Biologique Recherche’s first Ambassade opened its first flagship store in Sadashivanagar, Bengaluru

The cloying scent of my drugstore moisturising lotion makes me feel a trifle ringarde (tacky)— a la Emily in Paris — inside the studiedly luxurious interiors of Biologique Recherche’s first flagship Ambassade in India. The centre, which opened this month, attempts to closely emulate the skincare brand’s iconic centre at 32 Avenue des Champs-Elysee in Paris: think marble interiors, beige and blue furniture and gilded glass shelves containing a range of products. “The ambience reflects what the brand stands for,” says Dr Varshini Reddy, the owner of this Ambassade Biologique Recherche located in Sadashivanagar. “You can be assured that you will get the same experience here as you would get anywhere in the world,” she says of the treatments offered here, which include facials, peels and lifts, all done using Biologique Recherche products.

A board-certified dermatologist who completed both her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at Chennai’s Ramachandra Medical College, Varshini has been a skin enthusiast for a long time, even before she entered the profession. “My curation comes from personal experience. I have always loved to research new products; what is in the market,” says the dermatologist and founder of Glow, a skincare centre with branches in Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

Her induction into the brand came with Biologique Recherche Lotion P50, the brand’s iconic product, and she has never looked back ever since, says Varshini, who began stocking Biologique Recherche’s products at Glow back in 2020. “We were one of the first few clinics to stock it. I started my career with BR,” she says.

According to her, plant-derived botanical products, when sourced from the right place, almost always deliver superior outcomes.  “BR is not a white-label brand. It has an R&D lab where they test and formulate their own products,” she says, adding that these products are vegan, cruelty-free, and mostly botanically derived.  What also sets it apart is the level of customisation that the brand offers, she believes. “We do a skin analysis when people come to the clinic, and based on this report, tweak products for consumers,” she says of the 50-year-old brand founded by Yvan and Josette Allouche. “We have trainers coming in and training our professionals.” Additionally, the brand makes close to 130 products. “We have the freedom to pick products to suit different variants to suit different skin types and concerns,” she says.

On future plans, she hopes to continue creating more spaces which fuse the clinical side of dermatology with a more wellness-oriented aspect, “anything that will boost a person’s overall well-being as well as treat skin concerns,” says Varshini.

Treatments start at ₹10,000 + taxes. To book an appointment, call 9888965555.