Huages, the art of embracing the CBD lifestyle
Published on 30 June 2023
The legalisation of CBD has opened up a brand-new market that is still taking shape today. In the premium well-being segment, however, one brand is already standing out from the crowd: Huages, dedicated to beauty and indulgence.
What is CBD?
CBD is the acronym for Cannabidiol, a molecule that is naturally present in hemp and whose beneficial effects on the body were first discovered in ancient times. Extracted from cannabis, CBD calms stress, helps you fall asleep, reduces anxiety and calms chronic pain. Its consumption in the form of herbal teas or oils has recently been authorized in France, a country in which cannabis had a bad reputation. CBD is a harmless hemp extract from which all traces of THC – a different molecule that is far more harmful and addictive – have been removed. In the United States, on the other hand, CBD is seen as the "cool" molecule, associated with Yoga, meditation and self-care. It was on observing this cultural difference that Hélène Aubier came up with the idea of launching a CBD brand in France, adopting a premium positioning like all the CBDs sold in luxury spas in the United States.
Huages, a brand positioning full of flair
Hélène Aubier was already familiar with the world of high-end cosmetics having worked for firms such as Estée Lauder for a good many years. Her firm was born during lockdown, sparked by conversations with two of her friends, Juliette and Elise. The former is a graphic designer, the latter an entrepreneur, and the project was initially nothing more than a side hustle for the three young women, none of whom invested a single penny in getting it off the ground. They decided to call their baby Huages, a totally made-up name imbued with the softness of a cloud (“nuage” in French means “cloud”). After posting their sales pitch on the crowdfunding platform Ulule, they successfully raised enough funds to launch a first production run in a laboratory. As soon as their bottles were ready, they listed them for sale on Choose, another online platform dedicated to selling a highly select edit of on-trend products. Within one week, they had generated a turnover of eighteen thousand euros. Their intuition and positioning had clearly paid off.
The Hôtel de Crillon’s Pastry Chef has even created a pastry using Huages CBD oil
The full range currently includes several oil blends that are specifically designed to be used in food, with a CBD content of 5, 10 or 20%. “Rêve” (“Dream”), made from CBD and plum oil infused with lemon balm and verbena, can be an aid to sleep when ingested and calms irritation when applied to the skin. “Réveil” (“Awaken”), which is a blend of hazelnut oil and Cannabidiol, relaxes the muscles and assists with concentration. Then there are the powders, combined with Matcha tea or chocolate powder, to be consumed with a dash of milk. Last but not least come the truly indulgent products, which include a chocolate bar with caramelized hemp seeds. Every single product is made in France, from the hemp oil that comes from the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, to the plums and hazelnuts that are sourced in the Lot-et-Garonne and that give the oils their delicious flavour, softening the bitterness of the cannabis. The brand’s website even features recipes for cakes, proof itself that there is a real appetite to embrace the CBD lifestyle. Business is booming. Huages is the only CBD brand to permanently feature on Le Bon Marché’s shelves. The Hôtel de Crillon also recently reached out to Hélène, keen to add a CBD brand to the treatment menu in its Spa. Launched on May 16th this year, the Parisian palace's holistic treatment, named “Rêverie”, features a massage and a sound bath, and ends with a CBD-infused drink and pastry developed by the hotel’s Pastry Chef Matthieu Carlin. Juliette and Elise continue to follow the adventure from afar, but Hélène has now left her job to focus on the business full time. In September, she will be exhibiting at Maison&Objet for the very first time in the brand-new Wellness and Well-being sector. Her stand is set to offer meditation sessions and sound baths in dedicated wellness zones, as well as facial yoga sessions. Huages is currently in the process of securing funding to hire staff and structure the business. The adventure has clearly only just begun.
By Caroline Tossan
Illustration ©Sarah Bouillaud