SUSANNE KAUFMANN

 

The success story of Susanne Kaufmann began 15 years ago in the hotel's own spa. Today, the beauty landscape can no longer be imagined without the natural, sustainable beauticians from Bezau, Austria. And the success is boundless! In New York there is now an exciting meeting of different beauty worlds...

 

Dear Mrs. Kaufmann, congratulations on the anniversary of your beauty line. Would you have thought 15 years ago that you now have a world-famous beauty brand under your name?

Oh no! Because I did not found Susanne Kaufmann™ out of the need to create an international beauty brand, but simply out of the knowledge that more than 15 years ago there was no care line on the market for our in-house Susanne Kaufmann Spa. I was looking for effective yet natural products (a novelty at the time), the texture should be luxurious, the fragrance unique and the packaging puristic yet elegant. After I couldn't find it, there was only the way to try it myself.

As a one-woman show?

I had the good fortune to meet passionate, visionary people like our producer Ingo Metzler from Egg and our developer Josef Waldner and later my business partner Bea von Thurn und Taxis at exactly the right time. Without my business partners, friends and employees the brand would not be where it is today.

How big was your team back then? 

I started with a part-time employee in the office, but our products were only available in our own spa. It was not until 2008 that we had our first sales outlets and in 2010 we started a real sales operation. Today we are 15 girls.

Which product was the first and still exists?

In 2003 we launched the Susanne brand Kaufmann™ with a curated range of 24 skin and body care products.  At that time, the oil bath for the senses was already part of it - still one of our bestsellers in the body segment today. Today, to mark our 15th anniversary, our product portfolio comprises over 90 products that are currently available in 22 countries and 24 spas worldwide.

The products are sustainable and regionally produced. Something that is becoming increasingly important today. How does this affect the development of new products? What are the challenges?

Regional production, local sourcing from suppliers and many years of cooperation with our suppliers give us a big head start when it comes to sustainability and the implementation of our principles. The producer and the suppliers have grown with us and we have developed together. This is the only way we can always implement the latest scientific findings on ingredients, make our production and packaging more ecological and meet the legal challenges. But the needs of the skin are also developing faster and faster, allergies are increasing, we are getting older and older, new findings in sun protection and many more are our challenges, which can be mastered more easily with a long-standing team.

  

Their SPA idea is not only carried by the products in the world, meanwhile there are selected spa addresses in Berlin, Miami and completely new, also New York. How are the locations selected?

I think the most important prerequisite is the commitment and understanding for the idea behind Susanne Kaufmann. It's not just about placing products, it's about sharing a holistic approach to beauty.

How long did it take to plan and implement the New York branch, which is integrated into a holistic wellness practice on Fifth Avenue?

About a year, since it is really a novelty to combine medical treatments with our holistic approach. Together we tried to work out how to improve the results of medical treatments. How can one prepare the skin perfectly for a laser treatment, what does the skin need in large cities to protect it from environmental pollution, what makes the effect of minimally invasive interventions even greater?

How did you get in touch with Dr. David A Colbert?

When Dr. David Colbert and NYDG CEO JP Van Laere developed the concept for the new and comprehensive wellness and health approach, they wanted to expand the range to include non-medical treatments and a natural cosmetic treatment provider and contacted us. When I first met her, it quickly became clear that her beauty and wellness philosophy was in perfect harmony with ours. To enrich the NYDG's offering and the new Integral Health and Wellness Clinic, I worked with my team to develop a spa concept that works synergistically with the aesthetic treatments for which the NYDG is renowned. Our proprietary treatments, including Traditional Chinese Medicine, are designed to prepare the skin for invasive procedures, improve results after a procedure, and maintain skin health between treatments.

Can you say now, shortly after the opening, which treatment is most in demand among New Yorkers?

Yes, this is clearly the Bespoke Rejuvenating Facial. In this relatively new facial we use our 15 years of experience. The facial is tailor-made and individually tailored to combat all signs of skin aging. At the same time, it reduces the harmful effects of environmental pollution on the skin. It uses lymph drainage and a specially developed tissue massage technique that promotes cell detoxification and relieves muscle tension. Furthermore, the treatment includes an enzyme peeling and the use of our new and innovative Pollution Skin Defence System, consisting of Vitamin C, Ectoin and Q10. Microcirculation is improved, collagen synthesis is stimulated and natural rejuvenation processes are activated for beautiful, healthy skin and a relaxed, youthful appearance. This facial includes a 12-day follow-up treatment that enhances the effect of the treatment.

Do the SPAS also provide creative input in Bezau?

We also like to call our spa Beauty Lab. Every year, about 9,000 treatments take place here exclusively with our products. Feedback from guests and therapists is important as a guide and trend-setter for future product developments.

And do you have any personal New York tips for us? Something you always visit in NY etc..

• One restaurant that I visit whenever possible is Le Bernardin. Excellent food, outstanding service and a great atmosphere.

• Our customer Aedes Perfumery on the Lower East Side.

• The Apartment the Line, also a customer and for me one of the best concept stores.

Are more SPA's planned for the future?

Europe is still our largest market, followed by Asia and the USA. A global presence is important if we are to establish ourselves as a brand in the long term. But there are many challenges to building a global sales force without losing control. Above all, price security and the right image are important factors in establishing a brand, and these factors can only be achieved through our own sales force.

What do you want for your beauty label in the next 15 years?

We do not have the 15 year master plan. My wish is to establish myself as a brand in the long term. To become a brand that several generations will use, I find a nice thought.

Today I am particularly pleased that customers from all over the world appreciate the products so much. It's always a great moment when guests come to our hotel who have found us through the cosmetics line because they want to get to know the origin. People appreciate the sustainable thinking behind our concept and that makes me happy, of course.

Thank you Susanne Kaufmann!