Sandra‘s Closet

For the past 150 years the House of Roger&Gallet has been celebrating the magic of Christmas and has shared the joy of giving with fragrance connoisseurs from all over the world.

To celebrate its anniversary year, Roger&Gallet is introducing a collection of colourful and festive Christmas box sets. And I have some very good news for my Swiss based readers, 15 OF YOU CAN WIN ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL GIFT BOXES EACH. All you have to do is send me an e-mail to with the header “Roger&Gallet Christmas” and your postal address.

Contestants MUST live in Switzerland. All entries must be received until November 30, 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.

GIFT SET FLEUR D`OSMANTHUS
For her. A cascade of appetising floral notes, with citrus fruit and wood transport you into a Chinese Garden of Eden, in quest of the rare and mysterious flower of happiness. The bunch contains a heart of mandarin, grapefruit and benzoin essential oils.

GIFT SET ROSE
For her. Nepalese roses, sparkling mandarin and peonies combined with the mysteries of amber and the velvet of almond milk lead you to a magical walk through the splendour of the palaces of Bengal and their delectable gardens.

GIFT SET BOIS D‘ORANGE
For both him and her. The essence of mandarin meets the soft, green accents of basil-verbena: an original blend with an orange theme and a base of musky notes of clear amber and woody depths of palissander and Atlas cedar take you to an olfactive journey into the Andalucian gardens of the Alhambra in Grenada under the orange trees of the Generalife Palace.

This year, Roger&Gallet’s eaux parfumées (100ml) are accompanied by a delightful duo: a shower gel (50ml) and body milk (50ml), to add extra magic to your gifts. Also available in the following scents: CÉDRAT, THÉ VERT, GINGEMBRE.

PRICE: CHF 59.60 each

GIFT SET 4 SAVON
The four soaps in this box set are delicately wrapped in “sun-shaped” pleated silk paper, in colours reflecting their fragrances: Jean Marie Farina Eau de Cologne, Bois d’Orange, Citron and Rose. Roger&Gallet soaps are produced using the traditional “cauldron” method and perfumed to the heart.

PRICE: CHF 27.40

All gift sets are available in pharmacies now.
Don’t forget to enter the contest! Good luck!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Roger&Gallet

Ladies, are you looking for the perfect location to celebrate a fabulous hen party or for an extraordinarily entertaining evening with girlfriends?
Your search is over! “Spa and the City” makes women’s hearts beat faster.

The “Spa and the City” lifestyle-offer at Lucerne‘s ART DECO HOTEL MONTANA in the Penthouse Spa Suite addresses today’s young and frivolous female. And MONTANA spoils you with welcome drinks, cult films, sexy private butler who goes by the name of Mr Spax, mouth-watering food and “hot” surprises for you ladies!

Cosmetic treatments boost feeling good about yourself, handsome private butler Mr Spax eagerly awaits mixing you a drink at the Suite Bar – and in the whirlpool on the balcony you can soak up the sights of the city as you sip champagne.
A colourful, sexy and cheeky offer that can be complemented with additional services such as limousine-shuttle, massages, beauty and Botox treatments, as well as jewellery, slinky lingerie and erotic toy presentations – not forgetting free-flow champagne, chocolate fountains and any other personal wish we’re able to fulfill!

The new and extravagant package is sure to leave lasting memories, with loads of highlights and laughs. And here comes the good news: YOU HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN THE SPA AND THE CITY PACKAGE FOR YOU AND FOUR OF YOUR GIRLFRIENDS. This original package (see Spa and the City Package below), which bears the artistic signature of no lesser than the master of graphic arts himself –namely British-born star illustrator Jason Brooks – is yours to enjoy.

All you have to do is to send me an e-mail with the header “Spa and the City” to with your address and why you would love to win.
Probably you are having a special occasion to celebrate, just tell me.
Travel costs are not included. All entries must be received until November 30, 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.

Spa and the City Package (Your chance to win this package)
• Welcome drink
• Use of and overnight stay in the Penthouse Suite 606 with own spa area
(Including buffet breakfast)
• Private Butler Mr Spax from 17.00 until 24.00
• 3-course finger food dinner
• Large film selection
• Beauty Bag with exclusive choice of products

From CHF 248 per person, bookable for 3 to 8 people.

Additional services, with surcharge:
• Cosmetic Treatments (Massages, Beauty-Treatments, Botox)
• Product Presentations such as Jewellery, Erotic Toys or Lingerie
• Free-flow Champagne / Prosecco
• Chocolate-Fountain with Fruit-Sticks
• Hairstyling, Personal Fashion Advice
• Photography
• Limousine Service to the Personal Party!

Further details and info concerning additional services or to book, please click here.
Good luck!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Art Deco Hotel Montana, Jason Brooks

Do you still believe in Santa Claus? Well, you should…
This year, he does exist and his name is Jean Paul Gaultier. But this time, only “naughty children” will be rewarded.

Discover “The Naughty Christmas” on www.jeanpaulgaultier.com.

Each day, a gift can be won. You have the chance to open three doors, the rule is… There are no rules, open whichever day you want! This is Christmas for naughty children. Very cool!

LoL, Sandra

I have to admit that I am completely addicted to coffee. I can stop eating sweets, drinking alcohol, but please never take away my coffee. Just the thought of my beautiful nice-smelling cup in the morning, gets me going and out of bed. Coffee actually has a lot of advantages and is not at all bad for you if you drink it in moderation. This is something I need to work on.

Many papers state that coffee is actually one of the healthiest beverages billions of people consume regularly. It can increase your metabolic rate and helps you burn fat if you don’t overdo your intake. Of course, only when consumed black or with a little milk or soy milk – which I like – coffee is great for your figure, as it is having zero calories, zero carbs, and zero fats. So leave away the sugar.

The caffeine in coffee keeps our brains alert and receptive of new information. So I hope that you have had your cup of coffee already because here is some information that you might be truly interested in:

NESPRESSO has launched a new coffee machine “that lives like you”: U – the ultimate experience in simplicity, modularity and purity for coffee lovers around the world that offers an amazing concept!

The Nespresso story began 25 years ago with a simple but revolutionary idea: enable anyone to create the perfect cup of espresso at home. Today, Nespresso has made that idea even simpler by developing U, the next generation machine that shapes itself to suit you and your lifestyle. With clever, modular design, U can change its form to fit contemporary living spaces and interiors. On top of that, the cool machine has a tactile interface which memorises your favourite cup length, and thanks to the pre-programmed Ristretto, Espresso and Lungo sizes, there is no need to select it each time.

The first-of-its kind, it has a rounded, adjustable water tank which is able to seamlessly slide around, letting it change shape to suit your home or office space.

In addition to a quick heat up time of 25 seconds, U features automatic brewing, so your coffee begins the second you drop your Nespresso capsule and effortlessly close its neat slider. Its immediate cut-off also makes it one of the cleanest machines – stopping any drips and automatically ejecting each capsule.

Available in four understated colours – Pure Cream, Pure Black, Pure Grey and Pure Orange – and with some dedicated accessories such as an innovative tray with two adaptable magnetic dispensers, that can be attached to the sides of the U machine or also be stacked on top of each other for a slimmer storage solution. U is priced at CHF 179.-.

And here are some great news for my Swiss based followers: THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO WIN YOUR OWN U!

Nespresso kindly offers two of their new innovative coffee machines to Sandra’s Closet readers. All you have to do is to send me an e-mail with the header “Nespresso” to and tell me which of the four colours you would love to have.

Contestants MUST live in Switzerland. All entries must be received until November 9, 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.

Personally speaking, I truly love Nespresso because of its flexibility. Every family member can choose his or her own style. For example, I absolutely adore flavoured coffee. Therefore I am completely “going nuts” for Nespresso’s upcoming three end-of-year Limited Edition Grands Crus Variations 2012 for the festive season:

This year, it is inspired by three different notes of nut: Coconut, Hazelnut and Macadamia Nut. Originating from the Livanto family, each Grand Cru encapsulates its own distinct taste universe, opening up new coffee discoveries.

Nespresso Hazelnut – The combination of lightly roasted hazelnut notes with the Livanto Grand Cru reveals praline flavours, giving it a fine balance in the mouth.
Macadamia Nut – The rich savours of the macadamia nut combined with the roundness of the Livanto Grand Cru develop a surprising freshness and reveal citrus notes.
Coconut – A perfect harmony between the coconut notes and the Livanto Grand Cru creates a gourmand experience reminiscent of coconut macaroons.

Each of the Variations 2012 are 100% of natural origin and contain only roast and ground coffees mixed with natural flavourings and is free from food allergens. Available worldwide from November 12, 2012. A sleeve will sell for CHF 5.70 in Nespresso boutiques and online.

This post was so mouth-watering for me that I drank 4 cups of coffee while typing it. Speaking of moderation… but it just tastes so good. Don’t forget to enter the contest and good luck!

LoL, Sandra.

Photos: Courtesy of Nespresso and © Sandra Bauknecht

Since last June, I have been working on this exciting collaboration with Closed. And finally today, I can present you the result! After many different sketches, all sorts of drafts, from floral prints to wordplays and slogans, I presented the team of Closed my ideas. Some of them you can see above. The city prints were among their favorites and so I designed the Zurich edition.

I took this panoramic photo this summer and altered it with a computer-generated berry colour to create this print.

And below is the final result that I am so excited about!
TO SHOP PLEASE CLICK HERE

Great news for my readers, one of you has the chance to win this T-shirt in size M.
All you have to do is send me an e-mail to with the header “Zurich Edition”.

All entries must be received until November 1st, 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.

For an interview with me and Silvia Haghjoo, who also created a very cool blogger T-Shirt with Closed, please click here.

One thing is for sure, I will wear my T-shirt to many occasions. It is a very versatile piece that you can dress up or down easily.

Today’s look: Neon biker jacket by Christopher Kane, limited print blogger T-Shirt and Baker stretch pants, both by Closed, flocked suede clutch by Gucci, bangle by Sal y Limon, Melt black powder pumps by Minna Parikka and Pasha watch by Cartier.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht – Still: Courtesy of Closed

Here is an amazing contest for you. Moda Operandi, the most exclusive shopping website where you can order your must-have pieces right off the runway (for more details, please click here) and Lyst, the social shopping site that helps you discover some of the best fashion pieces available, are giving away a $1000 shopping spree. Amazing, isn’t it?!

All you have to do is to follow Moda Operandi on Lyst. Just click on the photo above to be transferred directly.

The contest starts Monday October 8th, 2012 at 12:00am EST and ends October 17th, 2012 at 11:59pm EST (the “Entry Period”). All entries must be received during the Entry Period. 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

Let me introduce you to AMAZINGREEN, the new unisex fragrance from Comme des Garçons, a blast of green energy fusing together green notes and gunpowder, organic and mineral for the ultimate freshness and depth.

AMAZINGREEN
Exhilaration unleashed

The scent of gunpowder in an explosion of smoke and flint, clashes with the green energy of the jungle and the effervescence of spices. 
Top notes of verdant, natural wild leaves, settle with an elemental heart of flint and coriander to finish with a smoky explosion of gunpowder and white musk.

Top notes: Palm tree leaves, green pepper, dew mist and jungle leaves
Heart notes: Ivy leaves, orris roots, coriander seeds and silex
Base notes: Gunpowder accord, vetiver, smoke and white musk

Available as Eau de Parfum 50ml and 100ml.

If you like to win a bottle of AMAZINGREEN, join the contest hosted on Statigram. How does the lush exuberance of nature inspire you? Take a photo using Instagram that illustrates your interpretation of AMAZINGREEN and upload it with the #amazingreen hashtag.

The Top 10 Instagrams which best evoke the blast of green energy that defines AMAZINGREEN will win an a fragrance. The contest is open from today and will end on September 28th.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Comme des Garçons, © Sandra Bauknecht and via Instagram

This week, I am participating in the “Dirndl Style Challenge” by Dirndl Magazine and Limberry. The voting has been open since Monday and now I need your help to win.

Please click on the like button next to my photo on Facebook.

It would mean a lot to me! Thank you!

LoL, Sandra

Meet my new friend Little Energy, one of the newest residents of LovLots City by Swarovski. The quirky and unique Emotis spread vibrant feelings through the air. This is your chance to win your own figurine. I am very proud to be the hostess for the More Than a Feeling contest in collaboration with Polyvore and Swarovski. Good luck to win the sweetest little man in the world. Just click on the highlighted text to be transferred to the competition. I’ll be looking through all of the entries and judging the winner, so I can’t wait to see what you all come up with.

To inspire you a little, I will show you some of my recent adventures with Little Energy. Last month, when I went on my crazy road trip through the US, I got this cute companion in San Francisco. With his little cloud and lightning on his head, he was the perfect little mojo to take care of me. Seems to be necessary after I had hit that horrible hail storm during my trip. As you see, Energy and I had a lot of fun together. Hopefully, you will meet him soon…

So I took him to Hawaii and up to the top of the volcano Haleakalā. Little Energy was deeply impressed by the silversword plants that only grow there.

Of course, he wanted to go swimming and relaxed at the pool or in the Missoni cabanas of the Four Seasons Hotel Maui at Wailea.

When we arrived in Dallas, Texas, he wanted to have tea time at American Girl Place, get a manicure, brush his teeth and sleep a little. Energy has so much energy that he barely rest. It is hard to keep up with him.

Then I challenged him and took him on a  shopping spree at the Highland Park Village, the premier shopping destination of Dallas. Our favourite, of course Stella McCartney.

Being in Texas, we had to see a rodeo, cowboys and Fort Worth, the city that truly captures the Western spirit well.

And of course, Southfork Ranch, the famous filming location for the „Dallas“ television series that was popular in the `80s and has been continued this year.

Back in Switzerland, he found his space on my desk. Little Energy likes to watch me at work and tries to inspire me, as for example for one of my recent outfits. He finds the Prada flame heels so energizing. Don’t forget to join the competition that will end on August 9, 2012 at 11.59pm EST. 
Click here to enter.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Here is another great contest with Lyst and Neiman Marcus!

Every day from now until December 24th, Neiman Marcus will post a featured product as a collection on the NM Lyst page. Participants are asked to create a collection on their own Lyst user accounts that includes the featured product. From these collections, Neiman Marcus will select one collection that exhibits the most original and on-trend use of the featured product, and the winner will be awarded a $250 Neiman Marcus gift card via email. (The prize will be sent to the email address attached to the user’s Lyst account.) The winners will be announced the following day. There is no limit to the number of collections a user creates, and each user may enter all daily contests. No purchase required.

Please click here to participate!

If you are interested in my entry for today, just click here.

LoL, Sandra