Behind The Brand With MBR
If you've heard Jess rave about how the Liquid Surgery Serum is basically a time machine for her skin, then chances are you're already familiar with MBR. The German skin-care brand is a new addition to the shelves at Shen, but it's already a staff favorite and is quickly gaining popularity with some of our most discerning skin-care customers.
That's because this luxe line has something many brands can only dream of — the cold, hard research to back up their claims. MBR (which stands for Medical Beauty Research) uses cutting-edge medical research in its formulations, which are created by a team of pharmacists, dermatologists, plastic surgeons, microbiologists, bio-chemists, and skin-care specialists. Each formula is rigorously tested to ensure it does exactly what it claims, transforming the skin so dramatically that it is considered by many experts to be an alternative to in-office aesthetic procedures. Now you know why we can't get enough of this stuff.
For this edition of Behind the Brand, we talked to the MBR team and even managed to get a few words from the man who created the line, Mr. Willi Hermann Watkowiak, about how it came to be and what makes it so unique. Keep reading to learn all about Shen's latest superstar brand.
Brand Name: MBR Medical Beauty Research
Founder: Willi Hermann Watkowiak
Date Founded: 2000
What was the inspiration for the line?
Creating pre- and post-treatment products for aesthetic procedures.
What is the MBR philosophy?
Skin-care at the frontier of medicine. What that means is we strive to create true skin-care products that embody the definition of “medical” and “skin care” in a synergy to produce the best possible results.
What was the first product you developed and why did you create it?
"Not just one, but three products were the first to be developed: Beta-Enzymes, Cell Power Vital Serum, and Tissue Activator Serum. They were created as part of our principle of open, treat, close — deep cleansing to prepare the skin, treat and infuse the skin with highly concentrated serums, and seal those exceptional ingredients into the skin." — Mr. Watkowiak
What is your bestselling product and why do you think that is?
Enzyme Cleansing Booster and Cream Extraordinary are a very close tie. We know this, because at MBR’s private manufacturing plant in Bad Schlema, Germany, these two products are always in non-stop production to meet the worldwide demand they draw.
What's your personal favorite?
"Beta-Enzymes, Tissue Activator Serum and Face Cream Smooth 100 because they give the best skin result for me." — Mr. Watkowiak
What makes MBR unique?
MBR doesn’t produce products to fill a market niche or price point. We look at any skin-care concerns customers may need, and produce the best possible product we can make available to them.
What’s one surprising thing people might not know about MBR?
From inception to final product, everything is done internally within MBR at our own private facility. The entire production process is a white glove process, where everything is handmade in small batches, and carefully put together. We even have our own in-house laboratory, white coats and all.
What do you want people to think of when they think of MBR?
That they know they will get results with us.
How did you know you'd made it as a brand?
"When my products could be bought in every European capital and I had the best accounts there." — Mr. Watkowiak
What is your proudest moment as a founder?
"That my products are known all over the world." — Mr. Watkowiak
What can we expect from MBR in the future? Any exciting news you can share?
We are always working to join cosmetics with front line medical ingredients and developments. You can always expect us to be giving you state-of-the-art skin care that meshes with what you would connect with medical treatments.
With the amount of work people do in front of screens, which has recently increased dramatically, you can be on the lookout for a vitamin cream with blue light shielding properties that can help protect your skin from negative lightwaves that can cause unwanted aging.