Founded by Deborah and Charles Levy, Biotyspa is a line of treatment-inspired products and tools that fuse a French approach to beauty and wellness with native Australian botanicals. So how did the beauty traditions of these two countries, which are over 4000 miles apart, come to converge? The story behind that started back in 2011, when the couple was living in Paris and both working at global luxury beauty groups: Deborah heading communications at Shiseido, and Charles as a product designer at L’Oréal. “We learned a lot during those years,” says Deborah. “But we also felt that clean and conscious beauty was sadly neglected.” Dreaming of adventure and sunnier climes, the couple swapped Paris for Sydney and, in 2016, opened Biotyspa, a French-style spa specializing in lymphatic drainage, in Bondi Beach.
“I learned lymphatic massage techniques in France, which gave me a deeper understanding of how health, wellness, and beauty work together for a 360 approach,” says Deborah of the brand’s beauty philosophy. “It was quite a big challenge for me to import French techniques to Australia. The Palper-Rouler is a massage I used to get quite often in Paris, but in Sydney lots of my clients questioned it at first. It was amazing therefore to see how our Biotyspa techniques became popular.”
In 2018, as the spa’s waiting list grew, the pair decided to launch a curated line of products and rituals in order to allow clients to recreate these treatments at home. Inspired by French recipes and carefully formulated with native Australian ingredients, including Macadamia, Eucalyptus, Sandalwood, and Seabuckthorn oils and antioxidant-packed berries such as Pepperberry, Riberry and Muntries, the formulations are clean and chemical free, but drive results. “When it comes to natural skincare, Australia’s sacred and wild land has a lot to offer,” says Deborah. “As the environment is quite dry and hostile, these plants have to produce a higher concentration of nutrients and offer amazing healing properties.”
With an emphasis on draining, toning, and firming, the line consists of a Firming Body Oil, Face Serum and Hydrating Shower Gel all formulated with a blend of organic oils and natural extracts that aim to stimulate circulation, promote lymphatic drainage and leave the skin looking smoother and more toned. Today, all of the spa’s treatments are performed using the Biotyspa range, formulated with natural actives to work in synergy from the inside-out and enhance results. “As part of our philosophy, all our skincare formulations are clean and free from nasties, to assist the body with detoxification and not overload it with unnecessary chemicals,” says Deborah.
The Body Sculpt Kit, meanwhile, includes both the Body Oil, Shower Gel, and the Biotyspa Body Sculpting Cup–a lymphatic drainage tool made of high-quality, medical-grade silicone that creates a vacuum effect to stimulate circulation and promote lymphatic drainage. “We designed the DIY Body Sculpt Kit in the middle of the first Covid lockdown as our spa (like the rest of the world) was closed and we wanted our clients to be able to maintain their Biotyspa Spa treatments,” says Deborah. “It’s a two step ritual, designed to be very easy to use at home.”
Here, founder Deborah Levy’s guide on how to use the Biotyspa Body Sculpt Kit
Step 1: Massage with the Body Sculpt Cup and Hydrating Shower Gel
The Hydrating Shower Gel is a soap-free body wash made from a blend of nourishing and hydrating oils that preps your skin for the body sculpting massage. It is important to apply a generous amount of the gel, which has been specifically designed to create a better suction between your skin and the cup, and ensure that the cup glides smoothly over the skin while simultaneously enhancing results.
The Body Sculpt Cup mimics the ‘palpate and roll’ French massage technique which encourages the movement and elimination of fluid, toxins, and water retention. Press with both thumbs into the middle of the cup and apply to the skin to create suction. The little dots indicate where to position your fingers, to achieve optimal suction. To ensure you see results, it is important to use the cup correctly and on a regular basis, slowly building up the suction pressure.
The Body Sculpt Cup is designed to be used on legs, thighs, butt, and stomach.
Massage once a day for 5-7 minutes per zone–not less, not more. We recommend using the cup daily for the first 3 weeks, and then 2-3 times a week for maintenance. It is important to be consistent with the massage, as results come with regularity, not the intensity of the massage.
Step 2: Firm and tone the skin with the Firming Body Oil
The Firming Body Oil is a luxurious blend of natural oils and extracts that work to firm, tone, and hydrate the skin. Infused with Coffee Seed Oil and Green Tea Extract, this oil helps to stimulate circulation and promote lymphatic drainage, reducing the appearance of cellulite and leaving the skin looking smoother and more toned. The addition of Rosehip Oil, rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C, helps to improve the texture and overall health of the skin.
Apply a few drops after showering on clean and dry skin, focusing on massaging the aforementioned target areas: the legs, thighs, butt, and stomach.