Sandra‘s Closet

Last week, I attended an interactive digital event to celebrate the awe of nature with the new Aveda x 3.1 Phillip Lim Holiday Collection.

Barbara De Laere, Aveda Global Brand President, and Phillip Lim, Co-Founder and Creative Director of 3.1 Phillip Lim, shared firsthand the inspiration behind the collection, their favorite holiday traditions, and what they see as the future of sustainability for their respective industries. The event was hosted by Aveda’s Global Advocate for Sustainability, Arizona Muse.

«Our shared values to protect and care for the planet will manifest beauty. It is a beautiful cycle, a cycle of gifts.» – Phillip Lim

Aveda’s collaboration with 3.1 Phillip Lim is inspired by a mutual awe of nature, each element a celebration of botanical forms and expressions. The power of nature is in full bloom this holiday season as those two like-minded brands are bringing the botanical world of beauty to life thorough special-edition accessories and gift packaging created with sustainability at heart. The Aveda x 3.1 Phillip Lim collaboration includes four covetable, limited-edition hair accessories – a hair towel wrap & carrying bag, scrunchie trio, detangling comb, and wooden paddle brush –  as well as special-edition gift packaging, all featuring striking prints that combine the joyful colors of the holiday seasons with those found in the natural world.

Made with no compromises, the detangling comb for example is produced with recycled materials as post-consumer recycled polypropylene, and the hair towel wrap is made from 100% organic cotton.

The most amazing part are the gift boxes that can be reused and are made with 100 % recycled paper.  As they are so beautiful, you don’t need extra wrapping paper. Less layers that make the box a gift itself. The artwork that is featured was designed in collaboration with botanical artist, Sophie Parker.

Available globally beginning November 1st at Aveda salons, spas, stores, select retail partners and online, each element of the Aveda x 3.1 Phillip Lim collection pulses with botanical-inspired graphics and vivid colors from nature for a joyous and unexpected expression of the holiday season.

Botanical Repair Light Set – CHF 68.00
Botanical Repair Rich Set – CHF 68.00
Botanical Repair Strengthening Collection – CHF 84.00
Cherry Almond Softening Hair & Body Essentials – CHF 51.00
Hand Relief & Foot Relief Home and Travel Essentials – CHF 77.00
Moisturizing Travel Trio – CHF 36.00 / CHF 28.00
Feed My Lips Lip Gloss Duo – CHF 24.00

As Phillip said, «it is about the 3 Ps. The people, the planet and the products.»

Happy Holidays!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Aveda, © Sandra Bauknecht

Celebrate the 2021 holiday season with this indulgent 24-day advent calendar, full of full and mini-sized Shiseido treats, from skincare products and makeup to fragrances. I received one and I am so happy about it as I love to open those little doors before X-mas. The small sized products are also great for traveling.

Inspired by breathtaking visions of festive fireworks, the iconic Hanabi Show in Tokyo, the magical collection is housed in decadent packaging.

The price for this super luxury gift is CHF 140.00, available now and allowing you to immerse yourself in the essence of Japanese beauty.

Scroll down to see what’s inside… spoiler alert!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Shiseido
DISCLOSURE: This post is not sponsored.

If you’re looking for the perfect gift for beauty enthusiasts and skincare aficionados this festive season, then look no further than NET-A-PORTER’s ’25 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar’. Expertly curated and valued at over €1500.00, every drawer is packed with full-size and mini versions of best-selling products, from party-ready makeup by Charlotte Tilbury and Victoria Beckham Beauty, to cult lotions, serums and masks from Omorovicza, Sunday Riley and Oribe.

Available for only €295.00 from October 11, 2021 in the UK, all other European countries from Mid October. Mark your calendar and CLICK HERE TO SHOP IT THEN.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Net-à-Porter
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

In a year of great resilience, two Italian Maisons, Emilio Pucci and Acqua di Parma, brighten up the holiday season with a new collection that celebrates life, love and joy. United by the common values of traditional workmanship, a joyous spirit and a passion for beauty, they come together to support the Rewrite the Future campaign from Save the Children, the international organisation which has been working for 100 years to save children at risk and guarantee their future, against a background of challenging social conditions and a lack of educational facilities.

Holiday 2021 Magnolia Nobile Gift Set – CHF 247.00

Emilio Pucci is a company that specialises in combining essential design with the joy of colour. The company founder created a rich universe of prints and an unmistakeable style, for which he was awarded the accolade of The Prince of Prints. This collaboration between the two companies expresses the perfect harmony between this joyful style of the fashion house and the radiance of Acqua di Parma.

Holiday 2021 Barbiere The Daily Ritual – CHF 134.00

The Vortici print, inspired by an Emilio Pucci archive theme, is presented in Parma yellow for the Holiday Season, and reinterpreted in a harmonious movement of light and colour. It’s a swirl of positivity and the joy of living which takes us on a journey into the universes of Italian beauty, from sophisticated urban architecture to splendid floral gardens and the Mediterranean coast, bring a sensation of freedom and confidence in its wake.

My favorite: The Holiday 2021 Advent Calendar will be available for CHF 595.00.

The Emilio Pucci x Acqua di Parma Collection will be available from October in the Boutiques and e commerce outlets of both companies, as well as through the retail and wholesale channels.

LoL, Sandra

Holiday 2021 Fico di Amalfi Gift Set – CHF 122.00

Holiday 2021 Essenza Gift Set – CHF 187.00

Holiday 2021 Notte di Stelle Diffusor – CHF 121.00 (180ml) and CHF 249.00 (500ml)

Photos: © Emilio Pucci / Acqua di Parma
DISCLOSURE: This post is NOT sponsored.

Enter an oasis of colour and vibrancy: MARNI brings its exclusive collection of limited-edition, artisanally crafted home accessories and bags to MATCHESFASHION, and it is sure to bring joy to the everyday, inside and out.

The Italian powerhouse created eclectic roving markets to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2014, instantly making the brand more accessible, and ever since, they’ve been constantly evolving. Now, following pop-ups in Hong Kong, Venice and Tokyo, MARNI MARKET has landed in London for the first time, and this is MATCHESFASHION’s spin on it.

For spring, the MARNI MARKET products offer ideas for decorating interiors and outdoor spaces, or renewing outfits with liveliness and color. Stools—which become coffee tables—cushions, rugs, baskets, trays and bags—many of which can also be used as plant pots—bring the playful soul of MARNI to the stage through unpredictable shapes and materials. The products of the collection feature a design that differs with irony from traditional canons, igniting imagination.

MARNI MARKET GOES AROUND sees the introduction of new hand-woven BASKET BAGS, emblematic designs of the Marni Markets, together with the STRIPE BAGS. With this Marni Market, debut the WOLLY BAGS: winking at the retro-inspired lines of the CROCHET BAGS, they are entirely covered in soft wool. The Market also presents the HAMMOCK BAGS available in a wide range of colored rainbows and in a sophisticated version with floral print, as well as cotton BOAT BAGS, characterized by timeless textures and oval PVC handles.

The MARNI MARKET GOES AROUND collection also includes the BUCKET BAGS and the MOICANA BAGS, entirely made of natural fique fiber, as well as the crochet FISH BAGS inspired by old blankets, available in a sophisticated version with elongated profiles, featuring distinctive prints of the Marni archives.

The Market welcomes a series of new metal and PVC knick knack trays and cake holders, to combine with fruit baskets, vases and magazine racks, made of the same material. The new striped crochet rugs and the HAMMOCK PILLOWS join the furnishing accessories, bringing a touch of joy to moments of relax through their colors.

Each product is one-of-a-kind and is the result of a collaborative venture with Colombian artisans who have been working with Marni for many years. Through MARNI MARKET GOES AROUND, Marni renews its commitment in engaging with local communities, in the attempt to actively preserve artisanal traditions and propel them into the present. All products creatively merge Marni’s aesthetic codes with the language of local traditions, attesting to the Colombian artisans’ visionary perspective in experimenting with materials and colors inspired by the natural world.

TO SHOP MARNI MARKET GOES AROUND PRODUCTS AT MATCHESFASHION, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © MARNI, 2nd Picture © MATCHESFASHION /Photo: Jermaine Francis, styling by Chris Hobbs – #MarniMarket
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

Are you looking for a great gift idea or a self-treat? Here is an idea. Why not decorate a beautiful scented candle with a personalized calligraphy. This Saturday, May 29, there will be a calligraphy activity at the Acqua di Parma Jelmoli stand, where you can make your product truly unique.

Surprise someone with a flower bouquet (I can recommend Tom Flowers for delivery in Switzerland) and a personalized Blu Mediterraneo scented candle. Entice your senses and immerse in golden moments under the sun with the unmistakable spirit of Blu Mediterraneo.

If you cannot make it on Saturday, get yourself a waterproof pen and start decorating it yourself. I am sure that you will make someone very happy!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
#aquadiparma #tomflowers #vibrantlyalive #blumediterraneo #jelmoli

Don’t miss today’s IG Live Beauty Talk «Mother’s Day Special» on my account @sandrascloset at 6.30 pm CET. I will go live with YSL Beauty National Makeup Artist UK Fred Letailleur @fredletailleur. With his expertise, I will create a fresh make-up look only with my fingers, will apply some lifting techniques, with the new YSL Beauty S/S 2021 makeup products on my daughter Anouk who is back from Boston for a few months. Best Mother’s Day gift ever!

Fred Letailleur

It has been a crazy morning so far, as the live talk was supposed to be with the YSL Beauty National Makeup Artist Switzerland Abdel Zouitina @abdel.zouitina. Unfortunately, Abdel woke up sick and Fred jumped in to help. We had a lovely morning training and I can promise you, the beauty talk is worth watching. He has been with YSL Beauty for 9 years and has been working in the beauty industry for over 23 years. His work was featured in international fashion magazines such as Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Instyle, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle and he created the makeup looks for celebrities such as Cara Delevingne, Jourdan Dun, Kim Cattral, Sadie Frost, Eva Herzigova, Mischa Barton, Patricia Arquette , Ines de la Fressange, Catherine Deneuve, just to name a few.

«YSL Beauty is truly about beauty empowerment. It’s embracing all forms of beauty from natural, understated beauty to setting a more contrasted statement. It just merges perfectly the aspect of creativity with luxury. Yves Saint Laurent was always inspired by art as a form of inspiration. Like him, I always like to push it a little further to challenge beauty while respecting at the same time the natural beauty of a woman’s features.» – Fred Letailleur

Here is a summary of the products we use. To shop the products, just click on the highlighted product description. I am sure your mother would be delighted to receive such a gift.

The new S/S 2021 YSL Beauty makeup look is called POPPIN’ FRESH and features pastel and milky shades inspired by ice-cream colors. Playful hues perfect to start the warm weather season.

FACE & EYE PALETTE COLLECTOR
This limited edition palette is the perfect make-up accessory for summer. Reminiscent of a Saint Laurent clutch bag, it features 10 shades that can be used to dress the eyes.
Use the trendy pale rosy purple and silver shades as highlighters to bring light to the face and eyes.
Use the beige, soft pink, and rosy pink shades as blush to sculpt the face.

TOUCHE ÉCLAT
The iconic illuminating pen for over 25 years. It is 8 hours of beauty sleep in one click.
To illuminate, apply to the upper area of the cheekbones and the top of the brow bone. Create a three-dimensional effect by highlighting the bridge of the nose and adding a radiant touch to the middle of the forehead. Lightly trace the contours of the lips to define their shape and create the illusion of volume.
To remove shadows, draw a line over the smile lines to create a radiant light and smooth skin effect. You can also apply it under the eyes and along their inner corner to remove eye area shadows.

MASCARA VOLUME EFFET FAUX CILS THE CURLER
Say bye-bye to your lash curler. This amazing mascara features a bi-material brush to volumize, lift, curl and define your lashes.
1. Volumize with fiber brush
Using the black bristles on the concave side with the loaded reservoir, apply the mascara from the base of the lashes to the tip.
2. Lift & define with the elastomer comb
Using the pink comb, push the lashes upward at the base and holding for a moment before combing upwards to separate and lengthen.

ROUGE VOLUPTÉ SHINE
143 Chill Toffee and 144 Peachy Light
Melting shine with fresh and vibrant color.
Apply directly on the lips for a moment of pure pleasure. Dab the color instead of applying it in one stroke for a super natural and plumbing effect. You can add several layers to intensify the color.

LIBRE EAU DE TOILETTE
The final touch to the new summer look is a spritz of the newly launched Libre Eau de Toilette by Yves Saint Laurent, a floral fragrance created by Anne Flipo and Carlos Benaim.
Top notes: Lavender, Mandarin Orange and Bergamot
Middle notes: Orange Blossom, Jasmine Tea and Jasmine
Base notes: Musk, Vanilla and Ambergris.

See you in a few hours at 6.30 pm CET on IG Live!

I always loved playing dress up with Anouk when she was little. So for me, it is the best Mother’s Day treat to do her makeup again, this time of course in a more refined way. Hope that you will enjoy our session.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of YSL Beauty © David Biedert Photography
DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

Today, I would love to show you the perfect gift idea for every cat-loving fashionista. From Alessandro Michele‘s cat prints for Gucci, to Miucci Prada‘s Miu Miu collection, the runways are replete with feline fantasies.

LoL, Sandra

Cat-print cotton-jersey T-shirt by The Vampire’s Wife

Guardians printed tie-dyed cotton-jersey T-shirt by Miu Miu

Check fil-à-fil cat-print shirt by Miu Miu

Cat-print tulle-trim T-shirt by MSGM

Cat-print appliqué wool sweater by Charles Jeffrey Loverboy

Appliquéd organic printed cotton-jersey T-shirt and embroidered-cat floral-print satin cushion, both by Gucci

Oversized distressed printed cotton-jersey hoodie and oversized printed cotton-jersey T-shirt, both by Balenciaga

Cat-print pillow by Fornasetti

Chiavari cat-print chair by Gucci

Photo: © David Biedert Photography – Stills: Courtesy of the Brands
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

Dear Anouk, from the day you came into this world, I was as proud as can be, blessed with you as my beautiful daughter. So every year we had been celebrating this very special day together to mark another milestone in your life. This year is the first time we are separated due to the current pandemic. I am wishing you all the happiness in the world, celebrate to the fullest! Happy Birthday, Anouk, I cannot wait to hold you in my arms again and will always treasure the moment when I held you for the first time 19 years ago, on April 4th, 2002 at 12.34pm.

You laugh with me at ordinary things, you share my thoughts and understand the things I do and say. As you inspire me every day, your name has also inspired many designers to name their creations after it. I love you!

LoL, Sandra

Anouk hooded belted quilted ski jacket by Fusalp

Anouk Audacious Sheer Matte Lipstick by Nars

Anouk woven textured-leather clutch by Akris

Anouk sling-back pumps by Gianvito Rossi

Anouk leather tote bag by Tsatsas

Anouk sandals by Saint Laurent

Anouk small textured-leather tote by Oroton

Anouk cotton-jersey track pants by Ernest Leoty

Anouk pumps by Jimmy Choo

14kt gold-plated Anouk heart locket necklace by Sasha Samuel

 Photos: Courtesy of the Brands, © Sandra Bauknecht
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise. 

Easter greetings from Italy! The luxury label Dolce & Gabbana has collaborated with the traditional Sicilian bakery Fiasconaro and is providing you for Easter brunch with a sweet-smelling and exquisite pastry. This so-called «La Colomba Pasquale» is a counterpart to the popular festive Christmas panettoni. A modern take on the traditional recipe, they come in three different variations and make every festive table look special … a bit like vacation in Italy.

The «Colomba Pasquale» is the dove of peace, which is traditionally baked in Italy for Easter. It is not only a symbol of peace and rebirth, but also stands for traditional craftsmanship, family and the typical flavors of the south. Since a handmade Colomba has become rare, the «Colomba Pasquale» from the Sicilian Pasticceria Fiasconaro, which has been run as a family business since the 1950s, is something truly special.

The natural sourdough is refined with fresh ingredients and is known for its incomparable lightness and seductive fragrance. The Dolce & Gabbana by Fiasconaro edition is available in three versions: Colomba with Sicilian almonds and candied orange, Colomba with Sicilian chocolate and wild strawberry jam and the classic Colomba with Sicilian chocolate.

The exquisite eye-catching tins come in a typical Dolce & Gabbana print that has taken inspiration from the fine china of Delft, with its deep contrasting hues of blue against a porcelain-white background. The tins alone make for a most impressive gift, worth keeping long after the contents has been consumed.

In Switzerland available at Jelmoli and Globus, or online. Happy Easter!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Dolce & Gabbana and © Sandra Bauknecht