OmniDerm, exclusive distributors for Dr. Spiller Biomimetic Skin Care, are sad to announce the passing of the company's founder, Dr. Horst Spiller. Dr. Spiller was a charismatic pioneer in the field of cosmetics, a creative visionary, and was widely admired by his peers. Here, Paul Fister, looks back at Dr. Spiller's achievements.
View a timeline of Dr Spiller's work.
I first met Dr. Horst Spiller at a beauty expo in Gmunden, Austria, in 1995. The company's stand was way too busy for an in-depth conversation so Dr. Spiller kindly extended an invitation for a visit to his head office in Siegsdorf, Bavaria. Our meeting lasted four hours. Not once did he utter the words sales, turnover, marketing, contract or the like. Our discussion focussed exclusively on skin, products, ingredients and his philosophy. I left that meeting with deep admiration and respect for one of the elder statesmen of the profession, a man with incredible passion and a thorough understanding of the skin, of cosmetics and of the interaction between the two. Dr. Spiller typified the approach of 'do what you love, and the rest will take care of itself'. He was the inspiration for my decision to devote myself to learning and understanding his philosophy and his approach to the care of our skin.
We first introduced Dr. Spiller products in 1997 as a trial in our beauty salons in Melbourne. Success came immediately, in terms of client loyalty and incredible business growth. This experience inspired us to promote these products to beauty therapists Australia-wide. The early days weren't easy because Dr. Spiller, true to his philosophy of being gentle with the skin, refused to participate in the popular trend of the times towards acid-based skin care.
By 2002 the tables started to turn, with findings at the US National Institutes of Health that daily application of acid-containing products may not be beneficial in the long term. Nicholas Perricone MD articulated this change in sentiment in his book, The Perricone Promise (published in 2004) with his comment that we need to 'work with our skin rather than against it', supported by his theories on the role of micro-inflammation in the ageing process.
Today, Dr. Spiller's approach to skin care has been vindicated, not just in theory but in the daily practical application in thousands of skin clinics. His Dr. Spiller Biomimetic SkinCare products are valued and appreciated by millions of consumers around the world.
Written by Paul Fister, Managing Director of OmniDerm Pty. Ltd., Melbourne.