Lifestyle
Cha Ling, Infusing Beauty With the Spirit of Tea
The world of beauty has been enriched with a unique new line of cosmetics, Cha Ling, l’Esprit du Thé. Inspired by an ecological dream and made with rare Pu’Er tea from China, Cha Ling embodies an authentic lifestyle, becoming the ambassador of a new approach to beauty.
Cha Ling springs from two meetings, that between Laurent Boillot, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Guerlain, and the terra incognita of China’s Yunnan province, and the meeting of a German biologist and his Chinese wife, environmental champions engaged in protecting a region known as the “green lung” of China. To preserve the extraordinary ecosystem of the region that produces Pu’Er tea, Laurent Boillot imagined the creation of a Sino-French cosmetics house where ethics and esthetics, luxury and sustainable development become one.
Harvested from tea plant forests that are thousands of years old, Pu’Er tea improves with time. Made in keeping with ancestral traditions preserved by the Bulang people, it reaches excellence after several decades of maturation. Traditional Chinese medicine has vaunted the benefits of Pu’Er tea for over 5,000 years, making it one of the most sought-after teas in the world.
Cha Ling is actively committed to preserving this unique Chinese cultural heritage, placing priority on sustainable and environmentally-responsible production of the tea, which the House transforms into a range of precious skincare products. Sustainable supply contracts ensure a regular income for families and strict specifications guarantee the origin and traceability of ingredients. Crops are grown without pesticides or fertilizer, and the brand is committed to organic certification for raw materials. What’s more, a tea garden has been created, based on a reforestation model developed by the German biologist. All Cha Ling products – from Cleansing Powder and Spring Mask to Steam Tablet – are infused with Pu’Er tea. Packaging uses minimal materials, including reducing the weight of glass, and is rechargeable whenever possible.
The anti-aging and antioxidant properties of Pu’Er tea leaves figure at the heart of these skincare products, along with an emphasis on the rituals that accompany their use. By proposing a traditional massage technique and meditation program called Enjoy Mindful Beauty, Cha Ling offers an entirely new approach to beauty and well-being. The range of over 40 products includes a perfume, a candle, teapots, and a selection of the best Pu’Er teas, a tribute to an authentic Chinese art de vivre.
Cha Ling products have been available since January at Le Bon Marché in Paris, the Cha Ling store in Harbour City in Hong Kong, and online at www.chaling-teacosmetics.com.
