Nadia Payo: A Woman from Odessa Who Taught Women Around the World How to Be Beautiful

Intent continuesits series of articles about notable women and men from Odessa. This time, the article is dedicated to Nadia Payo.

From Odessa to New York

Nadia Payo (née Rasha) was born in 1887 into a wealthy Odessa family. Her family’s wealth gave her a good start in life: knowledge of five languages and a passion for freedom.

Nadia Rasha at age 10. PHOTO: karavan.ua

In those days, the idea of studying to become a doctor could only occur to a very progressive young woman. In the Russian Empire, the path to this dream was closed. So she enrolled in the medical school at the University of Lausanne. However, even there, Nadia was the only woman in her class. The male students were not only unhappy with her presence but also filed complaints with the administration to get rid of their female classmate. But this did not stop Nadia on her path to graduation.

Studying such serious subjects as anatomy, chemistry, and pharmacology did not prevent the young woman from finding love. A young engineer named Edmond Payot became the husband of the lovely and determined doctor. And Nadia Rasha became Nadia Payot for good.

Nadia Pajo during her student years. PHOTO: karavan.ua

Her husband was just as determined as his wife. And instead of a honeymoon, the newlyweds headed to Argentina, where Edmond had found a job.

In Argentina, Nadia didn’t sit idle; she became a volunteer at local medical facilities, helping the poorest patients access medical care. Later, the family moved to New York, where Edmond continued his studies. And Nadia kept up with him. She took a variety of courses: medical workshops, herbal medicine, and cosmetology. And in between, the young woman entertained herself with trips to beauty salons and socializing with celebrities of the time. However, American salons at the time were limited to applying makeup. So they didn’t solve the problem of wrinkles—they merely masked it.

Edmond and Nadia Paio. PHOTO: cosmeticsandskin.com

How facial gymnastics was born

Among Nadia’s New York acquaintances was Anna Pavlova. She met her in 1918; at the time, the ballerina was 37 years old. Despite her relatively young and well-trained body, signs of aging were visible on her face and neck. And no amount of makeup could hide them.

That’s when Nadia realized that the face also has muscles. And if you train them, you can prolong your youth. Nadia developed a set of forty-two exercises for facial contouring.

To enable women around the world to benefit from this system, Nadia published a book that became the firstbeauty bestseller: "Gymnastics for the Face and Neck."

Beauty with a Scientific Approach

But exercises alone are not enough. Beauty is a reflection of the health of the body and spirit. And modern science and philosophy must be put to work in the service of beauty. So Nadia set out to implement a scientific approach to beauty. Thus, creams were eventually added to the exercises.

Nadia began developing her own formulas in Paris after World War I. The composition of these formulas has remained unchanged for over a century and is still sold worldwide. The year 1920 marks the official founding of the Payot brand.

The result of Nadia Payot’s many years of research was the opening in 1925 in Paris of Europe’s first Beauty Institute, whose clients included the most prominent beauties of the time: Ingrid Bergman, Rita Hayworth, and Greta Garbo. The Institute offered not only massages and creams but also treatments such as iontophoresis, microcurrent therapy, and body wraps.

There was no shortage of clients. After all, this was the first cosmetics line created by a woman for women. And not just any woman, but a female physician. Branches of Nadia Paio’s salons opened in Monte Carlo and Biarritz. Nadia continues to publish new bestsellers: "Being Beautiful," "The Book of Beauty."

She was the one who established the gold standard for daily beauty rituals: cleansing, nourishing, and stimulation. And she was the first to categorize cosmetics by skin type.

Nadia Payot performs a treatment. PHOTO: marieclaire.ua

The crisis that changed the brand’s philosophy

One day, success turned into a crisis. And it wasn’t just because of the start of World War II. At the same time, Nadia was going through a personal drama: her husband was leaving her for another woman. A reevaluation of her values led Nadia to study anthroposophy. Dr. Paio incorporated a key element into her brand’s philosophy: the idea of balance between body and spirit. Now Nadia wasn’t just selling creams and massages; she was imparting an understanding of the interconnectedness of spirit and body.

This inner transformation led to the emergence of a new direction in Nadia Paio’s business—education. After World War II, she opened her own school for cosmetologists. The training course lasts one year. Those with a medical background are offered a six-month program. Nadia taught courses such as physiology, anatomy, and aesthetic dermatology.

In the 1950s, Nadia sold her business to Revlon. After the sale, she remained connected to the brand for several more years: she demonstrated cosmetic procedures as a model and personally administered exams to aspiring cosmetologists.

Nadia Payot passed away in 1966. Her brand, founded way back in 1920, changed hands several more times, but the name and philosophy established by its founder remained unchanged. And the recognizable pink jars with their tapered silhouette became one of the symbols of beauty, combining skincare with scientific innovation.

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