The Legacy of Laszlo: Erno Laszlo at Saks Fifth Avenue

Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn?

Both Jacqueline Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe had a very pivotal man in their lives. Tending to the skin of the Hollywood elite and financially privileged was Hungarian dermatologist, Dr. Erno Laszlo.

There really is nothing quite like Laszlo products, which are determined for your needs by “clocking” the skin into individual types. Even more unique is the system by which you use the products, known as “the ritual.”

I used the entire line back in my college years, but sadly it was widely discontinued in stores. Now it’s available at Saks Fifth Avenue.com and Saks Fifth Avenue San Francisco.

Once prescribed on a “members only” basis for patients of Dr. Laszlo, the prestigious line is famous for its iconic black Sea Mud Soap, $39, which is enriched with 26 minerals and dead sea mud for gentle exfoliation and detoxification without stripping the skin. Dr. Laszlo’s philosophy was progressive at the time and is still applicable today. “Prevention is,” he said, “without a doubt the greatest art in all medical science.”

Although Erno Laszlo died in 1973 the Laszlo legacy lives on, and there are three products in the line that I cannot wait to try: the new Phormula 3-9 Repair Serum, $265, above, as well as the new Phormula 3-9 Cream, $265, and the Phormula 3-9 Balm, $245, below. The serum and the cream are brand new, but the balm is in its ninth incarnation.

The original formula of the balm was found on the bedside table of Marilyn Monroe at the scene of her death.

Designed for stressed and irritated skin, it is particularly pertinent these days, since it is ideal for patients post-peel or post-procedure, according to Sarah Yan, Laszlo counter manager at Saks Fifth Avenue San Francisco.

Modernized to compete in the current anti-aging market, this classic line has resurfaced as something more contemporary, good news for Laszlo lovers everywhere.