A Success Story Made in Lozère
“From where I’m talking to you, I’m in the middle of nowhere,” begins Hanane Drissi, co-founder of Altheys.
It is in a small company, located in the confines of the Gévaudan beast country, in a preserved area, that the start-up was able to flourish.
It only took four people to initiate the development of treatments that were both natural and patented.
including Pierre Vausselin, chemical engineer behind patent No. 15 704 040 3 1109 which demonstrates that plantain has a molecule capable of capturing nitric oxide responsible for skin inflammation.
The plantain, the “plant that acts”, in allusion to the medicinal properties that the Romans attributed to it, has established itself with ease and tenacity in this geographical climate.
Nestled at an altitude of 1300 meters, it coexists with granites and menhirs, typical landscapes of Lozère.
Altheys has concluded an informal pact with them, that of integrating harmoniously into the environment.
To become an extension of this place without ever betraying it.
A challenge met with flying colors by Hanane Drissi, a determined entrepreneur who has chosen to proudly promote the assets of her region.
Lozère has thus, and unknowingly, become the witness of a new era in the dermo-cosmetics field.
Altheys' daring rise against the Paris Giants
Altheys website Altheys
Far from Paris, its media spotlight and consumers, the task of making oneself known was arduous.
In the heart of nature, visibility is naturally limited.
However, one overarching principle almost inevitably leads to success: efficiency.
From the results of the clinical study, with 95% of patients experiencing relief, to the successful launch and the avalanche of positive feedback, little time had passed.
However, the challenge was significant.
The aim was to launch a complete range of 100% natural treatments for psoriasis and eczema, and to take on the giants of the industry by offering an alternative to their cortisone-based treatments.
The risks they ran in putting an inadequate formula on the market?
Create induced immunodepression (weakening of the body's defenses against infection), a weakening of the skin barrier, poor healing, acne, the appearance of stretch marks, etc. Among others.
In France, nearly 16 million people are affected by skin conditions, including 5 million who suffer from eczema or psoriasis.
Almost everyone knows about cortisone treatment, a last resort solution, but until now considered necessary.
As an alternative, Altheys offers a range of products called Zematopic, formulated from the lanceolate plantain, used for centuries for its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.
Although sometimes wrongly described as a "weed", lanceolate plantain offers a whole range of benefits, including healing and antioxidant properties, and above all, effectiveness in the natural treatment of eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis.
Formerly knowledge passed down from generation to generation, this science was little exploited until now, but Altheys was able to take advantage of it to offer more effective solutions.
This range of treatments, made up of three patented products, fully exploits the virtues of lanceolate plantain to considerably improve the quality of life of people affected by these skin conditions.
An Entrepreneur at the Crossroads of Influences and Knowledge
Altheys laboratory Altheys
Hanane Drissi.
A young Auvergne living in Lozère, with a Moroccan cultural background.
She embodies an entrepreneur at the crossroads of influences and knowledge, basing her business on her personal experience and the conviction that nature offers many solutions.
She has always integrated plants into her daily life.
Whether it is applying oils in her hair, clay on her face, using essential oils to relieve her headaches, or preparing infusions to reap all the benefits, she grants a great importance to the virtues of plants.
For her, this is not a simple marketing argument.
Each plant, she says, provides specific benefits for treating various conditions.
If plantain is obvious, Altheys goes further.
Through a cohort study, the company compares belief in plants with scientific demonstration of their effectiveness.
Thus, Altheys goes beyond the simple concept of “do it yourself” or conventional cosmetic products.
Near its factory, the Altheys plantain thrives on the startup's 180 hectares of land owned by co-founder Pierre Vausselin.
The company manages the entire production chain, from picking the plantain to processing it and shipping it to customers.
Unlike many large companies that pay little attention to the origin of plants, Altheys attaches particular importance to it.
For Helia, the new brand created by Hanane Drissi and Pierre Vausselin, the company even goes so far as to wild harvest medicinal plants on its own estate.
Indeed, recently, it is not only the virtues of plantain that have been highlighted, but also those of all other medicinal plants.
Helia invites us to explore a whole new universe: that of cooking and gastronomy.
Because, according to Hanane, taste pleasure is also a form of care.
Helia's plant extracts are cultivated in complete tranquility on their agricultural properties, located in Monts-Verts, near Albaret le Comtal, in this Lozère that Hanane and Pierre cherish so much.
And whose natural extracts are available on the helia.fr website.
Gentian, St. John's wort, meadowsweets.
And in the botanical garden, thyme, bay leaf, mint, verbena leaves, sage sub-shrubs growing as they please and at their ease.
Plants with medicinal properties, also appreciated for their taste.
The same one that Altheys preserves by its use of the cold extraction method, which does not impact the plant molecules in the extraction process.
A Company Anchored in its Times
Altheys is ultimately very well established in her time.
By offering a solution focused on patient well-being, the laboratory has chosen to promote corporate social responsibility (CSR), by investing in sustainable practices such as packaging made in France and a minimized carbon footprint.
Additionally, the lanceolate plantain used in their products is grown locally, avoiding the deceptive practices of importing from other parts of the world.
The company truly embodies the spirit of its environment.
Of course, Altheys also remains attentive to commercial strategies, and readers of Le Figaro may be delighted to learn that they can benefit from a €3 discount on all products on the altheys.com site by using the promo code PRINTEMPS, valid from March 14 to April 14, 2024.