Francoise Mühlethaler, co-owner of family-owned French skincare and spa brand Yon-Ka Paris, has died aged 79 years.

A biochemist by trade, Mühlethaler – along with her sister Catherine Mühlethaler, an aesthetician – reinvented and led the company founded in 1954. The small craft brand, developed by botany lovers Cécile, Ernest and Charles Mühlethaler, with support from chemists, has now become a leading phyto-aromatherapy beauty brand.

Mühlethaler believed in the power of plant extracts and essential oils. She was committed to working with clean, highly sustainable ingredients which feature the latest technology to ensure the development of high-potency, sustainable and active products.

According to Yon-Ka, Mühlethaler served for six decades as the ‘leader and the heartbeat’ of the band: “Francoise always stayed true to her beliefs and convictions about skincare and overall wellness. She was a pioneer of her time and was never held hostage by trends”.

Catherine Mühlethaler, GM of Yon-Ka Paris, said: “Product innovation after product innovation, collection after collection, Francoise left her mark on the family’s legend and the history of the brand while cherishing the values of our family: authenticity, respect and a taste for adventure.

Alexis Wolkowinski, GM of Yon-Ka Paris UK and nephew of Mühlethaler, added: “Thanks to her creative genius, generosity and exceptional intuition, my aunt was ahead of her time, which widely contributed to Yon-Ka’s success worldwide. Today, not only have I lost a family member, friend and mentor, but an extraordinary leader who reinvented the brand.”