Héctor Meléndez (Institut Esthederm and Bioderma): "More natural does not always mean safer"

The CEO of Naos Spain, which includes brands such as Bioderma, considers that "the market is recovering and there is a tendency to use products that respect the skin".

What is ecobiology? Perhaps one of the people who best knows this concept, which is fashionable today, is Héctor Meléndez, general manager of Naos Spain, a company that brings together the experience of the Institut Esthederm and Bioderma brands. That is why we asked him: "When the skin suffers, rather than overtreating it, we have to help it use its own resources to strengthen its natural mechanisms. Our formulas contain only the essential ingredients that blend in with the skin," explains Meléndez, who believes that today the quote "less is more", attributed to the architect Mies Van der Rohe, gains prominence in the aesthetics sector.

Also, establish a relationship with those who know the most about skin, dermatologists, something that seems obvious but that until now did not seem so. "For more than forty years we have launched disruptive innovations and have registered more than seventy patents. Our relationship with health professionals has fueled our capacity for innovation and it is what we must continue to do. We are the creators, for example, of micellar water , of which a bottle is now sold every second all over the world", boasts Meléndez, thus defending another key concept in the sector. "Innovation must respond to the changes that we are experiencing as a society and that directly affect the well-being of our skin. Consumers are increasingly demanding and more informed, which is why innovation must continue to be a fundamental growth pillar for Naos ".

This company, founded in 1977 by the pharmacist and biologist Jean-Noël Thorel, has been warning for many years of the need to change our relationship with the environment or to be more responsible when treating our bodies. Today these issues are part of the debate and no one is surprised that a manager of a multinational includes them among his strategic axes. "Our solar products are not toxic to the sea or rivers and we collaborate with different initiatives for the repopulation of coral reefs; we are also working so that all micellar water bottles are made of recycled and recyclable plastic and we are very responsible with the ingredients of our products because we know that by observing the biology of the skin and analyzing how it behaves, we can restore its natural balance".

Meléndez is confident that all these trends will be consolidated. "There is a real need for products to be more natural and safer. It is a trend not only in dermatology, but also in other fields such as food, transport or fashion. But more natural does not always mean safer and laboratories we have to increase toxicology analyzes and put reliable products on the market," warns the manager of a company that manufactures all its products in France.

The cosmetic sector in Spain represents a market of 8,200 million euros, with a per capita consumption of around 170 euros per year; skin care represents 33% of this cake, which is why Meléndez is optimistic about the future of the company. "We have good forecasts, the market is recovering and there is a very clear trend to use products that respect the skin. More and more people go to the dermatologist and this favors laboratories like ours that develop products in the hands of expert scientists in the skin biology," he says. Among his advantages, Meléndez also cites Spain's position in this market. "It is in the top 10 of the most exporting countries of beauty products. Another differentiating factor is the weight of pharmacies, since there are more than 21,000 independent ones. It is also important for us that Spain enjoys so many hours of sunshine, because we are very focused on developing products that protect us from it.

But protecting is not giving up and the Institut Esthederm brand has understood that there are many consumers who need to sunbathe without thinking about the damage it causes. "When the skin tans, it is protecting itself naturally since it activates its mechanisms against UV rays and its anti-free radical action. Our products are designed to preserve the youth of the skin even when sunbathing," defends Meléndez.