Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, Salvador Dali, Ronald Reagan, Charles de Gaulle, and Aristotelis Onasis all are connected by having used the rejuvenating products made by Farmec Cosmetics, according to the original Gerovital recipe of Ana Aslan.
Gerovital H3 and Aslavital hit the market in the â50s, and were widely believed to work miracles against the aging process. To this day Romanian women living abroad are hooked on these products, which make the pride of Farmec.
Since then, Farmec developed Aslavital as a clay-based line of products.
The early years of Farmec were traced back to a drug-shop founded in Budapest, in 1889, with five staff working in a basement to make eau de toilette and powder for children care.
In 1949 the company was called Flacara and made edible oils and cosmetics; in 1972 it changed name to Farmec, and in 1995 kept its name but changed ownership, turning private.
Liviu Turdean, the company manager for 38 years, thus the longest serving manager in Romania, said the shares are divided among employees and former employees and collaborators, with four people holding the control stock.
"Back in 1995, we had no idea what privatization was about; our knowledge was drawn from Dallas episodes, of which we did not get the main point, which was that one has to carefully choose oneâs business partners," said Turdean.
"Now I could successfully direct such Dallas episodes, after the experience gathered during the past 11 years," jokes Turdean.
The best sold cosmetic product in Romania is made at Farmec: Lapte Doina cleansing milk. The company never advertised to boost its sales, and it does not plan to start on doing it, said Turdean. "It is a self-promoting product," adds he. "Women and men use it for their personal care and also for cleaning delicate leather items in their wardrobe."
The Gerovital
