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VIOLET GREY began with our search for the best eyelash curler. To find the answer, we formed a band of inside-Hollywood experts and editors — from makeup artists to movie stars — to test every eyelash curler against our rigorous set of standards (the VIOLET CODE). We tested on film sets, on red carpets, and in the back of Jack Nicholson’s limousine — and once we learned which curler would make our lashes curve and not crimp (Utowa, it’s from Japan), we moved on to mascara, lip stain, dry shampoo, and everything else a girl needs in her cosmetic wardrobe. On any given day, we are discovering, testing, and approving best-in-class beauty. The result is a discerning curation of products, tips, and inspiration deemed essential — the Industry’s Beauty Edit.

A dossier on Hollywood’s latest skin care mecca— Omorovicza spa.

Written By Molly Creeden

Lessons on Hungary's Anti-Aging Secret | VIOLET GREY | The Industry's Beauty Edit | @violetgrey

Racz Thermal Bath (top and bottom left) and Omorovicza Spa (bottom right) / Courtesy of Omorovicza

In recent years, Hollywood has headed to Budapest: The Hungarian metropolis is a rising hotspot for film production. (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Bel Ami, and Dan Brown’s forthcoming Inferno, starring Felicity Jones, were shot there, to name a few.) And with any big-budget production comes a need for facials, a prerequisite for an Oscar-worthy close-up. Budapest sits atop the holy grail of thermal mineral waters, which are prized the world over for their healing qualities. These waters are part of the reason bathhouses are such important cultural institutions in the region and a mandatory stop on any visit.

Foremost among the spas attracting Hollywood notables is Omorovicza, an immaculate nine-year-old retreat with its own skin care line. The spa is conveniently located on bustling Andrassy Avenue, just down the street from the Opera and Louis Vuitton. VIOLET GREY recently paid a visit to the historic city’s skin-care mecca for an in-depth report on the brand’s healing Moor mud-based treatments.

THE SPA

Omorovicza

2 Andrassy ut1061 Budapest, Hungary
omorovicza.com | +36 (06) 1 302 4604

THE CONCEPT

Inspired by the effect of Budapest’s sacred waters on their own skin, founder Stephen Omorovicza and his American-born wife, Margaret, tapped into the city’s natural and historical resources to launch their company. Stephen’s ancestors established Racz, one of the city’s original bathhouses—a cavernous, Ottoman-domed beauty—in the 1800s on the site of a medieval hot spring. Omorovicza, in contrast, favors sleek, white marble minimalism. With a boutique and only one treatment room, the flagship Budapest location isn’t about the bells and whistles. The focus is great skin care, and the post-visit glow speaks for itself.

Racz Thermal Bath / Courtesy of Omorovicza

THE AESTHETICIAN

Omorovicza’s facialists are renowned for their rigorous training and extensive experience. Sylvia Molnár, who specializes in acne care, has 22 years in the business and comes from a long line of Hungarian aestheticians. “I started getting facials when I was 13,” she says. “And I don’t have any wrinkles.”

THE SIGNATURE SERVICE

Molnár et al. dispense services like the 90-minute Deep Cleansing & Pore Refining facial, which is exactly what it sounds like, Hungarian style. The facial features aggressive (albeit effective) extractions, chased with Omorovicza’s Deep Cleansing mask, which uses Hungarian Moor mud and white clay to clear pores and brighten the complexion. Next, the aesthetician works the spa’s DNA-regenerating Blue Diamond serum, thermal-water infused Gold Rescue moisturizer, and silicone-free BB cream into the skin via a signature Hungarian face massage (a traditional technique that incorporates finger drumming and pressure applied in sweeping neck-to-cheek movements).

Other signatures include a collagen-building Regenerating Facial with a copper-laced peel, an exfoliating Hungarian Body Wrap with sea salt and Hungarian moor mud, and a luxe Golden Body Treatment. Omorovicza also offers unique customizations, such as a rose quartz facial massage. (Per Molnár, the contrast of a cold, smooth stone with the warmth of the thermal products aids with elasticity, and improves the tone of deep circles around the eyes.)

THE MAINTENANCE ROUTINE

The good news is you can take Omorovizca’s healing powers home via the all-natural product line, which has gained a cult following. Developed with Nobel Prize-winning scientists, Omorovicza’s formulas incorporate a patented mineral water delivery system to maximize the benefits and absorption of the thermal waters. To get even more scientific: They’ve devised a way to change the molecular structure of minerals like zinc, copper, and calcium so they can penetrate a deeper layer of the skin and activate a process of self-repair. These minerals also hydrate and rejuvenate while improving elasticity and collagen production. Signatures to the collection include the brand’s detoxifying Thermal Cleansing Balm, which contains Moor mud from Hungary’s Lake Haviz. The mud is rich in in calcium and magnesium carbonates, which leave skin feeling pillowy and soft; its Blue Diamond Concentrate brings back luminous-looking skin by facilitating DNA regeneration with hyaluronic acid and polysaccharides.