And when the “Swiss-by-choice” entrepreneur starts talking about her brand and her anti-ageing approach to beauty, she sounds like a rebel.

“You should never wash your face with water,” she says.

Come again?

“A lot of people don’t know how to cleanse the face. They use water; water is terrible for the skin, it is polluted with elements like chlorine and arsenic.”  

She recommends a mild cleansing milk or lotion instead, and hers are full of hyaluronic acid, collagen and soybean protein to kick off the anti-ageing at the very start of the daily routine. No harsh cleansers or exfoliators, and definitely no water.

Always one to stand out from the crowd, when studying beauty at the Carita beauty school in Paris she was known for her intuition and “golden hands”. She set up her Monte Carlo spa in 1988 and even though her reputation for anti-ageing facials grew from the beginning, unsatisfied with available skincare she temporarily moved to Switzerland in 1993 to create her own line. She launched her hyaluronic acid- and collagen-rich formulations in 1995, long before the ingredients went mainstream.

“I also added a new technique for massage,” she says. “I know where to lift and where to put more pressure on facial muscles for a fantastic lifting up effect.”

Technology is another key pillar of her beauty philosophy. While she’s a fan of ultrasound and radio frequency treatments, she’s a beauty nerd too, actually creating her own tech to best compliment her products. “I have always been avant-gardist, creating my own equipment,” she says. “Right now I’m developing something for anti-pollution.”

Morpheus Spa’s Prestige Facial in Macau, which lasts 110 minutes (3,980 patacas, US$495), includes the famous chain mail platinum mask. Recently upgraded, radio frequencies boost collagen from the inside, while the collagen mask stimulates from the outside – and don’t forget the lifting massage. Expect increased skin elasticity, skin regeneration at a cellular level and instantly visible results.

Lombard, who is notoriously selective when it comes to collaborating with hospitality brands, says: “I wanted to create something that matched the structure of the building for Morpheus Spa, and the platinum mask is a metal net, like the hotel exterior”.

Her anti-ageing products bring stem cells into the anti-ageing products and treatment collection too. Harvested from a Swiss apple called Uttwiller Spatlauber, discovered to have powerful anti-ageing properties, the combination of illuminating serums, emulsion and stem cells collagen face mask boosts cell reproduction and is deeply hydrating, protecting and strengthening the skin for visibly youthful results.  

A number of household names worldwide swear by her unique approaches and resulting glow. Lombard met Shirley Bassey back in 1988 while working out in the gym (one of Lombard’s beauty tips is to sweat every day to help detox the skin, alongside a nutritious diet and home-based masks for ongoing maintenance) and the Welsh dame has been a fan ever since.

Her Classic Collagen Facial is Claudia Schiffer’s favourite, while Sharon Stone was a devotee of the original gold mask, and now Macau’s platinum mask. “If you see her – wow, her skin hasn't aged,” says Lombard. “She follows my philosophy of no water, applies creams while holding her face up to massage it. I’ve changed her complexion over the years.”

She’s transforming complexions in Asia now too, which is where she is hoping one of her wishes will soon come true. “My dream today is to create a school like Carita in Asia. I see all these fabulous therapists with golden hands, but they don’t know which points of the face to push and lift. I believe in Asia I could bring so much, as this kind of knowledge of beauty is so important.”

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