Our History

In the 1950s, Roger Delbôve poured his passion and high standards into providing a comprehensive haircare service in Paris, much like Carita and Alexandre. His high-end hair salons were popular with customers who appreciated his exceptional mastery of his field, both in terms of aesthetics and the science of haircare.

At the salon, Roger Delbôve noticed that his customers' scalps were often damaged by chemical products. As he expanded his network of salons, this tireless autodidact also began deepening his understanding of the skin's biochemical mechanisms. His archives contain a wealth of articles and essays on one of his theory's founding pillars: homoeostasis. According to this scientific principle, all living systems are capable of maintaining or guiding themselves back to the balanced state needed to function correctly, despite the external constraints they may face.

Disappointed by the lack of products available at the time, and convinced of the value of his new-found knowledge, Roger Delbôve persuaded his wife Marion – who used to work at Helena Rubinstein Belgium – to develop a treatment based on the principle of homoeostasis.

Marion agreed to his request, and began working with a biochemist to create a treatment that would help rebalance skin and restore its natural functions – with no added artifice.

Irrefutably ahead of their times, Marion and Roger Delbôve aimed to make Mother Nature and her infinite powers central to human life again.

Marion's cream was made from the most effective medicinal plants described in pharmacopoeias. Traditional, ancestral ingredients, with scientifically-proven benefits: Marion was satisfied that her cream would be able to stimulate the skin's natural functioning. A journalist who was asked to test the formula found the results so utterly magical he described it as "crème sorcière" ("sorcière", in French, evokes witchcraft and enchantment). Marion embraced the term there and then – "Sorcière" was born, soon to be joined by Eau Sorcière, a botanical essence with powerful beneficial properties. Together, Crème Sorcière and Eau Sorcière form the basis for the now-famous Magic Ritual that lies at the heart of the Delbôve experience.

Marion Delbôve continued her research with a view to extending the benefits of her iconic formula to include more targeted applications, paving the way for supplementary products, the elixirs, products for specific needs and body treatments, all based on the principle of homoeostasis and formulated to rebalance the skin's natural mechanisms – from head to toe.

News of the magic powers of Crème Sorcière and Eau Sorcière spread like wildfire, piquing people's curiosity. The other formulas became popular for their high natural extract content, the results they obtained combined with the pleasure experienced in applying them.

With no particular marketing or communication strategy in place, the effectiveness and refinement of Delbôve's formulas became well-known among an increasingly large community of converts.

Gina d'Ansembourg, as well as her husband and family, has been a firm Delbôve supporter for 25 years now. She was initiated into the circle by Marion Delbôve herself, who was struck by how little time and care Gina gave to her skin. Her influence led Gina to discover the Magic Ritual, which is so much more than a simple beauty routine – it is a genuine exercise in mindfulness. Thanks to its techniques and the attention you pay as you carry them out, the ritual is an opportunity to be present for your skin and reconnect with its needs, helping it regain its natural beauty and glow.

In 2011, Marion passed away, and it seemed only right to Gina that she continue the Delbôve legacy, ensuring its powerful formulas can never be lost in time. Gina took over the range, retaining its founders' authenticity and values, and becoming the guardian of an incredibly rich heritage.

In 2013, the brand was reintroduced to its customers, whose unwavering loyalty was tangible proof of the effectiveness of its products. Once again, the magic powers of the Delbôve formulas spread like fairy dust through the air, acclaimed by beauty experts and shared on social media by fans.

Over 50 years, Delbôve's products have acquired a following of three generations of loyal customers – the most meaningful, valuable acknowledgement possible.

In 2018, we had the honour of receiving the prestigious ELLE Beauty Awards prize, awarded by beauty journalists, and a recognition of everything Delbôve has striven to achieve.

That same year, Delbôve also opened its very first pop-up counter at Bon Marché Rive Gauche in Paris, launched its online mobile store and embarked on rolling out the products in various other countries. It was time to make these precious formulas available to as many people as possible!