Over the past 35 years, GM Collin (G.M. COLLIN), a leader in dermo-corrective skincare products, has established a strong collaboration between its R&D team and skincare professionals to achieve excellence in the creation of solutions for every skin type and condition.

More than 95 per cent of GM Collin’s products are developed from concept to creation at the family-owned and operated business in Montreal, Canada.

According to president Marc Sayer, it takes more than two years to develop each product. “Before getting to the R&D stage, the team explores ideas from all over the world. To be a pioneer in any field, you need to know it perfectly and systematically question your direction by listening to the needs of customers,” he explains.

Scientific production
The original GM Collin brand was founded 65 years ago in Paris, by Dr Eugene Lapinet who pioneered the use of collagen sheets on burn victims. Sayer’s company, which was established in 1976, was a skincare distributor within the Canadian market before Marc became interested in creating his own formulations. “We founded Laboratoires Dermo-Cosmetik in 1990,” he says, “and then purchased the GM Collin trademark for the North American market, at a time when the French company was looking for financial partners.”

Sayer’s objective was to harness GM Collin’s expertise in collagen technology to enhance and develop state-of-the-art formulations to drive global growth. This led to the construction of research labs and an investment in scientific expertise – including chemists, dermatologists and biologists – to create innovative, high-performance skincare made from high-quality, effective ingredients.

“I oversaw the planning, construction and development of our state-of-the-art laboratories,” he says. “The original 2,000sq m facility, built in 1991, housed a team of 12 experts. Today, our headquarters occupies 10,000sq m and houses our complete production process – from research to product development – all under one roof.”

Expertise within the R&D team has also grown during this time. “Our researchers share a passion for innovation and this philosophy extends to everybody that works within the company,” Sayer says.

As a qualified engineer, he believes in results-driven growth, which is why, in 1997, he created a Clinical Evaluation department to carry out product testing.

“It’s important we’re able to prove the effectiveness of our product formulations, to ensure our customers understand and trust our processes,” he explains.

More than 1,000 volunteers, with different skin types and conditions, participate in clinical evaluations on all dermo-corrective products using methods such as imaging, profilometry and colorimetry. A number of factors are taken into consideration within the analysis, such as the lifting effect, reduction of skin redness, decrease in pore size, and reduction in wrinkles.

Effective evaluation
“Each formula is the culmination of years of R&D to obtain the most effective skin care solutions on the market,” Sayer says. “Authenticity is essential for us, as our products have to deliver on their promises. During the development of each formulation, we ensure evaluation results surpass each established benchmark, otherwise it goes back into development.”

To ensure delivery of treatments is seamless, they come in pre-dosed measures, simplifying protocols for therapists. “They simply need to follow the steps to ensure incomparable results for clients every time,” says Sayer.

More: www.gmcollin.com