Eraye

Eraye skincare, is a London, England based cult skincare brand favoured by celebrities and socialites in Europe. Its high prices, limited availability, philosophies and penchant for using a combination of the latest skin care ingredients, and natural plant and mineral ingredients have made it a favourite among the wealthy in Europe. Eraye products are made to order for clients, and include a highly specialised range of anti-aging treatments, hand crafted soaps, face creams, and body creams.

Background

The brand that would become Eraye, began in 1998 when its founders, a group of dermatologists and botanists, started making anti ageing skin creams on a bespoke basis for some friends who worked in the fashion industry in London, England. Word quickly spread about the effectiveness of the bespoke skincreams that were made, and soon requests were coming to the Eraye founders from high society clients in Paris, Milan, Monte Carlo, Moscow, and Geneva.

The creams that were made for their high society clientele were completely bespoke, which included making anti aging treatments from scratch, with ingredients specially selected for individual clients skins. The anti aging treatments are heavily influenced by the science of biogerontology

The passion that the founders of Eraye had for discovering rare plant extracts for use in their treatments, shows in that they work with traditional herbalists and shamans from countries in South America and Africa, whose ancient knowledge of plants and their properties are used in creating their skin treatments.

Criticisms

Eraye products have been criticised in some quarters, as lacking mass market appeal and being discriminatory against ordinary consumers because of its high prices. Other critics say that Eraye exploits the traditional knowledge of people in the developing countries that they obtain plants and other extracts. Critics also complain about the philosophies and ideas that Eraye put forward, as well as the fact that the founders choose a low profile and do not reveal their identities.

Commentators however, counter these criticisms saying that the prices of Eraye treatments in comparison to other skin care products is because they are made to order, with unique plant formulations that take time to source, prepare and test. Supporters point to the fact that Eraye donates a percentage of sales to charities and NGOs that help vulnerable people in developing countries, to help themselves. Supporters also point out that Eraye introduces its clients to new alternative ideas, stimulates debate and treats its clients with a particularly high level of customer services, typified by the fact that Eraye clients are referred to as “family members”.

The whole Eraye philosophy is integral to the line. Many items in the Eraye line are divided into subgroups; Eraye Versailles and Eraye Courtier, with Versailles being more expensive than the Courtier versions, because of a higher concentration of active ingredients.

Eraye has been prolific in creating unique blends of plant and mineral extracts for their skincare formulations. The combinations produce different skin healing effects in skin, ranging from clearing blemishes, reducing redness, to smoothing wrinkles, depending on precise measurements of the blended extracts. Eraye reportedly has over 728 tested formulations.