Entrepreneur unveils seaweed skin care line
BY JENNIFER AMATO
Staff Writer

A very relaxed patron receives a seaweed facial at the introduction of the Repchage skin-care line at Boca Salon and Day Spa on Route 130 on May 9.

Boca Salons & Day Spa on Route 130 in North Brunswick is now offering its clientele a "second chance" at having beautiful and healthy skin.

On May 9, Lydia Sarfati, the CEO and founder of the skin-care line Repchage - French for "rescue" or "second chance" - introduced her seaweed-based line, the first time such products have appeared in the United States.

"It is always wonderful to find a little treasure in your neighborhood, and I can tell you, Boca Salons is a little treasure you have here, and I'm happy to be a part of here," the Polish-born aesthetician said.

The Repchage Vita Cura Platinum Collection offers a lifestyle plan based on the curative powers of the sea, along with various vitamins, minerals and amino acids found in various sea plants. For Repchage, Sarfati utilizes 15 of the nearly 20,000 species of seaweed in the world, which are harvested by deep-sea divers off the coasts of France and Iceland. Within 12 hours they go through cryobroyage, or a cold microbursting process, which breaks down the seaweed particles through lamination, homogenization, ultrafiltration and centrifugation.

The Repchage skin-care line offers a "second chance" for having radiant, healthy skin based on the nutrients and minerals provided by deep-sea plants.

"Harvesting, treating and processing is as important as the ingredients [themselves]," Sarfati said.

The salon and spa products and services utilize the seaweed because of the plant's nondeficiency, its closeness to human plasma, and the readiness of the skin to absorb its nutrients. According to Sarfati, the nutrients also moisturize the skin, help prevent acne, act as a defense against aging and protect against ultraviolet lights. Those products include a seaweed body treatment, a four layer facial, a seaweed bath, a triple firming cream, an opti-lift serum, a triple-action bath and shower gel, and a triple-action slimming body cream, all intended to reduce the signs of aging, increase collagen production, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, increase elasticity and relax the body.

Sarfati also offers Vita Cura, a nutritional supplement to help rebalance body function, strengthen nails, improve hair and energize the skin. The four pills contain protein, calcium, B12, folic acid and 12 other vitamins, and should be taken in the morning with a glass of water.

With the summer fast approaching, Repchage also features various skin protection products such as the Hydra Soleil tanning lotion in SPF 15 and 30, a lip shield in SPF 15, a deep relief tea gel in case of burns, and a self-tanning gel.

Sarfati also warned that tanning beds are worse than lying out in the sun because the damage done by UVA rays in those beds are unseen by the naked eye. Since the skin is exposed longer, damage occurs below the epidermis, leading to premature aging, wrinkles and the destruction of structural proteins, and ultimately melanoma.

"Sun damage is cumulative and begins in childhood. The greater the sun exposure, the greater the skin damage you will have when you are older," she said, advising everyone to visit the dermatologist at least once a year, especially if a mole bigger than a No. 2 pencil eraser changes color, symmetry, border or diameter.

Sarfati opened the Klisar Spa in New York City in 1977. She founded The Repchage line in 1980, including a four-layer facial and 12 at-home skin-care products, after she visited Asia and noticed the skin and health quality of the Japanese. Headquarters are now located in Secaucus, which include a 50,000-square-foot manufacturing, research and development facility alongside an academy.

"We can all have a second chance for beautiful complexions and better lifestyles," Sarfati said.

For more information, visit www.repechage.com or www.bocadayspas.com or call Boca at (732) 422-9229.

Businesses and private parties are welcome at the Boca Salon. Contact special events planner Jody Ikuss for more information.