How Omorovicza Is Reinventing Luxury Skincare

From Budapest’s healing baths to Dubai’s luxury spas, Omorovicza proves that true beauty is timeless

As I sip herbal tea in the penthouse of FIVE Luxe JBR, waiting to interview a skincare industry expert, I find myself reflecting on my own skin journey. At 39, I’ve battled acne, rosacea, scarring, and wrinkles - and I’ve tried every “miracle” product under the sun.

So, when I sit down with Stephen de Heinrich de Omorovicza, founder of the Budapest-born skincare house Omorovicza, I’m eager to understand what sets the brand apart.

Our meeting coincides with the brand’s official relaunch in the UAE, with products now available at Gold Apple, Look Fantastic, Letoile and selected luxury spas. It’s a milestone marked by refreshed, sustainable packaging and a Leaping Bunny certification.

// Heritage rooted in healing

We begin by talking about the healing power of Hungary’s mineral-rich thermal waters.

“The first thermal bath in Hungary was built 2,000 years ago by a Roman emperor,” Stephen explains. “Today there are more than 1,000 baths across the country - over 100 in Budapest alone. It’s part of everyday life. If you want to heal, doctors prescribe the bath with the right mineral content for your condition, but it’s also a place people go to socialise. It’s completely woven into our culture.”

As a trained lawyer, a foray into the skincare industry was not top of Stephen’s agenda – but it was an outing to the baths with his then-girlfriend-now-wife and co-founder Margaret, that turned heritage into destiny.

He says: “When I took Margaret to one of the Budapest baths, she noticed an extraordinary change in her skin. That was the beginning. A story is just a story - until you experience it.”

// From ancient waters to modern science

Inspired by what they witnessed that day, Stephen and Margaret set to work on developing the patented Healing Concentrate™ in collaboration with dermatologists. Using a process of fermentation and transformation, the brand made the minerals from Hungary’s thermal waters bioavailable to the skin.

“Fermentation transforms the minerals into complex compounds the skin can absorb,” explains Stephen. “We patented the process, and we clinically test almost everything. There’s too much cynicism in the industry - we wanted to prove our claims.”

The Healing Concentrate™ is still– almost two decades later - the engine of the brand and powers every Omorovicza formula, from cleansers to serums.

// Quiet luxury with purpose

Omorovicza has always existed in that rare space between spa-grade skincare and science-led luxury.

But in a world obsessed with “glass skin,” Gua Sha rituals, and viral trends, I do have to ask what Stephen thinks of the skincare industry as it is today.

“I don’t spend my time looking left and right,” he says with a smile. “Everything we do is inspired from within. Chasing competitors paralyses you.”

And I think this is the main thing I take away from today’s interview – the timelessness of these products. While Tiktokers are chasing the next trend, Omorovicza stands elegantly above the rest, producing beautiful products, rooted in science and that actually work.

// My shelf staples

Since meeting Stephen, two Omorovicza products have earned a permanent place on my shelf. The first is the Queen of Hungary Mist which is inspired by the world’s first recorded perfume, created for Queen Elizabeth of Hungary in the 14th century. One spritz of this is enough to transport me to a spa. Think orange blossom, rose and sage – all suspended in the brand’s iconic Healing Concentrate™.

Then there’s the Miracle Facial Oil (The Elixir) which is a silky, nourishing blend that feels more like a daily ritual than a skincare step and a must-have for Dubai’s dehydrating heat.