Sandra‘s Closet

Do you know Ahava? Do you believe in love at first sight?

It might happen now. Ahava (Hebrew: אהבה‎) means love, in this case love for your skin. The Israeli cosmetics company, that was launched in 1988, manufactures skin care products made of mud and mineral-based compounds from the Dead Sea which are outstanding, especially for sensitive skin. And don’t forget to enter the contest at the end of this post!

The Dead Sea is a natural geological wonder formed throughout the millennia and located at the bottom of the world, some 410 meters below sea level. I have been there. It’s a strikingly beautiful and peaceful place that only Mother Nature could create. It’s mysterious: A unique salty lake, in which bathers rather float than sink, and a muddy shoreline that holds the earth’s greatest concentration of skin-moisturizing minerals. The sea water is filled with a one-of-a-kind, age-delaying algae; and skin-soothing plants that grow in the driest desert conditions. Once the legendary, personal spa of Cleopatra it has become a modern-day oasis for people everywhere seeking its clinically-proven skin therapies and treatments.

The AHAVA Dead Sea Laboratories have developed the exclusive Osmoter™, a blend of Dead Sea minerals that helps delivering moisture to even the deepest layers of the skin. It’s a sensation that says “my skin reborn”, included in all three products below. I have tested them all and am absolutely convinced of their replenishing power.

Time to Treat – COMFORTING CREAM

This effective calming moisturizer provides total relief from sensitive skin and can be used every day or for occasional flare-ups. It soothes irritations, reduces redness and lessens the skin’s reaction to aggressors by fortifying the skin’s natural barrier and providing deep hydration and nourishment. A MUST FOR SENSITIVE SKIN! You will thank me forever!

CHF 58.00 (50ml)

Time to Revitalize – EXTREME RADIANCE LIFTING MASK

A fast-firming, active mineral based mask that provides skin with a vital boost of radiance. Enriched with hydrating Dead Sea minerals, Moroccan Argan oil, and augmented by a rich concentrate of detoxifying botanical extracts from the Himalayas, the ingredients combine their collective powers to achieve an instantly firmer, smoothly toned youthful complexion.

CHF 58.00 (75ml)

Time to Clear – EYE MAKE UP REMOVER

A gently effective water and oil based formula that removes even waterproof eye makeup without leaving a sticky residue or drying skin. I have a very sensitive eye area and love this product that leaves it completely clean and soft.

CHF 24.00 (125ml)

Good news for my Swiss based readers: 10 of you have the chance to WIN A BOTTLE of this fantastic EYE MAKE UP REMOVER by AHAVA.

To participate in the contest, please send me an e-mail with your postal address and the header “Ahava” to . All entries must be received until May 15, 2013. No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win this contest. By entering this contest, entrants accept and agree to be bound by these official rules.
The winner has to have a Swiss address.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Ahava

Today is Earth Day 2013, that aims to inspire awareness of and appreciation for earth’s environment. To honour that special day, Kiehl’s turns the spotlight on two amazing initiatives: their popular “recycle and be rewarded” loyalty eco-program (If you return three empty Kiehl’s packages, you will get a Kiehl’s lipbalm for free. In case that you bring back 10 finished products, you will get a full size 250ml shower gel.) and the limited edition Eco Bag Blanda Eggenschwiler. Kiehl’s donates the total proceeds (CHF 9.000.-) of the sale of this organic cotton bag (limited to 500 pieces) to the bioRe® Foundation.

Blanda is not only the girlfriend of Joe Jonas (Jones Brothers) but also a very talented graphic designer from Zurich who is living in NYC. Representing the perfect mixture of Swiss art and New York lifestyle, the stunning beauty has created the very cute fabric tote that will be available in all Kiehl’s stores in Switzerland Mid May for CHF 18.00.

Great news for my Swiss based readers: Here is your chance to win one of five limited edition Eco Bags that were signed by Blanda Eggenschwiler.

To win, please send me an e-mail with your postal address and the header “Kiehl’s” to .

All entries must be received until May 1, 2013. No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win this contest. By entering this contest, entrants accept and agree to be bound by these official rules. The winner has to have a Swiss address.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via Teen.com and © Sandra Bauknecht

Salvatore Ferragamo‘s S/S 2013 collection is super luxe with some beautiful pieces in must-have pastel colors. Celebrate yourself with a look that will make heads turn: Turquoise linen blazer, apricot silk dress and leather Sookie tote, all by Salvatore Ferragamo and Dolly suede platform pumps by Charlotte Olympia.

The house of Salvatore Ferragamo knows how to make fashion desirable and the same goes for their fragrances. Be a different Signorina every day with the new joyful SIGNORINA Eau de Toilette.

FLORAL FRUITY
Top notes: Grapefruit and litchi
Heart notes: Rose oil and rice steam
Base notes: Milk mousse and cashmeran
Eau de Toilette CHF 59.00 (30ml), CHF 89.00 (50ml) and CHF 119.00 (100ml)

Great news for my Swiss readers: Five lucky readers have the chance to win a 30ml bottle of SIGNORINA Eau de Toilette by Salvatore Ferragamo. Send me an e-mail with your postal address and the header “Signorina” to .

All entries must be received until April 26, 2013. No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win this contest. By entering this contest, entrants accept and agree to be bound by these official rules. The winner has to have a Swiss address.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Salvatore Ferragamo and Charlotte Olympia

Designed in New York. Made in Italy. Worn with affection.

Shoes transport you: From the cobblestoned streets of SoHo to the cafes and canals of Venice, comfortable, chic, shoes allow us to explore fashion and culture. With this in mind, J.Crew’s new Italian shoe collection has the style of New York and the craftsmanship of Italy. To check out which ones are your favorites, click here please.

Personally speaking, I love the Janey patent flats in lime green and the Etta pink leopard sequins pumps (see above).

Great news for you, my dear readers! Here is your chance to receive a trip for two to NYC, a tour of the Vogue offices, a $1,000 J.Crew shopping spree with a Very Personal Stylist, and dinner for two at a NYC Italian hot spot. All you have to do is to share your interpretation of how your world reflects the mix-and-match fashions of NYC and the cultural community of Italy.

HOW TO ENTER

– Subscribe/log-in to Pinterest and follow J.Crew on Pinterest.
– Create a board entitled “My Shoe Story”.
– Pin 5 shoe or product images from jcrew.com or J.Crew Pinterest together with images of the places that inspire you.
– Use the hashtags #jcrew and #myshoestory in the pin descriptions.
– Click here to enter.
– The contest ends on April 29, 2013.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of J.Crew

To celebrate 60 years of design, Chloé is releasing a capsule collection of its most popular styles. Founded in 1952 by Gaby Aghion and Jacques Lenoir, the label has seen many famous designers creating some of the iconic fashion styles, such as Karl Lagerfeld‘s Galaxie dress, Violon dress and Eventail clutch, Phoebe Philo‘s Camera bag, python boots, Silverado bag, paisley-print silk scarf, and wedge sandals, Stella McCartney‘s Ananas pineapple T-shirt and Hannah MacGibbon‘s shorts and cape.

Available online exclusively at net-à-porter, the anniversary heritage collection is also sold in a pop-up shop in the atrium of Paris department store Printemps.

Below you can explore the complete limited re-edition collection. If you like something, just click on the highlighted text to be transferred directly.
Personally speaking, I can only say how happy I am that I have kept all my fabulous Chloé pieces over the years… no need for me to go shopping!

Silk-crepe blouse by Gaby Aghion – Chloé F/W 1960

The Galaxie dress by Karl Lagerfeld – Chloé S/S 1978

The Éventail clutch by Karl Lagerfeld – Chloé F/W 1979 – a limited re-issue of 60.

The Violon dress by Karl Lagerfeld – Chloé S/S 1983 – a limited re-issue of 60.

The Pineapple top by Stella McCartney – Chloé S/S 2001.

The Camera bag by Phoebe Philo – Chloé S/S 2004.

Python boots, Silverado bag and paisley-print silk scarf by Phoebe Philo – Chloé F/W 2004.

Broderie anglaise blouse and wedge sandals by Phoebe Philo – Chloé S/S 2006.

Cape and leather shorts by Hannah MacGibbon – Chloé F/W 2009.

In honour of Chloé’s 60th anniversary, net-à-porter is giving you the chance to share your favorite Chloé moments (e.g. street style shots, favorite products, campaign imagery etc.) to be in with a chance to win a camera bag by Phoebe Philo. All you have to do is share your moments using the #ilovechloe hashtag on Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest. Net-à-porter then shares an edit of their favourite entries on their #ILOVECHLOE pinboard.

Have fun and good luck!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of net-à-porter, Printemps and Chloé

This Valentine’s Day make her blush with something from this gift guide. Of course, those ideas work perfectly for every woman you love, your girlfriend, your mother, your daughter and your wife. If nobody is treating you, treat yourself and say be mine!

BEAUTY

Valentine’s Day is getting close, what if he offered you the new fruity floral KENZOAMOUR I♥U ?
A bouquet for every day, a subtle love message every morning.

Top notes: Grapefruit and black currant
Heart notes: Rose, cherry and lilac
Base notes: Musk and cedarwood
Available now. CHF 80.50 (40ml)

When it comes to the art of gifting, Jo Malone offers some of the most beautiful choices. For Valentines’ Day, the brand’s Red Roses fragrance is lovely, composed of seven types of roses from around the world.

Celebrate the essence of romance with the Red Roses Fragrance Chronicle™. A trio of exclusive accords to layer with voluptuous Red Roses. Create individual effects: Sweet Lemon brings tantalising transparency; Scarlet Velvet Rose adds richness; and Honeycomb, a nectar-like warmth. Write your own love story…
Available at Jelmoli Zurich and Globus Geneva for CHF 130.00

For Valentine’s Day, Bobbi Brown recommends to mix unusual colour combinations, her favourite at the moment: pink and red.

PINK & RED COLLECTION (New and limited edition shades from left to right):
Sheer Colour Tint in Sheer Pink and Sheer Cherry, CHF 39.00
Sheer Lip Gloss in Cheery (new) and Pretty in Pink, CHF 35.00
Nail Polishes in Pink Valentine and Valentine Red, CHF 27.00
Creamy Matte Lip Color in Hot (new) and Heart, CHF 38.00

The message that street artist Curtis Kulig spreads is amazing: Love is universal. Everything about the newest Smashbox collection “Love Me” is true to Curtis, to his art. Cute, beautiful and cool in one with hearts allover.

LOVE ME COLLECTION (In Switzerland exclusively availabe at Marionnaud)
Eye Shadow Palette in Admire Me (pink-brown) and Entice Me (blue-purple), CHF 44.00
Be Legendary Lipstick in Love Me (red) and Tempt Me (coral), CHF 26.00
Blush in Idolize Me (light pink), CHF 40.00
Paint Pen Eye Liner in Jet Black, CHF 29.00
Lip Enhancing Gloss in Adore Me (coral red) and Charm Me (bubblegum pink), CHF 24.00

FASHION

Declare your love with this playfully embellished jersey T-shirt by Lanvin. 
Blooming with vinyl flowers and sparkling with crystals, it will make the heart of every fashionista girlfriend leap with joy!

You cannot go wrong with a pair of fabulous shoes:
Love Me heart-appliquéd suede pumps by Charlotte Olympia

The Valentines Bayswater leather clutch by Mulberry is the perfect gift for your beloved one.

This beautiful Valentine bag by Gucci is part of a whole collection dedicated to love.

WATCHES & JEWELRY

You’re crazy in love? Say it out loud! Make it perfectly clear with A LA FOLIE (GZ281) — the Swatch watch that says,” I’m mad about you. True love has nothing to hide”, created especially for Valentine’s Day.

Model: Gent
Dial: pink with heart-shaped opening revealing some pink components within
Case: 34 mm solid mat white plastic
Bracelet: bi-colour mat white and pink silicone, smells like vanilla
Available now for CHF 70.00.

How cute is Montblanc‘s Valentine necklace?! It pairs a large heart in warm pink gold combined with the house’s star emblem in stainless steel. The two pendants are firmly tied together with an adjustable leather cord which is available in black or brown.
Available for CHF 325.00.

I hope that I could inspire you a little. And last but not least, here is an amazing contest for you:

VALENTINE’S DAY SSENSE Selfie Contest
To celebrate love in the modern world SSENSE is hosting a contest. The idea is simple: participants take a photo of themselves and upload it to Instagram with the hashtag #SSENSELOVESME. Two entries will be picked on Valentine’s Day, and the winners will receive a $2,500 gift card to use on ssense.com.

To participate: Follow @SSENSE on Instagram. Take a photo of yourself. Post that photo to Instagram with the hashtag #SSENSELOVESME and mention @SSENSE. The contest ends at 12:00pm EST on Valentine’s Day.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the brands, © Sandra Bauknecht

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I absolutely love scented candles and their calming effect. By creating a cozy atmosphere, just its glow can be comforting.
But mind, they are many differences in terms of quality and it is advisable to buy one made of good ingredients as some candles might produce smoke laced with toxins.

I recently came across CALMING PARK scented candles that are produced in Grasse, France, the world capital of perfume. They are made of organic palm wax and paraffin with a 12% perfume concentration. Their scents are absolutely gorgeous!

The classic range is available in 5 different fragrances:

CACTUS
The calming note of cactus, the pure transparece of water flowers and aloe vera on a background of precious woods.
CASHMERE
The exotic soothing trip to India, the woody notes of patchouli and cedar mingle with precious incense and myrrh balms.
FIG-BAMBOO
The cut grass, the leaves of the green fig tree and the gourmand wood notes accompanying the pure and calming bamboo.
SEQUOIA
The relaxing sandalwood note, , fresh pink berries associated with zesty notes of lime and tangerine spiced with cinnamon bark and clary sage.
SPA DE PROVENCE
The calming scents of the dew from a provencal garden, clarity leaves of green tea and fig, powdery notes of mimosa and heady jasmine on a wooden background of olive and orange leaves.

Today, you have the chance to win the very special candle L’ABSENCE that jazz sensation Melody Gardot has created in collaboration with CALMING PARK.

L’ABSENCE
The relaxing scent of lavander, the sensual notes of the ocean meet the woody notes of cedarwood, cashmere and iris, spiced up by patchouli and white musc.

To win, please send me an e-mail with your postal address and the header “Calming Park” to and like Sandra’s Closet on Facebook.

All entries must be received until January 4, 2013. No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win this contest. By entering this contest, entrants accept and agree to be bound by these official rules.

For those who don’t want to rely on their chance to win, L’ABSENCE is available as limited edition at selected CALMING PARK’s stockists:

– LIMITED STOCK, ZURICH
– HAUTE PARFUMERIE THEODORA, GENEVA
– LISA FEILER, BERN
– EXCELSIOR, MILAN
– FIERTE, SEOUL

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Melody Gardot, © Agi Simoes and © Sandra Bauknecht

Behind the 20th door of my advent calendar, I have a second chance for you to win the limited edition blogger T-shirt in collaboration with Closed. The first tee that you could win on Sandra’s Closet (click here for the previous post in which you can also see how I am wearing it) went to B. Young in the US. Congrats! Now, you have a second chance, Swiss Bolero magazine is raffling one off as well and it is the last day to enter HERE.

For all of you, who don’t want to rely on the contest, there are a few tees left in sizes M and XL, TO SHOP PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Thanks a lot to WadMag, Bolero, SI Style magazine and the Stil Magazine of NZZ am Sonntag for featuring my T-shirt!

LoL, Sandra

SI Style

NZZ am Sonntag – Stil Magazine – Nov 4, 2012

As promised, here is your chance to get a bottle of the Montblanc Bespoke Ink Edition SANDRA BERRY, the first personalized ink Montblanc has ever created, limited to 100 pieces in the lovely shade of a pinkish berry hue and only available here on Sandra’s Closet.

Send me an e-mail with your postal address and the header “Sandra Berry” to and like Sandra’s Closet on Facebook.
All entries must be received until January 15, 2013. No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win this contest. By entering this contest, entrants accept and agree to be bound by these official rules.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Etienne Schwank and © Sandra Bauknecht

Crystals, the new sparkling bangles collection by Sal y Limon, is just perfect for Christmas. Those handmade fun jewelry pieces will make you shine like a star or be the perfect surprise for a beloved friend. Available in many colours for CHF 54.- each, in Switzerland at Globus, Companys, Feldpausch, Schild and Loeb.

One lucky reader has the chance to win a set of three bangles (orange, pink, fuchsia). Send me an e-mail with your address and the header “Christmas Bangles” to .

All entries must be received until December 16st, 2012. No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win this contest. By entering this contest, entrants accept and agree to be bound by these official rules.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Sal y Limon and © Sandra Bauknecht