#INTERVIEW: The Healing Waters of Budapest, Bottled

Budapest has more thermal springs than any other capital in the world, and its bathing culture stretches back over two millennia. The Romans first harnessed the city’s mineral-rich waters for healing and recovery, while the Ottomans brought in their hammam traditions. To this day, Hungarians don’t see spa visits as a luxury but as a way of life, and doctors still prescribe thermal therapies for everything from skin conditions to joint pain.

At the heart of this heritage stands the historic Rácz Thermal Bath. Built in the 16th century and expanded in the 1800s by Stephen de Heinrich de Omorovicza’s family, the complex is an architectural gem with Ottoman domes blending with Baroque arches, 14 pools and a Turkish bath dating back to 1572. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Rácz became the place where Stephen and his wife Margaret first experienced the transformative powers of Budapest’s waters. Their discovery made way for the creation of Omorovicza, a brand that brings centuries of bathing culture into modern skincare. In conversation with L’Officiel Arabia, Stephen shares the story of a modern brand with a storied past.

Delna Mistry Anand: Omorovicza was born out of a remarkable family legacy. How has the Rácz Bath shaped your vision of the brand?

Stephen de Heinrich de Omorovicza: The Rácz Bath is deeply personal for me. Built around an original Ottoman hammam and later expanded by my ancestor with Hungary’s most celebrated architect, Miklós Ybl, it embodies East meeting West. For centuries, it has been a place of healing, and even today this ethos of creating something restorative and transformative is at the core of Omorovicza.

Hungary’s mineral waters have been celebrated for their healing properties for centuries, from ancient springs to doctor-prescribed therapies. How did you transform this ancient heritage into modern skincare?

Hungary sits on a tectonic fault line, so waters travel deep underground and resurface rich in minerals like iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium. Each spring has its own unique profile, and for generations Hungarians have instinctively known which waters support which conditions. Doctors still prescribe them today for everything from respiratory issues to arthritis. When Margaret first bathed at Rácz, she noticed her skin transformed. Dermatologists explained why: while minerals are powerful, they don’t naturally absorb, they crystallise on the skin’s surface. To harness their potential, we collaborated with scientists at Albert Szent-Györgyi University and developed our patented Healing Concentrate. Through biofermentation, the minerals become bioavailable, allowing them to truly interact with the skin. That scientific breakthrough is at the heart of every Omorovicza product.

Neither you nor Margaret came from the beauty industry. What was your biggest motivator or inspiration to enter this world and build a brand from scratch?

I was a lawyer, Margaret a diplomat and we didn’t have a beauty background, but we had curiosity and an authentic story. Budapest inspired us. We knew early on, that we weren’t chasing trends; we wanted to create something meaningful, rooted in culture, with science-backed evidence.

Omorovicza today spans a full skincare range. Which products best capture the essence of the brand?

The Queen of Hungary Mist remains our icon. Inspired by a 14th-century recipe, it’s alcohol-free, refreshing and fragrant with rose, orange blossom and sage. It’s a sensorial link to the past, yet modern in its formulation. The Rejuvenating Night Cream is another signature,  it cocoons the skin with hazelnut peptides and apricot kernel oil, bringing comfort while softening fine lines. And more recently, the Queen Serum has become a bestseller, blending our Healing Concentrate with actives that support collagen and calm inflammation. Each one is a different expression of our philosophy.

Treatments seem to be central to Omorovicza’s identity. Why has this experiential dimension always been so central to your story and growth?

Stephen: In Hungary, skincare is inseparable from therapy. People are introduced to facials young, often through family traditions. Training is rigorous, it takes years before you can even treat clients. We wanted that expertise to be part of our DNA. From the beginning, we offered facials at our Budapest institute. Today, we’ve expanded with our Mayfair Institute in London and luxury spa partnerships worldwide. But we also still host pop-ups inside the Rácz Bath, the very place where it all began.

Looking back, what were the pivotal moments that made way for Omorovicza to enter the global stage?

Stephen: Our launch with Neiman Marcus in 2010 was pivotal. At the time, Budapest wasn’t seen as a beauty capital, and clean formulations weren’t mainstream. Yet we insisted on a point of view: no parabens, silicones or phthalates, and as natural as possible. The Queen of Hungary Mist became our gateway product and set us on a global stage. And we have not looked back since.

Which products are always in your travel bag?

A gentle cleanser, our mineral serum, a light gel-cream for day, a richer cream for night, and always the mist. That one feels like carrying the essence of Budapest with me.

If you had to distill your philosophy into one timeless skincare rule, what would it be?

Less is more. Cleanse properly, moisturise, and be consistent. Younger skin in particular doesn’t need layers of product. Simplicity done well, is powerful.