Our story
Josiane Riachi is a Doctor of Pharmacy and graduate of the University of Paris V René Descartes. In the early 1990s, she defended a dissertation on the topic of retinoic acid and its effects on skin aging. But a few years later, she settled back in her home country, Lebanon.
Even though she worked in a different industry for years, Josiane remained passionate about cosmetics and aware of all advancements in the field of dermatology to better take care of her own skin. Her dream, from the start, was to one day create her own range of skincare products.
During the Lebanese Revolution in October and November of 2019, Josiane, seized by patriotic fervor, thought that she could create her own range of cosmetics products and thus support national production. She thus started taking multiple training courses in natural cosmetics.
When the lockdown started in March 2020, Josiane settled in her home in Helweh. Surrounded by the vastness of the sea, the scenic coastline, and the rolling hills, she found inspiration in the diverse array of plants and flowers known for their cosmetic properties, such as macerates and hydrosols. Drawing on her extensive pharmaceutical and cosmetology knowledge and expertise, she carefully selected ingredients to create effective formulations. She sourced these from local producers and even cultivated some in her garden. Soon, she transformed a room facing the sea into her personal laboratory and began crafting her products.
“helwé” means “beautiful” or “sweet” in the Arabic language, which refers to the cool freshwater sources originating from Mount Lebanon that flow into Helweh’s shore. Josiane aspires to make the skins of her clients as beautiful and sweet as Helweh’s waters.
In 2022, her daughter Laetitia, decided to join the adventure. Laetitia has a business background and had previously founded a startup in France. She partnered with her mom to help her to structure and develop the business. Together, they form an ideal and complete partnership.
Our philosophy
At Helwé, our mission is to empower women to embrace their natural beauty through clean and highly effective skincare.
We blend nature and science to create high-quality products tailored for every skin type and need.
Our approach embraces sustainability, supporting local communities and using eco-friendly practices to minimize our environmental impact.
By fostering healthy skincare routines and promoting conscious self-care with transparency and integrity, we inspire women to achieve radiant, lasting skin while contributing to a better world.
Advanced Skincare Formulations
At Helwé, each product results from thorough scientific research, analysis, and testing.
Our formulations are designed with a large quantity of advanced and clinically proven active ingredients, balanced at their optimal concentrations to ensure maximum efficacy and high performance.
We pair these potent actives with carefully chosen, plant-based ingredients that are safe and specifically selected for their skin-enhancing benefits. Every ingredient in our products serves a clear purpose, contributing to targeted solutions that address complex skin concerns while maintaining natural, non-toxic formulations.
This science-backed approach ensures that every formulation is potent, safe, and capable of delivering outstanding results. Our unwavering commitment to scientific excellence and innovative, highly concentrated formulations supports both immediate skin improvements and long-term resilience and vitality.
Curated Natural Ingredients
At Helwé, we draw inspiration from the enchanting scents of the Mediterranean, using ingredients cultivated on its fertile soil. Among our treasures, you'll find chamomile, calendula, true lavender, and lemon balm flowers, which we transform into hydrosols and essential oils. We also incorporate extracts from fruits and vegetables like cucumber, tomato (rich in lycopene), pomegranate, and carrot.
Products are free from toxic ingredients deemed to be harmful to human beings or the planet such as parabens, sulfates, mineral oils, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, animal oils, coal tar dyes, formaldehyde, mercury, oxybenzone etc.
Formulated without water or alcohol, our products combine the power of nature with high-performance actives like vitamin C, retinol, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid. By harnessing the potency of these active ingredients, we also infuse the natural power of plants into our formulas, creating serums and creams that deliver maximum effectiveness while preserving the integrity of your skin.
Our products are further enriched with regional treasures, including honey, royal jelly, and apricot oils. At Helwé, we firmly believe that nature and science can come together to offer exceptional skincare.
