Phytomer Spa Étoile: Life's a beach

“Paris is a bustling place where people suffer from stress and pollution and they need a break,” says Tristan Lagarde, director of sales and digital development at Phytomer. “They can’t get to the beach every weekend, so we have to bring it to them.”

The spa was designed by Dominique Tosiani, who also created Phytomer Spa and Wellness in St Malo. It boasts a palette of natural tones that invoke the Breton coastline where Phytomer. was founded. Natural stone and wood contrast with ultramarine splashes embellished with a hint of Parisian glamour in the form of molded ceilings, baroque wallpaper and brass fixtures.

Each treatment room includes the latest high-end skincare equipment, and the spa also benefits from a cryotherapy chamber, a Japanese infrared sauna and a nail salon.

“Despite the fact that we are in a very busy part of Paris, we have restructured the spa to create a softer, more welcoming haven through the materials we use that create a very cocooning effect,” says Lagarde. “It allows people to stop, rest and relax.”

Seaside in the city

The spa’s maintenance treatments, ranging from waxing to nails and cryotherapy, enhance a menu of slimming and body therapies as well as new anti-pollution treatments, such as Phytomer’s Citadine Facial, a 60-minute skin protocol designed to revive asphyxiated and dehydrated skin.

“Pollution is such a tremendous issue for our bodies and our skin” says Lagarde. “We know that it leads to a dull complexion, tired eyes and skin that is reactive and sensitive.”

The brand’s range of facials employ manual techniques that are delicate and respectful of the skin. It is also developing products to support the skin’s microbiota, which is said to be hugely beneficial for clients in an urban environment who may suffer from poor diets, hectic lives and stressed skin.

A showcase for the Phytomer’s expertise, this relatively new flagship is attracting a host of international visitors and has the potential to be a blueprint for further expansion in France and further afield. “We can see a model emerging to perhaps have several key locations where people can experience the energy we bring; a space where our story can be told,” concludes Lagarde.