ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Marla: As a fellow entrepreneur, I love to hear about the founding of entrepreneurial companies. Please tell us about the founding of RéVive. What were you doing before? How old were you? Where did the idea come from?Dr. Brown: My story is a story of happenstance. I never set out to do a skincare line, however, I had turned 40 and certain circumstances presented themselves. I decided that if I don’t do something, I will never do it! So I took a leap of faith. Early in my career as a plastic and reconstructive surgeon I worked with burn victims researching ways to accelerate the wound healing. Through extensive research we found that applying bio-engineered molecules to burn victims’ skin helped the skin heal and regenerate at a faster rate. At the same time, I had many patients come to me to transform their skin through plastic surgery. I recognized that surgery alone can’t renew and retexture the skin giving it the dewy glow of youth. I realized that I could apply these same principles of healing burn wounds to rejuvenating aging skin, accelerating the rate that aging skin was able to renew itself. And RéVive, my high-performance skincare line, powered by this RES Technology, was born.
Marla: What are some of your favorite products you ever created?
Dr. Brown: While all the products in my line are near and dear to me, my favorites would be Moisturizing Renewal Cream, Peau (the franchise) and Fermitif Neck Renewal Cream.
Marla: Give us some insight into your work: What season are you working on right now? How do you find inspiration for new products? How does your background as a plastic surgeon influence new product development?
Dr. Brown: My background as a plastic surgeon gives me a different perspective when looking at skin, as I look at a face and skin from a 3 dimensional approach versus a dermatologist who looks from a 2 dimensional approach. We do not typically work in “seasons”, rather the products we are launching this year and working on in years to come are grounded in my belief that aging skin is not just lines and wrinkles, it is also about spots, enlarged pores, lackluster skin, loss of volume, etc. Also, skin on your face is not the same as your neck or hands – it needs to be treated differently, so we work more on “concern”. Development and launch entirely depend on the product and its technology. Sometimes it takes 18 months, sometimes 5 to 6+ years depending on the complexity of the formulation.
Marla: Tell us about something you dream about inventing but haven’t been able to due to technology or other obstacles. (Your dream product?)
Dr. Brown: I would love to invent a product that treats “gravity effects”, at this time it is only treated with surgery.
ON SKINCARE
Marla: What are two or three skincare products that you can’t live without?Dr. Brown: The products I can’t live without are Moisturizing Renewal Cream, Intensité Crème Lustre SPF 30 and Fermitif Neck Renewal Cream.
Marla: With so many options when it comes to skincare, what are the key features/ingredients our clients should be looking for in their 20s/30s/40s/50s?
Dr. Brown: Protect your skin all the time, no matter what the season or your age, always use a sunscreen.
The RéVive skincare line focused on two collections; the renewal collection addresses the first signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles. It renews, restores and protects skin bringing back skin’s luminosity and radiance for a more youthful appearance. The Intensité Collection focuses specifically on restoring firmness and elasticity in the skin while improving skins appearance after the subtle loss of facial volume. Overall in your 20s and 30s most skincare is focused on hydrating, preventing and protecting, as you age into your 40s and 50s skincare is focused on repairing, hydrating and protecting.
Marla: As the seasons change, our clients are always asking us to help them adjust their skincare routine. What are your favorite product combinations when it comes to transitioning from winter to spring/summer skincare?
Dr. Brown: Due to the change in seasons and climate, it is important that you do adjust your skincare routine depending on the time of year. I recommend Sensitif Oil Free Lotion SPF 15 and Moisturizing Renewal Cream in the summer and Moisturizing Renewal Cream Suprême Ultra Retexturizing Hydrator and Intensité Crème Lustre SPF 30 in the winter.
