True Stories
Accompany you everywhere and allow you to perform hygiene care at any time: meet Frescoryl
Corine and Michel BOURDONCLE. Associate directors and creators of Frescoryl
Michel is a doctor of Pharmacy and Corine followed a Language Administration Management course. In 2007, we wanted to create a line of innovative, solid, and natural hygienic products. The basic idea was to create practical and quality products, able to meet both the concrete expectations that we had on a daily basis as well as our sensitivity to a «natural» approach. Our first product, which is still our leading product, was the solid toothpaste that can be used without water or brush. For 15 years now, we have been refining our formulas, all 100% natural and we are moving our packaging line towards «Zero waste».
NATRUE: Tell us your story: How was Frescoryl created? And why?
Michel: The real starting point of the Frescoryl adventure was as follows: After a long-haul flight, we realized that it was inconvenient, if not impossible, to brush our teeth in the cabin. We then imagined a product that could allow oral hygiene care without getting up from its seat, and more broadly, anywhere and anytime, even in the most extreme situations. The work consisted in creating a formula that meets both the requirements of a real toothpaste and the possibility of being ingested.
The ingredients had to be natural and offer “toothpaste” actions to fight dental plaque, acidity buffer, cleansing, and refreshing. This is how the Frescoryl toothpaste tablet was born. It is still our leading product, which represents more than 80% of our sales.
The toothpaste tablet was first offered to airlines and caterers, in a single-dose format and as part of a business-to-business (B2B) business. But quickly, and in response to strong customer demand, we offered the product in boxes of 10 tablets, via the pharmaceutical network.
NATRUE: Your toothpaste has no-water and does not need brush. How? What makes your formula special?
Michel: Our product has three steps: (1) Chew the tablet; (2) Brush with the tongue the surface of the dental enamel for 30’ to 40’ and (3) swallow. The ingredients -all natural- offer various toothpaste actions -for example, silica micro-crystals help fight plaque and restore a smooth and clean enamel.
The innovation lies in offering an alternative when it is difficult or impossible to perform a hygiene care: Continuous day at the office, trips by train or plane, outdoor leisure, etc. Thus, the purpose of Frescoryl is not to compete with the traditional brushing that takes place in a bathroom nor to add to the very long list of toothpaste on the world’s market. Frescoryl’s vocation is to complement the brushing done at home, and to intervene outside the home. What makes Frescoryl special is its ability to accompany you everywhere and to allow you to perform hygiene care at any time or place.
NATRUE: You define your packaging as ‘eco-friendly’. What does this claim mean?
Corine: In 2018, Frescoryl won the “Sustainable Beauty Awards” at the Sustainable Summit in Paris, in the “Best Sustainable Product” category. It was a breakthrough for our team. It was not conceivable to have been able to obtain this recognition from the profession and, at the same time, not to have a line of packaging perfectly aligned with this sustainable philosophy. So, we went back to the drawing board, consulted a lot and really worked hard on it. And 12 months later, we showed up at the same «Sustainable Summit» our new packaging line that got the second prize for “sustainable packaging”. We had, in a way, closed a virtuous circle.
Our packaging is now 100% recyclable or biodegradable -for example, our jar of 100 recycled cardboard tablets is recyclable and compostable. The label is made of vegetable fibres and the lid is also made of vegetable material.
Our guideline is as follows: Our products’ first users are our two daughters, our families and our loved ones who follow Frescoryl’s progress and encourage us. These are our benevolent Beta Testers. For them first and for all the customers of our brand, we seek to offer the best. We will not change the face of the planet, but we are proud to contribute, to our very modest measure, to its preservation.
NATRUE: As far as I know, you save between 5 and 10 liters of water for each dental treatment. How can you achieve it?
Corine: The water-saving takes place on several levels. First of all, all products of our Frescoryl range are anhydrous (without water). The method of using the tablets afterwards -without brush or water- saves a large amount of water for each dental hygiene act. According to studies carried out by major brands in the toothpaste market, this saving is estimated at between 2 and 10 liters. The ability to offer a water-free oral hygiene treatment anywhere, far from home, avoids this water waste. Water is the real main resource on the planet, the most precious.
The use without water is even more important in countries where water is scarce or unsuitable for consumption. As such, our product is regularly used in humanitarian disasters, in areas where the supply of drinking water is made difficult.
NATRUE: Why did you decide to certify your products with NATRUE?
Michel: We wanted to have the most authentic and transparent approach. At a time when greenwashing has become a recurring marketing practice, we felt important to be certified by an independent and unanimously recognized organization. This allows us both to legitimise our range’s discourse of naturalness and to reinforce our customers’ confidence. This also reinforces the satisfaction of our partners.
The NATRUE Label, which reflects the philosophy of our brand, validates the work done by the team. It is a source of pride for us and for all our stakeholders.
For more information about Frescoryl, visit https://www.frescoryl.com
Download this interview here.