Aesop East Hampton, New York, US
The newest addition to Aesop's burgeoning retail empire is a minimal masterpiece, located in the Hamptons. The Australian beauty luminary recruited the help of architecture firm, NADAAA, who took design cues from the region's maritime heritage, with products showcased on floating shelves fixed to digitally fabricated pegboard panels lining aqua walls. A large washbasin fashioned from Vermont soapstone takes centre stage as an invitation for visitors to sample the plethora of products on offer. Industrial copper pipes wrap themselves around the sink, designed to reflect the copper valves and taps found in the meticulously kept gardens of the surrounding neighbourhood.
55 Main Street, East Hampton, NY 11937; T: 1.631 324 1985; www.aesop.com
Writer: Romy van den Broeke
Viktor Leske Mitte salon, Berlin, Germany
Berlin's Mitte neighbourhood is brimming with minimalist joints clamouring for the patronage of its trendy locals - but there is one new hairdressing salon that's a cut above the rest. Parisian hair stylist Viktor Leske opened the doors to his second salon last month, with its sister outpost located across town in the equally stylish locale of Kreuzburg. Designed by Karhard Architektur, the new space features an industrial palate of concrete and dark wood, with stainless steel mirrors arcing dramatically onto the ceiling. Hair colouring takes place in a room that riffs on the hall of mirrors and the coloured LED lights found at fun fairs. Leske is a force of nature - equipped only with his electric razor, he gives each hairstyle a distinguished aesthetic that doesn't require much styling or maintenance. It's an approach that pretty much epitomises the laidback city.
Joachimstrasse 8, 10119 Berlin, Germany; T: 49.30 27 90 84 87; www.viktorleske.net
Writer: Romy van den Broeke;
Comme des Garçons 'Blue' Parfums
To celebrate the launch of its new fragrance collection, Comme des Garçons hosted an exhibit at its Pocket/Black store in Berlin entitled 'An Invasion of Blue'. Local artist Thomas Pausz divided the space into three rooms, presenting multi-sensory art works and installations to correspond with each of the fragrances. The first room, inspired by Blue Santal's notes of Australian sandalwood and juniper berries, contained large copper and steel sheets burnished to bring out a motley of colour. The second room transformed Blue Encens' crisp Artemisia and frozen spices into a visual experience of laboratory-grown blue crystals. The final room reimagined Blue Cedrat - an aroma of Virginian cedar wood, rose and crisp juniper - as a large crashing blue wave made from enamelled and marbled cedar wood sweeping through the space.
The Blue Series, £75 each; www.comme-des-garcons.com
Writer: Romy van den Broeke
Comme des Garçons 'Blue' Parfums
To celebrate the launch of its new fragrance collection, Comme des Garçons hosted an exhibit at its Pocket/Black store in Berlin entitled 'An Invasion of Blue'. Local artist Thomas Pausz divided the space into three rooms, presenting multi-sensory art works and installations to correspond with each of the fragrances. The first room, inspired by Blue Santal's notes of Australian sandalwood and juniper berries, contained large copper and steel sheets burnished to bring out a motley of colour. The second room transformed Blue Encens' crisp Artemisia and frozen spices into a visual experience of laboratory-grown blue crystals. The final room reimagined Blue Cedrat - an aroma of Virginian cedar wood, rose and crisp juniper - as a large crashing blue wave made from enamelled and marbled cedar wood sweeping through the space.
Pictured: 'Blue Santal', by Thomas Pausz
Comme des Garçons 'Blue' Parfums
To celebrate the launch of its new fragrance collection, Comme des Garçons hosted an exhibit at its Pocket/Black store in Berlin entitled 'An Invasion of Blue'. Local artist Thomas Pausz divided the space into three rooms, presenting multi-sensory art works and installations to correspond with each of the fragrances. The first room, inspired by Blue Santal's notes of Australian sandalwood and juniper berries, contained large copper and steel sheets burnished to bring out a motley of colour. The second room transformed Blue Encens' crisp Artemisia and frozen spices into a visual experience of laboratory-grown blue crystals. The final room reimagined Blue Cedrat - an aroma of Virginian cedar wood, rose and crisp juniper - as a large crashing blue wave made from enamelled and marbled cedar wood sweeping through the space.
Pictured: 'Blue Encens', by Thomas Pausz
Comme des Garçons 'Blue' Parfums
To celebrate the launch of its new fragrance collection, Comme des Garçons hosted an exhibit at its Pocket/Black store in Berlin entitled 'An Invasion of Blue'. Local artist Thomas Pausz divided the space into three rooms, presenting multi-sensory art works and installations to correspond with each of the fragrances. The first room, inspired by Blue Santal's notes of Australian sandalwood and juniper berries, contained large copper and steel sheets burnished to bring out a motley of colour. The second room transformed Blue Encens' crisp Artemisia and frozen spices into a visual experience of laboratory-grown blue crystals. The final room reimagined Blue Cedrat - an aroma of Virginian cedar wood, rose and crisp juniper - as a large crashing blue wave made from enamelled and marbled cedar wood sweeping through the space.
Pictured: 'Blue Cedrat', by Thomas Pausz
Clayspray Pore Refining White Clay Masque
Taking inspiration from century-old beauty rituals, Clayspray purifies and enhances skin using the most robust mineral on earth - for the first time ever in spray form. Quite fittingly the range was founded by an archeologist, Marian Gerenu, who has long been fascinated by the different properties of clay during her excavations around the world. With the support of her business partner Juan Luis Gonzalez, Gerenu has developed the most user-friendly form of cosmetic clay to date. The latest product of the range is a pore-refining mask that combines white clay with cardamom and spring water, enriched with macromolecular hydrogels to preserve its moisture. It acts on skin as a purifying exfoliant that promotes cell regeneration and removes toxins to prevent ageing. The masks are packaged in a patented air-tight cylinder that has been developed to keep the clay's purity intact, with a specially engineered pump to make sure it doesn't dry or clog the dispensing mechanism.
Clay Masque, £44.50 for 125ml; H20 Spray, £17.50 for 125ml; www.clayspray.com
Writer: Rose Bertoli
Clayspray Pore Refining White Clay Masque
Taking inspiration from century-old beauty rituals, Clayspray purifies and enhances skin using the most robust mineral on earth - for the first time ever in spray form. Quite fittingly the range was founded by an archeologist, Marian Gerenu, who has long been fascinated by the different properties of clay during her excavations around the world. With the support of her business partner Juan Luis Gonzalez, Gerenu has developed the most user-friendly form of cosmetic clay to date. The latest product of the range is a pore-refining mask that combines white clay with cardamom and spring water, enriched with macromolecular hydrogels to preserve its moisture. It acts on skin as a purifying exfoliant that promotes cell regeneration and removes toxins to prevent ageing. The masks are packaged in a patented air-tight cylinder that has been developed to keep the clay's purity intact, with a specially engineered pump to make sure it doesn't dry or clog the dispensing mechanism.
Pore Refining White Clay Masque, £44.50 for 125ml; www.clayspray.com
Writer: Rose Bertoli
We Need a Hero Salon, Singapore
Men's only salon We Need a Hero feels more like an ultra-modern gentleman's club than Singapore's latest grooming destination. And it's no wonder - the salon belongs to the Spa Esprit group, mogul Cynthia Chua's global portfolio of beauty and lifestyle concepts. Services range from niche treatments such as a classic barber's cut and wet shave, to waxing and brow grooming, delivered by experts Ministry of Waxing and Browhaus. The playful maximal décor includes concrete floors spiced up with chunky bright blue paint stripes and Persian rugs, while the wood-panelled walls are adorned with red star motifs, antlers and vintage art. Metallic light fixtures hang from the ceiling, and the cutting area is brought to life with mustard yellow leather chairs.
57 Eng Hoon Street, #01-86 (S) 160057, Singapore; www.weneedahero.sg
Writer: Rosa Bertoli
Atkinsons Fragrance Relaunch
British perfume and grooming brand Atkinsons is coming out of hibernation, with a newly revised selection of personal and home fragrances set to be launched at the end of June. Founded in 1799 by James Atkinson, the brand soon became a favourite amongst royalty, in particular King George IV, who took a whiff of the cologne and awarded Atkinson the title of 'Official Perfumer' to the Royal Court of England. Atkinsons set up shop in 24 Old Bond Street, which later became the name of the company's signature scent. The British marque is set to relaunch with two ranges: the Emblematic collection consists of home products and colognes in the classic '24 Old Bond Street' smell while the Legendary collection is a quartet of exemplary scent combinations (think Balkan tobacco and pink peppercorn or leather and labdanum) crafted by modern day noses in keeping with Atkinsons' original style.
Natural Spray, £80 for 100ml; www.atkinsons1799.com
Writer: Romy van den Broeke
Atkinsons Fragrance Relaunch
British perfume and grooming brand Atkinsons is coming out of hibernation, with a newly revised selection of personal and home fragrances set to be launched at the end of June. Founded in 1799 by James Atkinson, the brand soon became a favourite amongst royalty, in particular King George IV, who took a whiff of the cologne and awarded Atkinson the title of 'Official Perfumer' to the Royal Court of England. Atkinsons set up shop in 24 Old Bond Street, which later became the name of the company's signature scent. The British marque is set to relaunch with two ranges: the Emblematic collection consists of home products and colognes in the classic '24 Old Bond Street' smell while the Legendary collection is a quartet of exemplary scent combinations (think Balkan tobacco and pink peppercorn or leather and labdanum) crafted by modern day noses in keeping with Atkinsons' original style.
The Legendary Collection, £95 for 100ml; www.atkinsons1799.com
Atkinsons Fragrance Relaunch
British perfume and grooming brand Atkinsons is coming out of hibernation, with a newly revised selection of personal and home fragrances set to be launched at the end of June. Founded in 1799 by James Atkinson, the brand soon became a favourite amongst royalty, in particular King George IV, who took a whiff of the cologne and awarded Atkinson the title of 'Official Perfumer' to the Royal Court of England. Atkinsons set up shop in 24 Old Bond Street, which later became the name of the company's signature scent. The British marque is set to relaunch with two ranges: the Emblematic collection consists of home products and colognes in the classic '24 Old Bond Street' smell while the Legendary collection is a quartet of exemplary scent combinations (think Balkan tobacco and pink peppercorn or leather and labdanum) crafted by modern day noses in keeping with Atkinsons' original style.
Perfumed Soap, £22 for 150g; www.atkinsons1799.com
Hudson Made Beard and Shave
Men's grooming is going back to basics with a new beard and shave soap from New York-based lifestyle brand, Hudson Made. The philosophy of the company is all about simplicity and originality, from the products to their packaging. Designed to replace a shaving gel, the Hudson Made beard and shave soap comes in three different colours and correlating scents: cedar clove, citron neroli, and original white soap. Each has been devised to nourish beard hair and skin around the jaw using natural essential oils and high quality ingredients.
$25 each; www.hudsonmadeny.com
Writer: Romy van den Broeke
Hudson Made Beard and Shave
Men's grooming is going back to basics with a new beard and shave soap from New York-based lifestyle brand, Hudson Made. The philosophy of the company is all about simplicity and originality, from the products to their packaging. Designed to replace a shaving gel, the Hudson Made beard and shave soap comes in three different colours and correlating scents: cedar clove, citron neroli, and original white soap. Each has been devised to nourish beard hair and skin around the jaw using natural essential oils and high quality ingredients.
$25 each; www.hudsonmadeny.com
Writer: Romy van den Broeke
Goldfaden MD
New to doctoral skin care is Dr Gary Goldfaden's medley of skin perfecting remedies. Goldfaden MD is a powerful range of products comprising only natural and organic ingredients that target specific problem areas on the body. The collection includes: a 'Needle-less' anti-ageing cream made from a high concentration of hyaluronic acid with advanced hextapeptides to tauten and plump ageing skin, and 'Radical Difference', a serum containing anti-oxidant rich organic red tea and cherry extracts to help repair dermis. But our favourite product of the bunch is the 'Bright Eyes' cream, which curtails dark circles and swelling thanks to the large amounts of hydrating vitamin K, jojoba oil and rice bran extracts found within.
'Needle-less', £100; 'Radical Difference', £70; 'Bright Eyes', £48; www.spacenk.com
Writer: Romy van den Broeke
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