Albert Ducray was born in 1901, just as a new century was dawning.

As a young hairdresser making his way in Belle Époque Paris, Albert Ducray was quick to observe the damaging and dulling effects of soap powders when used as shampoos. Between 1929 and 1931 this dermatologist’s son created his own brand, Dr Ducray, and developed LIK Savon, a revolutionary range of single-dose shampoos adapted to different hair types.

Pierre Fabre : a key encounter

In 1969, Albert Ducray and Pierre Fabre, two men with a similar outlook on life and a shared ambition, met for the first time. Pierre Fabre Laboratories, already committed to cutting-edge hair care research, acquired Ducray.

This partnership gave the brand new momentum and further boosted its development.

The ongoing expansion led to the creation of the Extra-Gentle shampoo, presented at sales rep visits. As the first regular-use shampoo to respect the scalp’s balance, it has become a hair care classic and has stood the test of time.

From hair loss to sensitive skin, a comprehensive range of expert care products was then launched to include treatment of the most common hair disorders.

From Hair To Skin

In the 1980s, strengthened by medical professionals’ trust, Ducray took up a new challenge and developed Ictyane, which was to become a leader in dry skin care thanks to its revolutionary galenic composition. The brand continued its dermatological research and developed a range of targeted solutions to treat hair and skin disorders that can affect anyone. The 1990s saw another renowed range Keracnyl, who later to become one of the products most frequently prescribed by doctors for acne-prone skin***. By the 2000s, our products were being distributed right across the world. They are now available in more than 80 countries.

Oily skin is caused by an over-production of oil in the sebaceous glands. It is caused by many factors, but mostly due to hormonal imbalances, using an incorrect mixture of skincare products which then cause imbalances, or hereditary issues.

Since people with this skin type have an increased rate of sebum production they often experience trouble with blocked pores. This leads to both blackheads and pimples. Blackheads show up as small black dots on the skins’ surface, with the sebum manifesting deeper down in the pore. The black colour is caused by the skins’ own pigment being oxidised and the rest of the pores’ contents are old skin cells and sebum.

TREATMENT

A common belief is that oily skin needs to be treated with products that dry your skin out. This is quite the opposite, oily skin needs gentle skincare with products that are designed to balance the skins’ sebum production whilst moisturising it. Dry skin can cause more oil to be produced as the skin tries to compensate for the lack of moisture.

• A mild moisturiser or gel is a good way to keep the skin hydrated without making it more oily.
• Deep cleansing the skin is fine, as long as it is done with mild products. Sometimes, depending on how your skin feels, just an astringent facial water can be enough.
• A good complement to your skincare routine are exfoliants that work to open up the blocked pores so that the sebum can easily be removed. Oily skin generally ages more slowly than dry skin because the sebum protects and naturally lubricates the skin.