Interview with Charles-Edouard Barthes, founder of EviDenS de Beauté
Interview with Charles-Edouard Barthes, founder of EviDenS de Beauté
Interview with Charles-Edouard Barthes, founder of EviDenS de Beauté
By Katia Kulawick-Assante
What inspired you to create EviDenS de Beauté?
The inspiration is very simple: it’s my wife. I’m incredibly lucky to have met an amazing woman with whom we’re about to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary… I discovered the world of skincare thanks to Eriko (Nakamura, a journalist and star presenter in Japan – Ed.), who spends at least 40 minutes in her bathroom every evening – without fail. When we first met, she was constantly changing her skincare products because she fell for the empty promises of brands. As she has hypersensitive skin, she sometimes suffered from allergies. For my part, I’m very sensitive to textures and fragrances. I became interested in this world to offer her an alternative when I realised there was no anti-ageing skincare range dedicated to sensitive skin on the market. That was in 2003.
How did the brand come about?
We started working on the formulas in late 2004 and the brand was launched in 2007. I met Masaaki Ishibashi, a Japanese biotechnology scientist, by chance at a dinner in Tokyo. When I explained my plan for an anti-ageing skincare brand for sensitive skin, he laughed at me, saying I wasn’t a genius and that if such products didn’t exist, it was for a good reason: anti-ageing products contain extremely potent active ingredients that are not compatible with sensitive skin. At the time, he was head of Research & Development at a Japanese cosmetics group. He was 50 years old and had 80 people under his command. He was unhappy because he wasn’t being given the resources to develop his projects. We met up several times and I told him he’d have carte blanche if he joined me. He became the father of all the EviDenS de Beauté formulas. Last June, we threw a big party for him at the Château de Montfort in La Colle-sur-Loup to thank him for over 21 years of collaboration. He has stepped back from his activities, but we are still in touch. He sent me another message yesterday.
What is the secret to the success of a cosmetics brand?
I often compare gastronomy and cosmetics because to make a good cream, just as with good cooking, you need good ingredients and the talent of a chef. The Passards, Allénos or Pics bring out the best in the ingredients… For my part, I wanted to bring something new and unique, as well as impeccable quality. I came from the world of haute couture – having spent 10 years as CEO of the Jean-Louis Scherrer fashion house, Ed. – and I had this idea that anything is possible, that there is always a market, even if it is small, and thanks to globalisation, a small market can become global, thus finding its business model… Today, EviDenS de Beauté has 450 points of sale across 14 countries.
What influence does Paris have on the brand’s DNA?
I would even say the influence of France – Paris being the symbol of France… EviDenS de Beauté was born from a fusion of Japan – for its formulas, efficacy and technology – and an extremely French concept: pleasure. When I created EviDenS de Beauté, nobody was talking about skin radiance; it was all about anti-ageing and results. Nobody was talking about pleasure. I believe I was the first brand to stake a claim in the realm of pleasure. Whilst all the other brands were selling results, we chose to turn the brand into a genuine journey, combining pleasure and effectiveness. I think that if there’s one area that suits Parisians – and the French in general – it’s that of pleasure! For my part, I oversee the creation of textures, fragrance, packaging, and so on. In fact, our critics say it’s a bit Versailles-esque…
It’s classic…
I’d say it’s everything that makes Paris beautiful… a certain classicism that never goes out of fashion. For me, the image of Paris is that timeless, classic beauty. Behind the brand lies the idea of a Parisian woman: elegant, carefree yet chic. Parisian chic – I can well imagine women all over the world trying to imitate it – is the art of tying a scarf in your hair, slightly tousled, as if by chance, yet it makes all the difference. That art of taking things away, of adding life. That aspect that is both extremely studied and yet very natural.
You who travel non-stop around the world, what is expected of a Parisian cosmetics brand today?
I’m told this very often: what strikes people about EviDenS de Beauté is very French – the romance. Paris is the city of love. I think we’re the only romantic brand on the market; there’s no other that champions love. And besides, I created this brand out of love! My sister, who’s lived in the US for 30 years, was worried when the project launched. She said to me, ‘Look at your competitors—they talk about results, and you’re talking about love!’ And I think that approach resonates because it’s authentic. It’s true that we, as French people, have a certain legitimacy – at least in the eyes of foreigners – when it comes to talking about love, romance and beauty. We’re credited with that. I’ve highlighted Paris a great deal because I’ve lived there for 35 years; it’s the city of my heart. So to answer your question: what is Parisian about the brand? Definitely, love.
You are celebrating 10 years of partnership between EviDenS de Beauté and Rosewood Hotels, notably the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris. How did this partnership come about?
It all began at the Crillon, indeed, and I’m very pleased with this partnership: the chairwoman of Rosewood was a client of EviDenS de Beauté and she made the connection with the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris. The group was looking for an exclusive brand that could offer something different… And EviDenS de Beauté’s dual Franco-Japanese heritage, its refinement, was a perfect fit. By signing this partnership, we found ourselves established in almost every Rosewood hotel around the world: Vancouver, Nassau, London, Montecito, Hong Kong, and Courchevel, which opened its doors last year. Rosewood offers a new vision of luxury, a confident modernity, and that is what appeals to us. I have invested heavily in this partnership because it brings the EviDenS de Beauté experience to life. Staff training is a key focus: our training team is constantly travelling around the world. Generally speaking, brands hold one training session a year in hotels, whereas we hold at least two to ensure the quality of our treatments. I must admit that it is paying off. I realise, for example, that the US market – where we have no direct presence – accounts for 40% of the website’s customers, and this is thanks to our global reach. Even though, in terms of sales volume, China remains our largest market. To celebrate our 10-year partnership in December 2026, we’re planning plenty of surprises… I am very proud of the longevity of this partnership because, since the agreement was signed, teams have changed, but we have managed to maintain our commitment. It’s a win-win and that’s how I see business.
Tell us about the EviDenS de Beauté treatment experience at the Hôtel de Crillon?
In our treatment rooms around the world, we wanted to recreate a journey between Asia and the West. In the West, the treatment rooms reflect our vision of Japan, and in Asia, we have imagined an EviDenS Château to evoke a distinctly French aesthetic. We are fortunate to have these two inspirations in the brand’s DNA; we’re not going to miss out on that! At the Crillon, the treatment room was designed by architect and designer Emmanuelle Simon – just like our spa in the 16th arrondissement, which opened in 2018. The room has been completely redesigned to create a distinctly Japanese-inspired space, both luxurious and warm, centred around a small lounge and a treatment area where guests can enjoy a timeless experience. Stone, polished concrete, sliding panels, organic shapes, wood and rice paper… We asked an artist to draw a fresco on the ceiling in pencil, as the idea is to be able to escape and let yourself be carried away in your daydreams. The treatment protocols are inspired by Kobido and developed by our teams. The Japanese director of skincare expertise at EviDenS de Beauté drew inspiration from both ancient and modern techniques to create an incredible experience. We also incorporate an Oxylight treatment (a combination of oxygen, LED, microcurrents and dermabrasion). We have developed exclusive rituals for the hotel that cannot be found anywhere else, all delivering immediate, visible and tangible results.
What are the latest product innovations?
The Sakura range, which has just been launched in the West, following its launch in China. Forecasts predict over a million sales in China alone. We have two bestsellers at EviDenS de Beauté: the Rich Cream and the Special Mask – which put us on the map and sells every five seconds worldwide. A third is now emerging: the new sun cream, the Sakura Ultimate Very High Protection Veil SPF 50+, which is suitable for combination and oily skin, with an incredible texture and maximum protection. This product represents four years of research. It’s true that at EviDenS de Beauté, we sometimes have the formula, but if we hit a snag with the texture, the product won’t be launched, because texture is the hallmark of the realm of pleasure. Effectiveness and pleasure are part of this dual DNA: Japanese technology and French refinement. As we’re always working on several products at the same time, marketing schedules are regularly thrown into disarray… We remain true to the Kaizen philosophy, striving for perfection whilst aiming for the standards of French haute couture. For me, it’s a contract of trust with our customers, who place their trust in us by entrusting us with the care of their skin. That’s no small matter! I worked in fashion for a long time, and in that world, if a garment doesn’t fit you, it’s not a big deal—you simply won’t wear it again. But if you apply a product to your skin that isn’t up to scratch, there will be consequences: after all, you only have one skin.
What are the challenges for you as head of EviDenS de Beauté today?
Never compromising on our standards. The more we grow, the greater the stakes, and the more processes can be called into question, sometimes even for organisational reasons. For me, we must never compromise on the brand’s values. That’s my job – if we had to sum it up today. And I do it with great pleasure!
What are your upcoming projects in Paris – and around the world?
We opened a space at Galeries Lafayette in September 2025, a counter at La Samaritaine, and our aim is to continue developing the brand, giving it greater visibility in France, Europe and Asia. In Paris, in addition to our address in the 16th arrondissement and the treatment room at the Hôtel de Crillon, we’d like to find another central location that would serve as both a boutique and a treatment centre. In China, the brand is already established in Shanghai, but we’re looking for a site to open a second Château EviDenS de Beauté in Beijing. We have opened new premises and numerous retail outlets in Tokyo in recent months and are also looking for a new iconic location for the brand in the Japanese capital.
EviDenS de Beauté at the spa of the Hôtel de Crillon
10, Place de la Concorde, Paris 8th
31, Rue Boissière, Paris 16th
