What is "bayankala"

Bayankala is a natural skincare brand originating from Shanghai, China, that was conceived of by a French entrepreneur and long-time resident and "old China hand", Jean Zimmermann. Zimmermann founded the brand together with a Chinese herbalist. The inspiration for the brand came during his time as General Manager of Lane Crawford department stores in China when he decided to create a high-end Chinese brand.

The brand itself is named after the Bayan Har Mountains in south-central Qinghai, which contain the source of the Yellow River. The symbol of the brand is the "hulu," (葫芦 pinyin: húlu) the Chinese bottle gourd that was traditionally used as a vessel by and hung out front as a sign of the Chinese pharmacy.