Is This Hungarian Facial a Skincare Game-changer?

The Hungarian beauty brand Omorovicza—founded by Stephen de Heinrich de Omorovicza and his wife, Margaret—was born in the natural hot springs and healing thermal baths of Budapest. De Omorovicza’s family history is steeped in the business of wellness and beauty; his ancestors founded the Racz Hotel and Spa (which specializes in offering thermal baths to its patrons) in the 19th century.

So it makes sense that he and Margaret de Heinrich de Omorovicza would go on to create a line of beauty products that has developed a cult following of diehard customers. We’d heard plenty of chatter surrounding Omorovicza’s line—especially the patented Healing Concentrate ingredient, which uses minerals from Hungary’s land to boost the skin’s elasticity, alleviate the effects of cellular inflammation, and reinforce the skin’s barrier function. The Healing Concentrate, which is included in every one of Omorovicza’s products, is said to be so potent that the brand’s peels, masks, oils, and creams are comparable to the products you’d see in an aesthetician’s office. Four W editors decided to give the range a whirl, receiving facial treatments from Omorovicza North American Trainer & Lead Master Esthetician, Erin Pulley. She created personalized skin regimens for each of the editors, allowing us to recreate the facial at home. Below, we gave our honest thoughts and opinions.

Oona Wally, Associate Visuals Director

What is your current skincare routine?

As the weather is cooling and drying, I’m focused on hydration. During a recent trip to Paris, I discovered a French pharmacy classic that’s now on permanent rotation in my medicine cabinet: Embryolisse Lait Crème Concentré—a perfect, emollient winter moisturizer. It’s silky and luscious, and leaves my skin hydrated all day, which is much-needed this time of year. At night, I use the Guerlain Abeille Royale Honey Treatment Night Cream for extra moisture while I rest. I’ve also recently gotten into gua sha-ing on a semi-regular basis. I love it, I’m just not the best with consistency.

What was your experience like during the Omorovicza facial?

I had a lovely facial with Erin. She took her time explaining each product, its use and benefits, and made me feel relaxed and comfortable. Her technique was unmatched; after the facial, my cheek felt like a baby’s—plump and poreless. Among my favorite products Erin used was the Blue Diamond Resurfacing Peel. You can definitely feel it working (read: tingles, but in a good way). The Queen Essence makes my skin feel like it’s at its most hydrated, and the Perfecting Lip Balm has real staying power—it’s similar to a gloss, which I love.

Would you incorporate these products into your daily skincare routine?

I already have. Erin took one look at my parched skin and advised me that the Queen Essence would, quote, “change my life.” She wasn’t lying. I’m still using my sample-size bottle, but once that’s done, I’ll definitely need to re-up with the largest bottle in stock. The essence is light and airy and makes my skin feel supple and smooth. The lip balm has become a purse staple as well.

Tori López, Associate Fashion Market Editor

What was your familiarity with Omorovicza before your facial?

Omorovicza graciously sent over a few products for me to try last year, and everything I used felt luxe and nourishing for my skin. The Blue Diamond Supercream quickly became one of my winter beauty staples. It was so rich and perfect for giving my dry winter skin that extra boost of moisture. Given my positive experience with the brand, I was thrilled to experience an Omorovicza facial.

What is your current skincare routine?

My routine is simple, which works best for my sensitive skin. In the morning, I rinse my face, moisturize, apply SPF, and put Aquaphor on my lips. In the evening, I double cleanse my face, moisturize with a heavy cream, and apply the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. I also use an exfoliator in the morning and retinol at night 2-3 times per week. I love waking up feeling like my skin is hydrated and refreshed.

What was your experience like during the facial? Which products stood out to you?

I’ve only ever gotten a facial once in my life, so as excited as I was, I was also a tad nervous. Luckily, my nerves were quickly eased as the esthetician, Erin, was warm, inviting, and clearly very knowledgeable about the brand. The Blue Diamond Resurfacing Peel made the most notable difference. My face felt incredibly soft for days—which, let’s be real, is the ultimate dream.

Would you incorporate Omorovicza products into your skincare routine moving forward?

This question is a no-brainer—absolutely. As of late, I’ve been using the Queen Cleanser along with my regular cleanser to double cleanse at night. I found that the combo removes my makeup and keeps my skin feeling fresh. I’ve also been using the Queen of Hungary Mist and Queen Essence prior to my moisturizer in the AM and PM to deal with the abrasive winds that love to dry out my face this time of year.

Che Baez, Associate Visuals Editor

What was your familiarity with the brand before your facial?

I was very familiar with Omorovicza’s products before my facial—half of my skincare routine is Omorovicza. I find their products to be powerful but gentle, and easy to use. They get bonus points for making my tiny New York City bathroom look put together.

What is your current skincare routine?

I’ve recently changed my skincare routine as I’ve been dealing with hormonal acne (the worst skin curse of them all). Breakouts forced me to amp up my skincare products’ power levels—and subsequently created some annoying side effects like random dryness or oiliness and buildup in my pores. My updated routine consists of double cleansing, followed by Omorovicza’s Gentle Buffing Gelée (if I really need a robust exfoliation, I will use their Refining Facial Polisher). I follow that with a nice, thick cream like the Cushioning Day Cream for daytime, or Rejuvenating Night Cream for nighttime. I find the brand’s moisturizers are the perfect consistency and weight for someone who has combination skin and breaks out easily.

What was your experience like during the facial, and what products used stood out to you?

My experience was divine. I’m used to aestheticians telling me I need to exfoliate more often, and so I’ll experiment with a peel every once in a while, as my skin could benefit from some turnover. Since I love Omorovicza products but am not familiar with every single one, I loved hearing about what I should be using for my current skin needs. The Blue Diamond Resurfacing Peel and Copper Peel both stood out to me as something I can easily use at home—and boy, did they work well. The following day, I noticed upon waking up that my skin was truly exfoliated and brighter than before. I deal with dark spots and scars from old acne, and those were significantly lightened. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my skin didn’t react poorly (which is typical for me, especially with face peels). It feels great leaving a facial and knowing I can use the products to similar effect at home.

Would you incorporate Omorovicza products into your skincare routine?

My skincare routine will routinely change, since Omorovicza has something for every phase my skin goes through. I will definitely be updating it with Omorovicza products when a new hormonal acne issue arises (and it will, I just know it). The fact that I can do a gentle peel once a week at home is a game-changer.

Faith Brown, Social Media Editor

What is your current skincare routine?

I try to keep things fairly simple. In the morning, I wash my face, apply a vitamin C serum, gua sha, and moisturize. In the evening, I do another round of cleansing, toning, and moisturizing. On Monday nights, I’ll do a face mask, and on Tuesday and Thursday nights, I use a glycolic peel.

What was your experience like during the Omorovicza facial?

I really liked the Copper Peel and Blue Diamond Peel during the facial. My skin tends to get very, very congested, so the double peel helped to clear out my pores without leaving my skin feeling raw or stripped of its natural oils. I also loved how knowledgeable Erin was. She took the time to educate me about the products and my skin during every step of the process, which made me feel at ease—and more confident incorporating the products into my existing routine.

Would you incorporate these products into your regular skincare routine?

Absolutely! The Queen Oil is one of the best-smelling products on the planet. I’ve been using it nearly every day before I gua sha. I love the Perfecting Lip Balm, too. It’s moisturizing, but also looks incredible on your lips—it’s like I’m wearing gloss without any of the stickiness. The Queen of Hungary Mist is now in my purse; it goes wherever I go.