Erno Laszlo: Rediscovering a Hollywood Classic

I love a good Hollywood story, and since the Academy Awards are tonight, I thought it would be a good time to talk about Erno Laszlo.  You may know his products from Saks, but you may not know the story behind it.

Erno Laszlo was a Hungarian-born medical doctor who, more or less, fell into dermatology after the notoriety he gained for improving the complexion of  Princess Stéphanie of Belgium, who suffered severe emotional distress and even humiliation due to the state of her skin.  Thus, Dr. Laszlo was a "celebrity doctor" long before they were a dime-a-dozen.  His clientele was a Who's Who of royalty, society and Hollywood lore: the Duchess of Windsor, Gloria Vanderbilt, Doris Duke, Greta Garbo (below left), Lillian Gish, Paulette Goddard, Audrey Hepburn, Jacqueline Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe, whose Laszlo beauty products were on the bedside table next to her death bed.

In the late 1940s, the Erno Laszlo Institute had over 3,000 clients, not one of whom bought their way in because Laszlo products were not for sale to non-members.  In order to be a member you had to be recommended - by at least two people - and each consultation was $75.00.  To give you an idea of how expensive that was for the time, the price of a television in 1950 was around $200.00. 

Dr. Laszlo was not enamored of his storied clientele.  He asked about their personal lives and refused to continue treating them if they stopped follow his advice.  He told Jacqueline Kennedy not to put any more oil or cream on her face and famously told Ava Gardner (above right) that she was lying about following his instructions. "Your skin tells me," he told her.  As the story goes, she refused to leave his office and they had a bit of a standoff before she finally agreed to go back to the routine.

Today, you don't have to be a member of a club to use Erno Laszlo products.  In fact, I'm not sure how Dr. Laszlo would feel about it (he died in 1973) you can simply use the Laszlo-matic to see which products are right for your skin type.  The iconic Sea-Mud Soap pictured above (often referred to simply as "the black soap") is one of several products developed by Dr. Laszlo that are still available today. 

Comments

[Jill]

I love Erno Laszlo. You should also try their rose body cream. It's pretty amazing.

[Nichelle Gainer]

I love body creams so I will definitely check that out!

[yu_el]

ive been an erno laszlo fan for a few months now. and i love it so far! the sea mud soap is amazing. the ritual can be a pain in the beginning but once you get used to it. and it becomes part of your routine in the morning and night. its refreshing. their products do wonders to my skin! i would definitely recommend people to try laszlo products :)

[Jenny]

My skin has never looked better than it does today! I used to buy all of the expensive creams, and decided to go back to basics...Laszlo Soap and Water...amazing results...everyone is saying I look fantastic...almost 60 yrs old, and my skin looks at least 10 years younger. Who could guess that washing my face with Sea Mud Soap with the Active Phelityl Oil, would change my skin? My main man is LASZLO!

[Cheetah]

I've been using Erno Laszlo since 1982! And, I'm a guy too! In the earlier days, you were "clocked" rather than using the Laszlo-matic. I was in the 2-O'Clock ritual which is now simply called "Oily". My favourite products are the Sea Mud Soap, and also Conditioning Prep. I do not use any other brand of skin care on my face at all. I Bought a book about Erno Laszlo and he was indeed a very brilliant man!

[Cheetah]

Does anyone else here use Erno Laszlo's TranspHuse Topical or Night Serum? This stuff is dynamite! I started it about 2 months ago and although it is very expensive, I can see a real difference in my skin! After 27 years of Laszlo, I am still completely amazed at just how good this stuff really is! I wish everyone would try it..... you'll never go back to Ivory soap ever again!

[Nichelle]

Cheetah,

I'm not a big fan of the night serum, but I do like the evening moisturizer and the famous Sea Mud aka the "black soap." I alternate products but Laszlo is a longtime favorite of mine as well.

[Avedon]

I am an African American male. I have 52 years and have been using Dr. Laszlo's products since I was 19. I used to purchase them at an ioconic department store called Bullock Wilshire. I would have afternoon tea after my purchase.
Now I get my products at Fred's (Segal) or at Nordstrom...not nearly as ritualistic...oh well.

OK< OK speaking of ritual. The splashing at each individual's cloking CAN and WILL be problematic at first. Your sink will be wet, the floor wet, and what you are wearing will be wet. Tha is until you master how to 'splash' drier and faster.
NOTE: If you live with a partner, he/she will not understand the time and the bottles and the wettness of the bathroom with this AM/PM activity, for a while. Just telling you!!!
It is simply the BEST. Use everything as directed. Do not subtitue ANYTHING. Use everything in the 'layers' suggested. GUYS these products will preserve your skin IF YOU DO IT. All I can say is amazing...amazing!

[Keith]

I was a Erno Laszlo Specialist in Vancouver and have used the products for over 30yrs.. It's nice to see poeple still use the products but please do the splashing at least 30 times. Also the clocking of your skin type was the best way with over 100 different combinations of products and ways to use them.Also dip the bar of soap in the water first then gently rub over t-zone and lather up. Also leave skin slightly damp after your washing ritual and put on your toner to hold moisture in.Keith

[Thomas]

I have used laszlo since 1968, my mother was a client, the consultation as $75 and the products were $25
Originally a 6 o'clock I have progressed with time and now a 8 O'clock. The products are amazing
I was always told the only promise os for clean health looking skin, today I still do
Laszlo had so many ways to care for the skin, laslomatic, hmmmmm not impressed
I wonder what he would think now!

[judy wade-bell]

I was in Europe skiing and noticed that when I was in colder/higher altitude my acne was at bay. The women I was rooming with in Zurich suggested that I start using Laszlo. She cut her bar of soap in half (seamud) and I started using the soap and splashing right then and there. My acne started healing as the skin exfoliated... from that day on. When I got home I went to Saks and bought I entire skincare. Now I can say my skin is fabulous at age 65 and 32 years later as a Erno Laszlo user.

[Sherri]

I also was a client of the good Dr.Laszlo. I also worked for the company as a trainer, doing promo's and setting the counters up in new stores. Laszlo works! BUT you must follow the ritual! You can not see results by just using one or two products or cheating by using your Laszlo soap in the shower and by-passing the 30 plus splashes in comfortable hot water followed by 10 splashes in clean comfortable hot water. For over 40 yrs I worked or rep. for most of the lines out there, but I never used (and have never used) anything but Laszlo. Why? because it works!

[Kelly]

I love Erno Lazlo products and have used them over 30 years. I add some retin A to the hydraphel emulsion. Other than that I use the sea mud soap in the shower morning and night. I started using the clarison about 2 years ago with the sea mud soap. Every one comments at how nice my skin is.
I went to Obagi event with my sister and all
the sales people kept saying how nice my skin was and "Did I use obagi?"