Swiss Skincare: Alchimie Forever

The Swiss are known for many things - their private banks, their fantastic chocolate and cheese, and their skincare products, to name a few. La Prairie, Crabtree and Evelyn, Arbonne and Swiss Perfection are just a few of the famed brands to make the jump to the United States, but we were particularly intrigued by boutique line Alchimie Forever on our recent visit to Geneva.

The natural-based line offers a slew of skincare products for men and women alike based on treatments available at their flagship Forever Laser Institut, located just off the Rue du Rhone, the city's most elite shopping street.

We've been longtime fans of the brand's products - they maintain a flagship product store in Washington, DC and sell to several area spas - but were curious about the spa services. Was the Swiss experience going to be that much more phenomenal? Devoted testers we are, an appointment was made.

The spa boasts a distinctly modern vibe, with glowing lights in the spa's signature purple, blue and green colors and sleek, more than plush, chairs, in the waiting room. In keeping with the spa's medical-grade treatments, many of the pamphlets available for our perusal highlighted signature treatments involving lasers, including laser hair removal and Cryolipolysis (CoolSculpting), a new method of fat removal that literally freezes away trouble spots. Currently, Forever Laser Institut boasts the distinction of being the only Geneva spa to offer this treatment, developed by MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital.


The spa's signature treatments are mostly medical in nature, explains owner Ada Polla. The most popular bookings are for things like laser hair removal, Botox injections, and laser treatments to remove skin damage and discoloration. Of course, the spa offers wellness-oriented treatments as well, using their own signature blend of natural products that comprise the Alchimie Forever brand.

We opted for their signature facial (CHF $170), as we'd experienced the same treatment in the DC location and wanted to compare experiences. Christine, our esthetician, guided us down a low-lit hallway to a small room with music playing softly from an iPod in the corner. After leaving us to disrobe (no blankets, just a towel for our modesty), we settled in to relax. The cleansing was gentle yet thorough, and the grommage scrub left our skin feeling pleasantly refreshed, rather than abraded as in some other treatments we've experienced. Christine then applied the Kantic mask, a blueberry-based mixture said to brighten the skin, and left us to relax for about 10 minutes. The heavenly smell of blueberries helped us relax, although we would have loved mini hand, foot, or neck massage during the interlude.

When we left the spa, our skin already looked brighter, felt more hydrated, and lacked the clogged T-zone area that had built up during the previous week of travel. We'd definitely recommend a return - the service was, as can be expected in Switzerland, effective, timely, and first-rate, on par with any we'd experienced in DC. Despite being a branded spa, there was no pressure to purchase products used during the treatment, which was a welcome respite this exceptionally expensive city.