Why Éminence Calls Vancouver Home

Boldijarre Koronczay, the president and founder of Hungarian line Éminence Organic Skin Care, loves Vancouver so much that he picked our city to station his worldwide headquarters. Why Vancouver? The moderate climate was a big factor; Éminence is an organic line, so considering transportation from Hungary and storage, the products are not in danger of spoiling (or freezing) if they have an unavoidable delay on a YVR tarmac. Being in “Hollywood North” also allows the company to cater to their celebrity fan base as a skin care sanctuary for stars filming on-location. And then there’s the overall health-conscious lifestyle of Vancouverites. Koronczay reminds us that skin is a living, breathing organ and to treat it as such. His mandate: don’t put anything on your face you wouldn’t eat.

Éminence’s operations are eco-friendly to boot. The ingredient farm in Hungary runs on solar and wind energy, and their lab uses geothermal heat. Their three-story office space on Cambie and West Broadway also has rooftop solar panels, and the company provides a subsidy for monthly transit passes to their 89 employees – 92% of staff bike, walk, run, or transit to work. In 2006 the company joined local efforts to rebuild Stanley Park after the wind storm, inspiring them in part to launch their own initiative – Forests for the Future – which plants a tree in a developing country for every product sold.

Try these products. Éminence’s new Starter Sets ($58) treat sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, aging skin, and uneven skin. Each comes with four mini-products (a one-month supply) and includes a cleanser, moisturizer, mask, and a newly-launched Booster-Serum ($56 for the full size).

530 W. Broadway, 604-602-4787, Eminenceorganics.com