Sandra‘s Closet

A weekend of beauty! For the 23rd time the Gruner + Jahr SPA AWARDS (formerly GALA SPA AWARDS) were awarded in the end of March in Baden-Baden at the beautiful Brenner’s Park Hotel that is part of the Oetker Collection. My avid readers might remember my time to unwind at Villa Stéphanie, their «House of Wellbeing» next door. For me, it was an absolute pleasure to be back at one of my favorite places to detox and relax. I enjoyed the warm temperatures in the garden next to the blossoming cherry blossom trees after a wonderful facial and massage before getting ready for the night.

How beautiful is Brenner’s Park Hotel’s pool when you see the cherry blossom trees blossoming outside?!

The Gruner + Jahr SPA AWARDS are among the most important international beauty and spa awards. In addition to winners in six categories, two outstanding personalities are awarded the «Beauty Idol» and the «Special Prize». Personally speaking, I have a close relationship to Gruner + Jahr as my first job after my studies was at German Marie Claire magazine that belonged 50% to the  publishing house.

Spoiled upon arrival in the room…

Over 200 invited guests from the cosmetics industry, well-known representatives of the luxury hotel industry, from culture and show business gathered at the Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, among them Franziska Knuppe, Eva Padberg, Motsi Mabuse, Joachim Llambi, and Verona Pooth. Scroll through the best moments of the weekend, the bright winners and the glamorous looks of the evening that was hosted by Barbara Schöneberger, who is truly one of the most entertaining women I know.

Model Miranda Kerr is Beauty Idol 2019
The «Beauty Idol» was awarded to Miranda Kerr, the famous Australian «Victoria’s Secret» angel. Miranda is known not only as a top model, but also as an entrepreneur. Together with her mother Therese Kerr, she runs a beauty brand for sustainable natural cosmetics under the label «KORA Organics» (TO SHOP KORA ORGANICS, CLICK HERE PLEASE.). In addition, Miranda Kerr, a certified health coach and practicing buddhist, has dedicated herself to the topic of empowerment: In 2010, she published her first book «Treasure Yourself», followed by «Empower Yourself» in 2013. Despite her success, Miranda Kerr is very much down to earth and announced that she is pregnant with baby number three that night. For this inspirational personality, the jury honored her this year as «Beauty Idol» in 2019.

To read a previous interview I did with Miranda about her travel tips for Australia, click here please.

Special Prize for Günther Bonin
This year, the «Special Prize» went to environmental protector Günther Bonin, who set up the organization «One Earth – One Ocean». Together with his team of experts and volunteers, he developed the concept for a «maritime garbage collection». This special coastal waste collection catamaran, the so-called «SeeKuh», fishes floating plastic parts on the water surface with the help of a net. It uses solar energy and can pick up two tons of garbage per trip, which can then be recycled ashore. In addition to cleaning up the waters and seas, Günther Bonin wants to provide information in the long term, so that not so much garbage gets into the environment. The jury thanked Günther Bonin for his special commitment with the «Special Prize».

All other award winners at a glance:

Category «Luxury Concepts»: Shiseido – Future Solution LX / Intensive Firming Contour Serum

Category «Innovation Concepts»: Foreo – Foreo Ufo

Category «Cult Concepts»: Nivea – Q10 Series

Category «Organic Concepts»: Dr. Hauschka – Regeneration Day Cream 

Category «Medical & Health Concepts»: Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa – Spa Nescens, Switzerland

Category «Spa Concepts»: – Corinthia Hotel London – ESPA Life at Corinthia, United Kingdom

From left to right: Award winners Thomas Kochs (ESPA Life at Corinthia), Hans-Peter Veit (Victoria Jungfrau Frau Hotel & Spa), Maren Speckmann-Munz and Nicoline Woehrle (Dr. Hauschke), Kerstin Unger (Nivea), beauty idol Miranda Kerr, Editor-in-chief Gala Anne Meyer-Minnemann, host Barbara Schoeneberger, winners Günther Bonin, Johannes Scheer (Shiseido Group Germany) and Audrey de Saint Priest (Foreo) with their awards.

Switzerland in the house: with my dear Alana Netzer.

Barbara Schöneberger and CEO Oetker Collection Frank Marrenbach on stage.

A true beauty idol: Miranda Kerr

Eva Padberg with me

Anne Meyer-Minnemann and Cathy Hummels

Franjo and Verena Pooth

GNTM juror and celebrity make-up artist Armin Morbach with me

Franziska Knuppe

Always fun times with Princess Lilly Sayn-Wittgenstein

Let’s Dance: Motsi Mabuse, Joachim Llambi and Victoria Swarovski

The night culminated in a fun after party… thank God we had lots of beauty products in our room to look fresh the next day.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of GALA, © Axel Kirchhof/Gala, the respective locations and © Sandra Bauknecht

The new PRADA CANDY NIGHT Eau de Parfum, the new edition within the youthful Prada Candy line, is sensual and addictive. It opens with vibrant, fresh notes of neroli and iris, countered with notes of bitter orange. The heart notes of tonka bean, caramel and vanilla evoke the first Candy fragrance. Finally, chocolate and patchouli add a sensuous touch to the base notes.

It is a sensuous, addictive and vibrant fragrance: a more mysterious and seductive version of the first Candy EDP.
Prada Candy (2011), Prada Candy L’Eau (2013), Prada Candy Florale (2014), Prada Candy Kiss (2016), Prada Candy Gloss (2017) and Prada Candy Sugar Pop (2018).

The new PRADA CANDY NIGHT is available now for CHF 88.80 (30ml) and CHF 118.30 (50ml).

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of PRADA
#PRADAFRAGRANCES – #PRADACANDYNIGHT

Deep, intense ingredients born in the desert. Musk, amber and oud. Blended with quintessentially English florals. Captured in two mysterious scents.

Jo Malone’s Head of Global Product Development, Céline Roux, and Master Perfumer, Anne Flipo embarked on this journey to create something completely new for the brand.

Left: Anne Flipo – Right: Céline Roux

What inspired the concept of Absolu?

Céline: «It all began with my travels to the Middle East – I’ve visited a few times and have always been inspired by their passion for scent and ritual of layering fragrance. As you walk around all the markets and souks there, you’ll notice the air is infused with rich, deep, warm scents. So, I started to think about how we could interpret this, but with a Jo Malone London signature.»

Anne: «Together we identified the elements that are key in the Middle East – amber, oud and white musk. Not only are they in the air, but people also use them to scent their clothes and their hair. We then created a base around these three ingredients. The result is something truly unique and exclusive to Jo Malone London.»

Céline: «The thought of flowers came naturally after we’d worked on the base. We asked, ‘how could we combine the Middle Eastern air with an imaginary English garden?’ It felt like the perfect way to give each Absolu scent our signature freshness, and that Jo Malone London twist.»

Rose & White Musk Absolu
An English rose. Flowering in the heart of the Arabian desert. Unexpected. Mysterious. Enfolding with petal-fresh sweetness. Rich with oud and amber. Balanced on a powdery clean base of white musk. Soft and sensual. A mesmerising treasure. Brought to life in Jo Malone’s first Cologne Absolu. A bold new innovation in scent that dives straight into the heart note of the cologne, keeping our signature freshness, while leaving a beautiful, lingering trail of scent.

What makes Absolu different to other Jo Malone London Colognes?

Céline: «Absolu combines base and heart notes alone, to exude both warmth and freshness, woods and flowers, earth and air – creating captivating scents that evolve on contact with the skin and continue to inspire the senses after they are applied. We approach an Absolu in a very different way to our classic Colognes. Instead of starting with the top notes and the first olfactive impression, we work from the base up and emphasise one of the ingredients to complement each of the flowers we chose. So for Rose it was White Musk, and for this one we really pushed the amber to complement the elusive aroma of violet. We also eliminated the top notes entirely, so you go straight into the heart of the fragrance.»

Violet & Amber Absolu
In the Arabian night, an ethereal violet mysteriously blooms. Beloved of the British flower bed, its elusive scent of darkly purple petals and violet leaves wraps around oud and white musk, anchored by warm, sophisticated amber.

Why did you decide to work with violet?

Céline: «Violet is one of the most-loved flowers in the British flower garden! It was also a favourite among royals and poets. There are many quotes about violet in Shakespeare – one of my favourites is from Sonnet 99, “The forward violet thus did I chide. Sweet thief, whence didst thou steal thy sweet that smells, if not from my love’s breath?” So, it’s something of a classic.»

How would you layer and combine Violet & Amber Absolu?

Céline: «I recommend pairing it with Bronze Wood & Leather Cologne Intense – it brings even more depth and sensuality to the scent.»

Anne: «I combine it with Wood Sage & Sea Salt – it really amplifies the woody notes in the base and creates a very enthralling fragrance. It’s also intriguing to layer Violet & Amber with Rose & White Musk – the two Absolu scents together have such intensity and a really addictive quality.»

Both are available now ONLINE and in Switzerland at Jelmoli Zurich, Globus Zurich, Globus Glatt, Globus Bellevue, Globus Lucerne, Globus Geneva, Globus Lausanne and at Perfumery Hyazinth in Basel for CHF 280.00 (100ml) each.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Jo Malone London and © Sandra Bauknecht
@JoMaloneLondon #ScentAbsolu

Recently, I was invited by GARNIER to explore the brand’s new Organic skincare range. 11 products the company has been working on for 10 years. Sustainable sourcing, respect for the environment, vegan formulas and new organic certifications, all come together to write this new chapter.

But do organic products really work? The idea that a high-performance product can be made from ingredients drawn from nature, rather than the laboratory, might seem too good to be true. Still, skincare that’s kind to your skin and the environment is real. Here’s why..

The effectiveness of an organic product depends on how the ingredients are processed and how the overall product is formulated. Finding the correct balance of ingredients in a formula takes intensive research. This is especially true when working with natural extracts, which are inherently complex and diverse.

GARNIER has spent over 10 years sourcing and developing the right combination of natural and organic ingredients for the new Garnier Organic product line. The products are certified organic by the Soil Association according to rigorous international standards. Formulated with a minimum of 95% natural ingredients, each product harnesses a star natural ingredient, carefully blended in a formula to benefit a specific skin type.

The lemongrass is harvested in Sri Lanka, thyme and lavender, both come from France, and the precious argan oil derives from Morocco.

Swiss food blogger and author of «Eat Better, Not Less» Nadia Damaso treated us to some amazing vegan culinary dessert treats. Her cookbook, which has immediately become a bestseller in Switzerland, offers healthy yet super delicious mostly plant-based recipes that are completely free from refined sugar and lactose.

You are what you eat. Great skin is a combination of nutrition and the right skincare. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your GARNIER Organic Konjac Botanical Cleansing Sponge and gently buff your way to clearer, softer skin while you are preparing your vegan dinner.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: David Biedert Photography

YSL Beauté inaugurates an ephemeral space in Zurich: the #YSLBEAUTYHOTEL where each room and suite are dedicated to the Parisian brand’s ‘beauty’ pleasures. You can visit this fun pop-up space at MANOR in Zurich until April 13, 2019.

So let me take you through the YSL BEAUTY HOTEL, a true temple for beauty addicts that I visited on Monday before the official launch.

First, guests register in the lobby and receive their key, which opens the door to the extraordinary experience downstairs in the department store. If you are lucky, you can open the vault with your key and win some amazing surprises.

Artistic, intimate and mysterious, at the Beauty Bar you can discover the novelties and the intoxicating Black Opium scent. In the bedroom, you will find the perfect look for your lips and you can engrave your lipstick or perfume bottle as I did. A graffiti artist decorates the YSL products and gift boxes with intrepid colors. A unique personalization service that makes every product or gift unique.

Great news is that you can attend a masterclass where the YSL Beauté make-up artists share their secrets. It is always fun to learn new techniques. I truly enjoyed mine with Jérémy Mahfoud. Alone or with friends, make an appointment today, by calling +41 78 655 27 86.

Last but not least, break your Instagram. Lights, camera, action! Special photo corners invite you to snap the perfect shot and to share them on your social media channels under #YSLBEAUTYHOTEL. The concept reminds me a lot of the Stylenanda Pink Hotel in Seoul, that I visited past October.

Enjoy your stay – Happy Beautolidays!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © David Biedert Photography

Recently, I attended the Swiss launch event of CLINIQUE‘s newest beauty launch Clinique iD™ at Clouds in Zurich. The motto is simple, customize, don’t compromise. The idea behind the new cartridges that are inserted in your favorite texture of the Dramatically Different Moisturizer (Moisturizing Lotion, Oli-Control Gel and Hydrating Jelly) is to create a personalized custom-blend hydrator.

15 combinations are possible. Concerned with irritation? Pores and uneven skin texture? Uneven skin tone? Fatigue? Lines and wrinkles? For all these problems, CLINIQUE offers a solution. Choose one of three hydration bases, insert one of five cartridges with concentrated actives and you’re done. Instant, optimised results can be achieved with every use. The product in each bottle is said to last three months. Great skin, your way!

With Valeska Jansen (left) and Shari Jafari (right), Brand General Manager Clinique, Switzerland.

Personally speaking, I think it is an easy-to-use product for all skin types as you can personalize it for your concern, but especially great for younger skin. My daughter is a true addict and her complexion has absolutely changed in a short amount of time.

I found my combination with CLINIQUE Clinical Reality™, a tool that scans your skin to find the areas you have to target. My problem, no surprise… tired skin. My solution? Dramatically Different Moisturizer Moisturizing Lotion combined with the orange cartridge «Fatigue».

CLINIQUE Clinical Reality™

Beautiful sunny weather 

Shari Jafari giving an introduction speech about the newest launch.

Drinks were matching the colors of the cartridges…

… as well as the macarons.

Great music and lots of activities kept the guests busy…

… and offered many photo opportunities.

You could decorate a transparent make-up pouch with those stickers…

… or get your make-up refreshed.

The new Clinique iD™ Active Cartridge Concentrates are available now for CHF 75.00 each.

LoL, Sandra

 Photos: © Sanjeev Velmurugan Photography

A new limited edition collection to welcome spring by Jo Malone London. Five unexpected scents, inspired by the unruly weeds and wildly-wonderful plants and flowers that line the banks of a winding river.

Hemlock & Bergamot Cologne 30ml
Hemlock’s powdery petals, brightened with bergamot. A deadly, yet unexpectedly-delicate flower. Illuminated with golden mimosa and a floral flourish of heliotrope. Crisp and modern with a bite of cucumber.

Cade & Cedarwood Cologne 30ml
The smouldering embers of a wood-burning stove at nightfall. Basking in the warm and comforting glow of cade – its smoky scent mingled with cedarwood and complemented by a mouth-watering hint of sensual vanilla.

Lupin & Patchouli Cologne 30ml
Reminiscent of canal banks, awash with colour. A rainbow of lupin flowers, enriched by luxurious rose and deepened with rebellious patchouli. A surprising contrast with the fresh vibrancy of mandarin.

Willow & Amber Cologne 30ml
The expressive weeping willow, gently draping across the fresh morning water. Captured in the woody pairing of cashmere wood and smoky vetiver, enhanced by softly sensual amber.

Nettle & Wild Achillea Cologne 30ml
The tangy sting of nettle, peeking through pavement cracks and entwined with wild, white achillea flower. Sparkling with bright bergamot, the greenness softened by a soft base of white musk.

In stores now for CHF 72.00 each 30ml Cologne.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Jo Malone London
#WildlyWonderful – #FragranceCombining

My avid followers know that I love LA MER products and that I have worked with the brand on several occasions as their ambassador. Last September for example I invited my girlfriends for an exclusive LA MER dinner at my house and in November I hosted an event at Jelmoli for my dear readers.

Originally developed by scientist Max Huber to treat burns sustained after a lab accident, LA MER’s unique blend of transformative biofermented sea kelp has seen the moisturizer achieve cult beauty status. The formulation is now found across the brand’s skincare range to target and transform specific areas. What I love most about LA MER products is the fact that I don’t need to worry about the right age group or skin condition, the only thing I need to choose is the texture depending on my personal needs. Everything from this nutrient-rich line rejuvenates the complexion and alleviates the natural effects of aging by smoothing out wrinkles and fine lines.

Sometimes I look at my bathroom shelf and think it looks like a LA MER beauty counter! Besides the famous moisturizer, they are many different additions to choose from, from serums to masks, from eye care to cleansers. Furthermore, there is a miracle product that I would like to introduce you today: the LA MER CONCENTRATE. Luxury products like these are definitely an investment but I find a little goes a long way and personally my skin is something I invest in.

The LA MER CONCENTRATE has become a must-have accessory for me.

This lightweight elixir restores a vibrant and healthy complexion, and delivers effective results with the smallest amount of product. Besides this, there are two reasons why I am truly convinced:

1. I love to take care of my skin day-to-day at home or while traveling. Especially the part under my eye or around my nostrils tends to get easily irritated while I am in a plane or switch from one climate zone to the other. The LA MER CONCENTRATE soothes visible irritation and redness as it helps strengthen and restore fragile skin, leaving it look deeply revitalized. I always carry it with me and even use it around the eyes and over make-up.

The LA MER CONCENTRATE joins me on every trip I do.

2. I love its healing effect. The LA MER CONCENTRATE is one of the brand’s most loved formulas. Blended with a high dilution of its signature Miracle Broth™, it helps to stimulate your skin’s natural renewal process. I used it for 24 months on this ugly scar on my hand and it almost disappeared.

The application is easy, just use the doe-foot applicator to administer just a touch in the morning or evening or if needed.

As a big fan, I have a little surprise for my Swiss followers. If you spent more than CHF 150, you will receive a LA MER Pouch with a Deluxe Soft Cream 7ml (CHF 45.00) and a Deluxe Cleansing Foam 30ml (CHF 30.00) with the promo code: sandralamer. Offer valid until March 31st, 2019.

TO SHOP WITH THE SPECIAL PROMO CODE, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Naj Oleari is a beloved Italian brand that garnered extraordinary fame for its original patterned fabrics inspired by nature, which were applied to every kind of accessories. Many of those symbols became iconic especially for young people of the ’80s generation obsessed with designer labels.

This year, Naj Oleari Beauty is ready to come back and tell its new story with the launch of a complete make-up line (50 products – 200 references), packed in rose gold for a modern and refined look. The mythical illustrations of Naj Oleari adorn the details and finishes of every product. Compacts and lipsticks are made with innovative magnetic closures that make them even more practical and elegant.

Furthermore, it is the first time that a make-up line has been made with perfumes created exclusively by Maitre Parfumeur. Lipstick smell like marshmallows for example and nail polishes like fig sorbet.

Tonight, I attended the launch event in Zurich on Bahnhofstrasse at WeSpace. The room was divided into different corners with several activities, from getting your hair braided or a professional make-up look to a photo booth. My favorite part was to make my own lipstick. I wanted to create a perfect nude shade and mixed white, red and brown.

First, I had to melt the wax, then I added some glitter and raspberry extract for an anti-aging effect. The hardest decision was to choose the scent. Vanilla and coconut convinced me the most. After that, I had to go back to the stove to melt everything together. The liquid was filled into a small compartment and put for 20 minuted in the fridge. Et voilà I have the best smelling nude shade.

Thank you for this experience! Naj Olevari is available from end of March at all Müller drugstores in Switzerland.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

With UN JARDIN SUR LA LAGUNE, HERMÈS celebrates dreams, and invites to discover a secret place in Venice, where fragrances come from the sky. In this vibrant and caressing perfume, the scents of magnolias and pittosporums mingle with sprays from the sea to create a singular gentleness.

Blooming in the shadow of dreams… this is the fifth fragrance in the HERMÈS Garden-Perfumes collection, the first in this line created by Christine Nagel, who is the Maison’s in-house perfumer since 2013.

Personally speaking, I like her perfumes a lot, and this one is extremely special, so different and intoxicating. Not as fresh as the previous ones, instead slightly oriental. A warm and sunny fragrance that puts a smile on your face and Venice references in perfumery are always interesting, don’t you think?

The illustration for the beautiful packaging is signed by the famous Bosnian artist Safet Zec.

UN JARDIN SUR LA LAGUNE
Eau de Toilette 30ml (CHF 76.00), 50ml (CHF 108.00) and 100ml (CHF 154.00)
Body Lotion 200ml (75.00) and Shower Gel 200ml (CHF 60.00).

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hermès