily well-being of children, particularly in the fields of health, education and the environment (including HIV/AIDS prevention, actions to abolish child labour, social work for orphaned or abandoned children, human rights questions related to children’s rights in general and educational work designed to make children aware of the importance of environmental protection).

Based directly on the annual sales of the Omaré professional products and treatments and set up in collaboration with Omaré distributors in those countries where exclusive distribution agreements are in place and fully operational. In these countries, MACLEAY S.A.R.L. / NI, owners of the Omaré brand, make an annual contribution to selected organisations equal to 1% of annual export sales of the previous year. This year, in collaboration with Omaré distributors in Singapore, Thailand and Russia, donations were made to the Chinese Red Cross to help the victims of the earthquake in China’s Sichuan province.
As of the end of August 2008, donations were made to :

* Children’s Earthquake Fund set up by Half the Sky Children’s Earthquake Relief Fund and China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs: donation made in collaboration with Omaré’s Singaporean distributor Heritage 21 PTE, Singapore, Omaré’s Thai distributor, Tiger Eyes Trading (Thailand), Ltd., and Omaré’s Russian distributor, Line of Beauty.

* The Eastern Social Welfare Society (adoption, post-adoption services and care-giving) in S. Korea: donation made in collaboration with Omaré’s Korean distributor Aro-Cosmetics, Seoul.

* The Rugute Childhood Cancer Fund in Lithuania (assistance for children suffering from cancer, for their families and support for the development of oncology science): donation made in collaboration with Omaré’s Lithuanian distributor UAB Grozio Technologies, Vilnius.

* The St Rita’s School for the Deaf in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA: donation made in collaboration with Omaré’s U.S. distributor Jolie Visage, California, KY, U.S.A. St. Rita’s works to meet the needs of hearing impaired and deaf children in the community.

In addition to its charitable work, Omaré also made major changes in its promotional material and packaging policies that illustrated our comittment to improving the environment. In September 2007, Omaré France announced that all branded plastic carrier bags (used in conjunction with purchases of the brand’s retail cosmetics products), would be manufactured using oxo-biodegradable plastics. This environmentally friendly commitment was made possible thanks to the incorporation of Totally Degradable Plastic Additives (“TDPA™”) technology into the bag production process. It is now widely known that traditional plastics are very stable and not readily degradable and biodegradable in the environment. For this reason, plastic waste represents a major environmental problem. Developed in Canada by EPI Environmental Technologies Inc., TDPA™ based technology enables products made from various types of plastics (including the material used to make Omaré bags) to degrade into environmentally harmless products. EPI indicates that research demonstrates that composts made from TDPA™ treated plastics have no toxic effect on plant or animal life. These bags replaced all paper and ordinary plastic bags previously used by the brand.

Lastly and still on the envirnmental theme, since June 2008, Omaré has replaced the use of PVC flacons employed for the packaging of its well-known and popular professional massage oil, Ocean Oil, by a PE plastic product that is compatible with the product’s rich algae content and specific packaging requirements. Given the recent expansion of Omaré products to include two new massage oils, this change represents a major packaging move. As a professional spa brand, Omaré felt it was important to make impact of their brand slogan “RENEWAL, HARMONY, WELL-BEING” felt not only in the spa face and body care programmes that they develop, but also in a much broader social sense via their product development policies worldwide. This obviously includes making choices that contribute to an improved environment.

In the coming year, MACLEAY S.A.R.L. / NI will continue its actions to improve its environmental record as well as enlisting the support of new distributors in Vietnam, the Gulf states, Portugal and N. Africa to allow the Reach Out to the Children Programme to expand its horizons worldwide. We are determined to see the programme flourish and hope to inspire our distributeurs to make matching contributions annually. We also hope to incite other small companies operating nationally and internationally to take up the challenge of taking concrete action to promote the principles embodied in the actions described in this document.

R. Scott MacLeay - Managing Director, MACLEAY S.A.R.L.

An Innovative Promotional Offer from Omaré U.S.A.

Jolie Visage, exclusive U.S. importer / distributors of Omaré, are currently promoting an exceptional introductory offer for high-end spas taking on the line for the first time - 30 rooms of back bar and full protocol training are up for grabs free of charge for interested upscale spas located any where in the continental U.S.A.

Joanne Lewis, CEO of Jolie Visage Medical Aesthetics, describes their promotional offer of free professional face and body care products and training for up-scale spas as “an exceptional opportunity for spas to add a second major line to their operations or to painlessly make the transition from an existing line to the high performance world of Omaré. The line offers such amazing results in such a wide variety of skin care categories (anti-ageing, lightening & complexion tone equalization, hydra-conditioning moisturizing, protection/prevention, contouring, bath & body comfort) that we wanted spas to be able to see the results for themselves. This meant giving aestheticians the chance to understand what makes Omaré different and why their concepts of real-time versatility and performance are so important. This line is not about mass marketing of empty promises, it is about results for spas interested in empowering their aestheticians to offer their clients the very best in contemporary spa care.”

True to the brand maxim “RENEWAL, HARMONY, WELL-BEING”, Omaré protocols are an invitation to a completely new and innovative generation of skin care – a genuinely cosmopolitan well-being experience. Joanne Lewis, who has considerable experience with French professional skin care, explains that “everyone knows the French have always had something special to offer the skin care world, that special “French touch” we all love. They are particularly strong when it comes to marine ingredients and formulations, but Omaré takes these traditions so much further embracing powerful influences from time-honored Asian, Amazonian and African skin care traditions. I felt that one of the most efficient ways to get this message to discerning spa clients, was to give a selection of top-of-the-line spas the opportunity to experience the complete Omaré experience free of charge.”

So how is this rather unique promotional offer going to work in practical terms? Well it is really very simple. Jolie Visage Head Office and their reps covering regions including California, Arizona, Nevada, Mid-western States and New England will be identifying and approaching key upscale spa candidates with the offer. To be eligible, spas must qualify as candidates in the framework of Omaré’s selective distribution policy that limits the number of spas using the line in a given geographical area and calls for spas to have the requisite highly qualified personnel and facilities in both face and body care fields. A total of 30 rooms of back bar of Omaré Professional Face & Body Care are available to key resort and day spas located anywhere in the continental U.S.. Resorts will be limited to a maximum of 3 rooms of back bar. The offer concerns initial orders only with all required product use and protocol training as well as marketing material being provided free of charge. As with all rare items of exceptional value, it is “first come, first served”.

As Joanne Lewis puts it, “This offer addresses those spas that are tired of offering their clients basically the same thing they have been offering for years. This is for spas looking for something totally new, something that will transport their clients to another level of spa pleasure and performance”. Interested spas seeking detailed information about the offer may contact Joanne Lewis at Jolie Visage (joanne@jolie-visage.com). Joanne will put them in touch with the Omaré rep in their region and set things in motion. “We are expecting to generate a lot of interest” says Lewis, “offers like this are rare. It is a genuinely unique opportunity for those spas that are not afraid of change and real innovation to experiment with a higher plateau of spa care, free of charge”.

Omaré Hand and Foot Care

Omaré has introduced 6 new Hand and Foot Care protocols in France this month. The protocols should be available in other markets by March at the latest. Along with their existing Face and Body Care protocols and the new Signature Massages introduced in the autumn of 2007, Omaré now offers a total of 27 Professional Spa Care protocols.
The new Hand and Face Care protocols are particularly interesting because they combine the use of existing Omaré products and massage techniques, making them particularly cost effective to those venues already using the line. Eliana de Melo MacLeay, Omaré Product Director stresses that « synergising product versatility and compact line development has always been one of Omaré’s key strategic development vectors. It allows our uncompromising commitment to high performance product and protocol quality to remain compatible with the market’s ever-growing concerns for cost effective treatment solutions. There is no doubt that the policy helps spas and salons better rationalise their orders and manage their stock while offering their clients the ultimate in contemporary professional spa care. »

The New Hand Care Protocols include:
The Equaliser : for brighter more uniform skin tone
The Softener : ultra-soothing skin softening for extra dry, rough skin conditions
Rejouvenessence (hands) : antioxidant vitamins & polyphenols for elegant, younger-looking hands

The New Foot Care Protocols include :
The Refresher : a refreshing, purifying lift for tired feet
The Smoother : skin texture smoothing and revitalising for rough, calloused skin
Rejouvenessence (feet) : antioxidant vitamins & polyphenols for elegant, younger-looking feet

Designed with flexibility of use in mind, all of the protocols can be used as specialised stand-alone skin care protocols or be integrated and adapted for use with existing manicure and pedicure procedures.

Spotlight on Valérie Le Gendre

It has been almost a year since Valérie Le Gendre took over the post of Chief International Trainer for Omaré. During this time she has travelled widely and trained Thai, Vietnamese, Russian and French aestheticians in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. In 2008, her schedule promises to be busier than ever with trips planned for the U.S.A, SE Asia, the Baltic States and eventually China.

In addition to her purely education-based work, she has offered valuable input into Omaré’s product and protocol development. Her 8 years of experience working as an aesthetician in France and England with a wide range of high profile international brands has brought a wealth of insight into what really makes Omaré so different from its competitors.

Over the past year, Ms. Le Gendre has worked with Omaré R& D on the development of Omaré’s new signature body massages (Serensis™ / Stimulisse™ / Silhouessence™) as well as on creating new hand and foot care protocols employing many existing Omaré body care products – reinforcing the brand’s commitment to versatile compact line development. These new protocols will be launched in France in the first quarter of 2008 and will be made available internationally from the second quarter of 2008 onwards. An upcoming blog entry will provide more news concerning these versatile and practical protocols.

She has also been instrumental in providing valuable insight concerning service development for French-based spa and salon clients. Having worked for years herself as a client of major brands, she is well placed to know what spa clients are really looking for and how best to serve their needs. The development of new personalised services for French clients has benefited greatly from her experience.

Omaré Head Office would like to salute Ms. Le Gendre’s contribution to the on-going development of Omaré over the past year.

Autumn Activities in the Baltic States & Belarus

This autumn is shaping up to be a very busy one for Omaré in the Baltic States and Belarus. Olga Griscenko, Managing Director of UAB Grozio Technologijos, Omaré’s exclusive distributor for Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Belarus, reports that seminars and trade fair participations are planned all across the region in the coming months.

Ms. Griscenko, a medical doctor and trained Omaré beauty therapist / consultant has just returned from Minsk where she presented a second Omaré seminar last weekend in the Belarus capital. She is currently preparing a third presentation and master class for an upcoming exhibition scheduled for September 20th - 23rd, 2007 and will be participating in Interstyle, Belarus’s largest cosmetics trade fair, at the end of November of this year.

Major activities in the region also include an Omaré treatment seminar at the MasterClass Professional Center at the Baltic SPA Professional Association in Riga, Latvia as well as participation in the Baltic region’s largest cosmetics exhibition, Baltic Beauty World, in Riga from November 2nd to 4th, 2007.

Lithuania, UAB Grozio Technologijos’s home base will be playing host to a seminar / demonstration animated by Omaré’s chief International Trainer, Valérie Le Gendre. Topics will include Omaré’s new massage protocols: Serensis™, Stimuliss™ and Silhouessence™ as well as new Omaré Foot and Hand Treatment Protocols to be launched in late November of this year. Probable dates are now under discussion with Omaré Head Office in France but it is likely that the event will take place in late autumn 2007. Don’t hesitate to contact Ms. Griscenko for all the news related to Omaré in the Baltic States and Belarus at: olga_griscenko@hotmail.com

Environmentally Friendly Plastic Bags

As of September 2007, Omaré France is proud to announce that all Omaré branded plastic carrier bags (used in conjunction with purchases of the brand’s retail cosmetics products), will be manufactured using oxo-biodegradable plastics. This environmentally friendly commitment is made possible thanks to the incorporation of Totally Degradable Plastic Additives (“TDPA™”) technology into the bag production process. It is now widely known that traditional plastics are very stable and not readily degradable and biodegradable in the environment. For this reason, plastic waste represents a major environmental problem.

Developed in Canada by EPI Environmental Technologies Inc., TDPA™ based technology enables products made from various types of plastics (including the material used to make Omaré bags) to degrade into environmentally harmless products within months of having been discarded. The degradation process involves the reaction of the TDPA™ treated plastic with oxygen in the air and is initiated by sunlight exposure, high temperatures and/or mechanical stress.
EPI indicates that research demonstrates that composts made from TDPA™ treated plastics have no toxic effect on plant or animal life.

The move to use oxo-biodegradable plastic carrier bags is another example of Omaré’s commitment to the principles of the UN Global Compact and its 10 defining principles. MacLeay s.a.r.l., owner of the Omaré brand, has been a member of the UN Global Compact since 2001.

Anti-Ageing Body Care

There has been a veritable explosion of anti-ageing face care products on the market over the past several years. Like other professional brands, Omaré has devoted a great deal of time to this particular product / treatment category. However, oddly enough with the possible of exception of hand care, there has been relatively little attention paid to the rest of the body when it comes to anti-ageing protocols.

Omaré’s Rejuvenessence Anti-ageing Treatment Programme has taken up the challenge. Based on our Rejuvenating Body Pack and requiring the use of a heating blanket, this new Omaré spa body wrap treatment programme is designed to offer the ultimate in botanical-rich skin conditioning. The protocol combines the qualities of the green tea, grape, lithothamnium and spirulina algae extracts found in the Rejuvenating Body Pack with the soy protein, ray cartilage, sea lettuce and Centella asiatica extracts found in our Silhouette Firming Cream and the energising mix of 5 essential oils of our Stimulisse™ essential oil blend mixed with the laminaria algae and grape seed oil of our Ocean Oil. Designed particularly for mature skin, a complete programme (ideally, a minimum of 4 weekly sessions followed by regular monthly sessions) contributes to refining skin texture, improving elasticity and increasing suppleness leaving the skin looking and feeling ultra-fresh, firm and revitalised - a veritable sensation of epidermal renaissance topped off with an application of one of Omaré’s deliciously sensual Pearl lotions.