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When Hermès diversified its saddlery business after World War I, its design focus shifted to outdoor leisure activities of other kinds—golfing jackets, swimwear, pilots’ jumpsuits, and mid-weight sweaters perfect for mountaineering. A fresh complexion warmed by the sun, pinked by the wind, and otherwise unencumbered by heavy, feature-obscuring makeup became the perfect accessory, a concept that has now inspired the next phase of the French house’s wildly successful foray into beauty: its first range of skin products.
In addition to lipsticks, blush, and Les Mains Hermès, a highly coveted collection of nail lacquers, the brand s beauty offering now includes two universal finishing powders (one to mattify, the other to illuminate), as well as oil-absorbing monogrammed blotting papers, which arrive in its iconic orange box. But the standout product is a makeup-meets-skin-care complexion balm, which differs from foundation both in name and application. Available in 12 adjustable shades and formulated by a Japanese lab, its hydrating ingredients (including hyaluronic acid) ensure a barely-there feel, while the addition of a mineral-only sunscreen offers SPF 30 protection without the risk of irritation or a white cast.
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“It feels like a face cream,” says makeup artist Gregoris Pyrpylis, the newly appointed creative director at Hermès Beauty, noting the product’s remarkably light but still impactful finish. Additionally remarkable: the faint scent of arnica and sandalwood that has successfully upended luxury cosmetics’ floral-tinged mandate.
