Lydia Sarfati
Lydia Sarfati | |
---|---|
Born | Poland |
Nationality | American |
Occupation | Entrepreneur/Cosmetics Company Founder |
Known for | Cosmetics |
Lydia Sarfati is a Polish-born American esthetician, entrepreneur, consultant and author. She is credited with having introduced seaweed-based skin treatments in the United States,[1] [2] In 1980, she founded the Sarkli-Repêchage cosmetics company, together with her husband David.[3] She is the author of several books on cosmetology and wellness.[4]
Early life
Lydia Sarfati was born in Poland.[5][6] She is the daughter of Polish Jews Szloma and Sofia Mops, both of whom were survivors of the Holocaust. Lydia grew up in Legnica;[2] during her time in Poland, she took her first professional training, a medically oriented skin care course.Her family migrated to Italy, and [4]i n 1970, the family got the opportunity to leave for the United States, and settled in New York City, where she got her first job as a makeup artist in a salon on Madison Avenue.
In New York, she met her future husband, David Sarfati, and the two married in 1972.[7] The couple had two children, and to support them, Lydia worked as an esthetician in Queens and, in the evenings, received private customers at the makeshift beauty salon she had improvised at her home.
Founding of Klisar and Repêchage
Together with a friend, Shoshana Kliot, she opened a salon, the Klisar Skin Care Center, in September 1977,.[2] The popularity of the salon grew when magazines such as Vogue, Mademoiselle, Harper's Bazaar, and the New York Times Magazine[8] wrote about Sarfati's advanced esthetic services.
In 1983, she gave up on her successful salon business, and sold her share to her partner. Her goal was to produce and market a facial product that could be easily applied even by beginners, and still provide excellent results. The result of her efforts was the four-layer facial produced by the Repêchage company, which she founded together with her husband. the firm also manufactured cleaners, lotions, moisturizers and other skin care treatments. One of the most successful products was the full body treatment based on seaweed, the use of which Sarfati pioneered in the United States.[3] Besides seaweed, Repêchage and Lydia Sarfati also popularized other ingredients used in thalassotherapy, such as sea water and salts.[9]
Today, Repêchage has established an international presence, with treatments and cosmetic products marketed in 30 countries.[10] The company's headquarters are located in Secaucus, New Jersey, where Repêchage runs a 50,000 ft production facility, as wells as research laboratories and an esthetics school.[11]
Awards and recognitions
Sarfati is the President of the Estethics Manufacturer and Distributor Alliance (EMDA) and the honorary chair of EstheticsAmerica/CIDESCO USA. She is a member of several other professional associations of the cosmetics and wellness industries.[12] She has received several awards, including the DERMASCOPE Legend Award[13] and the National Cosmetics Association's Pillar Award for Education Leadership.[14]
Other activities
Lydia Sarfati is a speaker[15] and consultant for the spa industry, .[16] Sarfati is also an author; she published Success at your Fingertips, which covers all aspects involved in running a skin care business.[4]
References
- ^ Leah Bourne (November 10, 2009). "Lydia Sarfati: Presents From The Pros". Forbes. Retrieved July 19, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Lydia Sarfati- A Legend in Aesthetics". Aesthetics International Association. March 1991. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
- ^ a b "Meet the Founder:Lydia Sarfati, The Queen of Seaweed". Repêchage. January 1, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
- ^ a b c Sarfati, Lydia (2005). Success at your Fingertips. Allured Publishing Corporation. ISBN 978-1-932633-11-5.
- ^ "Repêchage CEO and Founder Lydia Sarfati Honored at 'Top Women in Business' Networking Dinner". Massage Magazine. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
- ^ "A Museum Evening at the Sarfatis". The Canadian Foundation of Polish – Jewish Heritage. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
- ^ Jennifer Tung (September 15, 2002). "Good Company; A Night at the Lake, Perfect for the 30-Year Tango". The New York Times. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
- ^ "Seaweed Cosmetics". The New York Times Magazine. 1982.
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(help) - ^ "Lydia Sarfati Hosts Exclusive Event in United Kingdom for Spa Professionals". Massage Mag. June 2, 2011. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
- ^ MassageMag (June 2, 2011). "Lydia Sarfati Hosts Exclusive Event in United Kingdom for Spa Professionals". MassageMag. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
- ^ Repêchage. "About Us". Repêchage. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
- ^ "Women to Know: Lydia Sarfati, President & Founder of Repechage". Parasol Creations. January 11, 2011. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
- ^ "Awards, Celebrations, and Anniversaries". Dermascope Magazine. October 2010. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
- ^ "Pillars of Strength". American Salon Magazine. March 1, 2006. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
- ^ "CIDESCO USA Education". IECSC. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
- ^ "Queen of Seaweed Lydia Sarfati Invited to Judge Empire Future Professionals Makeup Competition". Beauty Launchpad. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
External links
- LydiaSarfati.com - Personal website
- Living people
- American businesspeople in retailing
- American business writers
- American consultants
- American consulting businesspeople
- American cosmetics businesspeople
- American people of Polish-Jewish descent
- American women in business
- Businesspeople from New York City
- Children of Holocaust survivors
- Cosmetics people
- People from Queens, New York
- Polish emigrants to the United States