Seasoned industry executive Cornelia Zicu has formulated a range of organic and eco-friendly facial masks called Lalele Phytoactive Skincare.

Zicu is best known in the industry as the mastermind behind Fifth Avenue’s luxury early-aughts day spa concept, named Cornelia Spa, which offered resort-style wellness facilities in an urban area. She also previously served as chief creative officer at Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa.

To realise the sheet mask line, Zicu worked with her son, financier and company founder Hani Zicu, to ‘reimagine clean skincare for everyone’.

With Ms Zicu’s experience in product development and Mr Zicu’s entrepreneurial expertise, the duo created four proprietary beauty formulas that offer solutions to multiple skin concerns under each major skin type:

• The Ageless Mask (for mature skin) – to improve the appearance of all aging.• The Ultimate Indulgence Mask (for dry skin) – for deep hydration and glowing skin.

• The Sensitivity Rescue Mask (for sensitive skin) – a gentle yet potent formula to help reduce redness and inflammation, leaving the skin calm and cool.• The Blemish Defense Mask (for oily and blemished skin) – a powerful yet gentle formula that exfoliates and reduces oil and sebum production to leave the skin healthy and mattified.

Named after the Romanian word for tulip, Lalele’s masks are packaged inside a circular pod. Once users push down and break the seal, the mask then self-soaks and rises out of the packaging to emulate a tulip sprouting into bloom.

“Working with my son was a unique experience that took me by surprise and seeing his vision become a reality has been so rewarding,” Ms Zicu told Spa Business.

“I never thought my only son would follow in my footsteps but I know his desire to help others was what drove him to be part of this industry. My focus with Lalele is to continue developing new products that will represent the brand DNA; natural, fun and experiential skincare that provides instant gratification.”

She describes the product as a system since the facial masks – which are packaged in a boxed set of seven pods – are to be used every day consecutively as a weekly programme. The formulas contain a blend of nutrient-dense plant and mineral ingredients, sourced sustainably from around the world.

Mr Zicu added: “It was our dream to do something meaningful together. Living and traveling together to unique regions gave us an appreciation for the richness of the world’s natural resources which inspired our custom formulations that contain the highest-quality ingredients sourced from environmentally clean regions around the world”.

The cruelty-free line is paraben-free, fragrance-free, contains no synthetic oils and is packaged in 100 per cent recyclable materials.

It will be distributed at select hotels and spas in the US (in both boxed form and individually as an amenity), and is being sold online to consumers in boxed sets of seven individual masks at Lalele’s official website.

Sylvia Wong, owner of the award-winning boutique hotel, The Roundtree, Amagansett in the Hamptons, was one of Lalele’s first ambassadors.

“In 2022 we successfully launched our rejuvenation programme to expand our amenity collection, and I am proud to have Lalele as one of our first partners. Our guests appreciate our signature goodnight ritual which includes Lalele’s Ultimate Indulgence Mask, a soothing experience that helps all our guests prepare for a beautiful night’s sleep.”

Giving back

As part of Lalele’s commitment to sustainability, the brand partners up with local communities where its natural ingredients are sourced to learn from and support its leadership in stewarding their environment, preserving nature and its biodiversity, securing rights to resources, improving economic opportunities and positively shaping the community’s future.