Sandra‘s Closet

From wavy to frizzy, natural or permed, there are many kinds of curly hair. When it comes to caring for their curls, curly-haired women’s main concern is taming them without compromising their singular beauty. I know what I am talking about. My beloved daughter has the curliest hair ever!

Thank God! Kérastase launches DISCIPLINE CURL IDÉAL that has been carefully designed to provide a professional solution to all kinds of curly hair with the best possible hair treatment. The range, that is available now, is enriched with the revolutionary combination of Pro-Kératine and Elastin that strengthens curls, improves hair elasticity, smoothes hair and improves cohesion.

CLEANSING CONDITIONER CURL IDÉAL
Shape-in-motion cleasing conditioner for unruly curly hair
Its highly sensorial and low foaming texture has been formulated specifically to gently cleanse and moisturize while enhancing the natural shape of curls. No silicone – No sulfate.
CHF 35.00

MASQUE CURL IDÉAL
The 1st shape-in-motion masque, with Pro-Kératine & Elastin to control over voluminous and unruly curly hair. Its thick immersive texture will treat each fiber with care for a maximal volume reduction and frizz control of roots and lengths.
CHF 51.00

OLÉO-CURL
Definition and suppleness creme for unruly curly hair looking for relaxed and voluptuous curls.
The iconic leave-in crème offers a caring texture that leaves a soft and smooth hair touch.
CHF 36.00

MOUSSE CURL IDÉAL
This airy and caring mousse brings definition and bounce to all unruly curly hair looking for light and toned curls. Its smooth texture leaves a treated and light hair touch.
CHF 36.00

Kérastase has created an amazing BOOK OF CURLS which is free for download here.

For all those who want to celebrate the curly hair uniqueness, for all those who truly believe in their inspiring feminity, for all those who desire to enhance their curl beauty potential, for all those who live their curls in perfect harmony with who they really are and finally for all of you, comes a new curl era. Really amazing products that I experienced first hand on my daughter’s hair.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Kérastase

Whether you’re heading to the beach in Saint Tropez, to a boardroom meeting or simply snuggling up with a good book on a Sunday: a braid is your perfect style partner and I have the ultimate braid guide for you today.

Combining fashion illustrations and easy-to-do tutorials, Kérastase‘s ‘The Couture Book of Braids’ features 30 different styles, from plaited ponytails to headband styles, beautiful summery fishtails, and even those extremely sophisticated alpine-style crown braids. Great news is that this e-book is free for download here.

Absolutely helpful is that Kérastase also shares their expertise on the best products to use, including their new Matérialiste all-over thickening spray gel (available now for CHF 34.00 / 190ml) that adds body and texture so that braiding becomes a breeze for those with fine hair, hair lacking density or even those that just want the perfect natural air-dry with a bit of “oomph”.

Use Matérialiste to create ‘The hat option waterfall braid’ found on page 92 in ‘The Couture Book Of Braids’.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Kérastase and © Sandra Bauknecht

This is when I love my job the most. Receiving the most exclusive products to test them beforehand is pure pleasure. I was over the moon when Kérastase‘ new Chronologiste line arrived at my doorstep. It includes everything you need to give your hair an exceptional and complete ritual. Chronologiste combines luxurious advanced technology and unique sensory experience. This restorative treatment sublimates all hair types, from scalp to ends.

Reuniting the quintessence of the most precious ingredients in the highest concentrations ever, the Chronologiste ritual offers unequalled results and gives the hair an in temporal splendor, an in-salon unique sensorial experience, that women can prolong at home to finalize the perfect metamorphose of hair.

SOIN GOMMAGE RÉNOVATEUR
Pre-shampoo, soft texture for a an affect on the scalp and lengths. Scalp purification massage and lightweight feel.
CHF 49.00 (200ml)

BAIN REVITALISANT
Caring shampoo with an all-round action on the scalp and hair. Sublimation, volume and shine. Scalp revitalization.
CHF 31.00 (250ml)

CRÈME DE RÉGÉNÉRATION
An intensely nourishing balm for the scalp and hair. Sublimation, in-depth nutrition and shine. Scalp revitalization.
CHF 59.00 (200ml)

PARFUM EN HUILE
Enchanting finishing touch. Combination of noble notes from the world of fine fragrances.
CHF 59.00 (120ml)

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Kérastase

As you might imagine, my long hair needs a lot of care. Therefore I am always very happy when I am able to try some new hair products. Kérastase‘s new addition to their Elixir K Ultime line made my heart leap with joy.

Thanks to two technological breakthroughs: oil blending, or the art of classifying and then mixing the most remarkable oils chosen for the perfect synergy between them; high tech challenge, or the art of creating new hybrid textures that, with the mere touch of the fingertips, transform and merge with the hair fiber, Kérastase is opening up new horizons and using the many different forms of oil in innovative textures that represent a complete break with the past, for winningly gorgeous hair with glimmering shine.

Three new precious products have arrived to complete the iconic Elixir K Ultime line:

Metamorph’oil, pre-shampoo purifying for the hair with an unprecedented jelly texture
CHF 43.00 (150ml)

Bain Oléo-Riche, which offers a total-immersion bliss for the fiber
CHF 31.00 (250ml)

Solid Serum, grand finale of the hair sublimation, for unequalled smoothness and shine
CHF 43.00 (18ml)

Available exclusively at your Kérastase hair dresser.

LoL, Sandra

Photo: Courtesy of Kérastase

For Kérastase, offering women the hair they dream of is a never-ending quest. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the famous Parisian luxury hair care brand has prepared an exciting new launch, a completely revolutionary hair-taming collection named Discipline! L’Oréal Advanced Research decided to focus on women’s dissatisfaction with their unmanageable and frizzy hair. The new products promise “obedient” hair that does exactly what we want it to do.

I have tried the new line at home and really like it. My hair was easy to blow-dry, more shiny, resistant to humidity, and the best of all frizz-free for around 72 hours thanks to the following ingredients:

– Morpho-Keratine™, a unique blend of shape enhancing ingredients to consolidate hair fiber
– Surface-morphing polymers to smooth surface roughness

The Kérastase Discipline line for home includes the 250ml Bain Fluidealiste and Bain Fluidealiste sulphate free for CHF 29.00, the 200ml Fondant Fluidealiste for CHF 41.00, the 200ml Maskeratine for CHF 51.00, and the 150ml Fluidissime for CHF 51.00. The collection is available now. There is also a in-salon treatment that is said to last up to 10 hair washes.

The celebrated prima ballerina of the Mariinsky Theatre, who embodies with total perfection, Diana Vishneva, is the face of the new line.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Kérastase

Last Wednesday, the 16th annabelle Prix de Beauté ceremony was held at the Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich and I felt very honored to be in the jury like last year. Above you can see annabelle’s editor-in-chief Lisa Feldmann with me at the event.

For those of you who are not familiar with this trophy, the “Anna” is like the “Swiss Beauty Oscar”. Many products in different categories are tested among the jury members and the winner is analyzed with the help of an elaborate questionary.

“Anna” of 2013

Many of the winners have been featured here on Sandra’s Closet:

Fragrance Women: Coco Noir by Chanel
Fragrance Men: Tom Ford Noir by Tom Ford
Make-up: Holland Collection by OPI
Facial Care: The Moisturizing Soft Cream by La Mer
Natural Cosmetics: Idéalia Crème by Vichy
Body Care: Eau des Jardins Crème Corps Délicieuse by Clarins
Hair Care: Elixir Ultime by Kérastase
Sun Care: Swiss Suncare by La Prairie
Dior Bronze Crème Protectrice Sublimante SPF50 by Dior

Lovely Katrin Roth who is in charge of annabelle’s beauty blog with me. You can check out all her photos of the night by clicking here! Please stay tuned for the detailed post of my outfit that will be coming up soon!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Ladies, don’t worry, it’s not as bad as it sounds. I am only talking about beautiful shiny hair and how to get a glow even in winter.

Is your hair dry and brittle, due to to those horrible cold temperatures?
Here are some quick and simple products to keep your hair glowing, manageable and moisturized that work winter and summer! Hair oils are perfect today, they make your hair smooth and shiny without leaving it greasy or flat.

From left to right:
Mythic Oil Color Glow by L’Oréal Professionnel
(Contains UV filters, lightweight feel and finish) – CHF 29.50 (125ml)

Mythic oil Milk by L’Oréal Professionnel
(Reinforcing milky mist for all hair types) – CHF 29.50 (125ml)

Elsève Extraordinary Oil by L’Oréal Paris
(This hair oil contains six precious oils extracted from rare flowers including lotus, chamomile, rose, flaxseed, matricaria and tiare. to protect and nurture the hair strands from the inside out) – CHF 14.90 (100ml)

Mythic Oil by L’Oréal Professionnel is also available as Shampoo CHF 20.40 (250ml), Conditioner CHF 25.50 (190ml), Masque CHF 30.50 (200ml) and as a personalized exclusive treatment at the hair salon.

After the success of Elixir Ultime, Kérastase has launched the Grands Crus Oils, luxe hair oils that are so beautifully scented that you will never forgot to apply them to your hair .

My favorites, from left to right:
Elixir Ultime Oléo-Complexe & Millenium Rose Extract by Kérastase
(Delicately beautifying scented oil for fine and sensitized hair) – CHF 49.00 (125ml)

Elixir Ultime Oléo-Complexe & Imperial Tea Extract by Kérastase
(Radiating and beautifying scented oil for color-treated hair) – CHF 49.00 (125ml)

Elixir Ultime Oléo-Complexe & Moringa Immortel Oil by Kérastase
(Replenishing and beautifying scented oil for damaged hair) – CHF 49.00 (125ml)

Kérastase Elixir Ultime by Jade Jagger – LIMITED EDITION
(Kérastase has teamed up with jewlery designer Jade Jagger to create a limited edition of the house’s iconic Elixir Ultime. With a golden lips print, and a singular red highlight, the packaging adds even more glamour to this luxury hair oil.) – CHF 49.00 (125ml)

A great addition to Kérastase’s Elixir Ultime line are the new Sublime Cleansing Oil Shampoo CHF 31.00 (250ml) and the Beautifying Oil Masque CHF 59.00 (200ml), both for all hair types.

From left to right:
Strengthening and Hydrating Hair Oil-In-Cream by Kiehl’s
(With olive fruit and avocado oils, this daily leave-in works best for dry and damaged hair) –
CHF 42.00 (180ml)

Magic Elixir by Kiehl’s
(Hair restructuring concentrate with rosemary leaf and avocado oils for all hair & scalp types) –
CHF 34.00 (125ml)

Deeply Restorative Smoothing Hair Oil Concentrate by Kiehl’s
(Daily leave-in spray for frizzy and unruly hair with fairly-traded argan and sesame oil) – 
CHF  42.00 (118ml)

Color-Protect Shine Infusing Hair Oil Treatment by Kiehl’s
(Daily leave-in spray for color-treated hair with sunflower and apricot oils and SPF10 sunscreen for the scalp) – CHF 42.00 (118ml)

Enjoy your new glossy mane!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of L’Oréal, L’Oréal Professionnel, Kiehl’s, Kérastase and © Sandra Bauknecht

Let me introduce you to the world’s 1st hair and scalp super serum, inspired by 24 years of stem cell research, INITIALISTE by Kérastase. It helps you to reveal hair that feels thicker, looks shinier and is more resistant to breakage*.

Since a couple of weeks, I have been using it now and am completely convinced. My hair feels thicker and smoother. Moreover, through the application, I achieve more volume at the roots.

Benefits
With INITIALISTE, revealing a more beautiful hair fibre is now possible.

– HAIR FEELS THICKER
Hair thickness feels boosted and is lusciously soft

– HAIR LOOKS SHINIER
Hair has a lustrous-looking shine

– HAIR IS MORE RESISTANT
Hair is more resistant – up to 93% less breakage*
(*Breakage to brushing. Instrumental test: classic shampoo and Initialiste vs. classic shampoo alone).

Application
INITIALISTE can be applied directly to the scalp after washing and towel drying the hair. Leave-in treatment: 2 pipettes for fine hair and 4 for normal to thick hair. After applying, delicately massage the serum with the tips of your fingers to evenly distribute the serum over the whole scalp.

Technology
The unique knowledge of L’Oréal Advanced Research combined with the mastery of plant-based biotechnology has inspired Kerastase’s revolutionary formulation INITIALISTE, enriched with Vegetal Plant cells.

After a rigorous selection process that examined different kinds of plants, researchers focused their efforts on the native plant cells of the Malus Domestica, a variety of apple.; the extracts of which were infused in INITIALISTE’s Complexe Régénérateur®.

INITIALISTE is available for € 42.00 / CHF 56.00 (60ml). (In Switzerland in January 2013).

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Kérastase

You are surely aware of the risks that you face by exposing your skin to the sun. How about protecting also your hair from sun damage? Of course, cancer isn’t a concern for it, but prolonged sun exposure and many hours in the pool or in the sea can damage the hair from the cuticle to its inner structure. The result is mostly faded colour, split ends, dryness, weakened and thinning hair. Therefore I recommend using products with formulas that contain UV absorbers in them. Above you can see my favourites that I have packed for my vacation.

Here are the details:

Paul Mitchell‘s newly launched first sun collection is amazing. Created for all hair types and especially colour-treated, dry or damaged hair, all three products feature the SolarVeil™ Complex, a powerful blend of sunflower extract and highly active UV absorbers, shields fragile strands from damaging UVA and UVB rays. The Island Passion Flower scent is inspired by the tropics and smells absolutely divine.

The limited edition range consists of:
Sun Recovery Hydrating Shampoo™ (CHF 29.- / 250ml) which nourishes hair and helps lock in colour – sulfate-free.
After-Sun Replenishing Masque™ (CHF 33.- / 250ml) aiming to hydrate and guard hair from UV rays and prevent colour fade.
Sun Shield Conditioning Spray™ (CHF 29.- / 125ml) to help maintain shiny hair colour and provide UV protection.

This after-sun nourishing milky serum (CHF 26.- / 50ml) from L’Oréal Professionnel‘s Solar Sublime Series Expert is a must. With the help of ceramide and vitamin E, it is instantly absorbed and conditions the hair fibre immediately to replenish it with suppleness and softness after exposure to the sun. Best applied on towel-dried hair. Available in salons exclusively.

Personally speaking, I like to change my shampoo once in a while and therefore always pack two different products. Redken‘s New Color Extend Sun protects highlights, safeguards color and replenishes sun-stressed strands. The advanced Hydra-Shield Complex with Mexoryl S.O, a patented UV filter, provides powerful protection while restoring lost moisture and luminous shine.

Color Extend Sun After-Sun Shampoo (CHF32.- / 300ml) continues to protect the hair even after the product is rinsed out, so using the shampoo prior to sun exposure will also help prevent UV damage.
Color Extend Sun Take Cover SPF25 (CHF 42.- / 154,1g) is an innovative hair treatment to protect the hair and scalp from UV damage. This lightweight mousse contains no alcohol, best to be used 30 minutes before sun exposure.

Kérastase‘s Huile Lactée (CHF 38.- / 125ml) is a great product with Vitamin E and UV absorbers to smooth sun-exposed hair. Its biphasic solution has two effects: The milky texture enriched with Ylang Ylang helps to avoid the unwanted frizz effect, while the luxurious oily phase protects the hair from moisture loss.

With those products, your hair will be safe. I also like to wear a big sun hat that is stylish and protective in one.

Bunny embellished straw sunhat by Eugenia Kim

LoL, Sandra

Photo: © Sandra Bauknecht, Stills: Courtesy of the Brands

Men, don’t be afraid of hair loss anymore. Kérastase has heard your cries for help against premature balding. Their solution? The Kérastase Homme Capital Force — the first hair care range for men designed to protect against hair loss and thinning areas.

Kérastase’s 1st double-action roller ROLL-ON ANTI-CHUTE with Système Taurine and a massaging ball helps maintain the density of thinning hair. Apply the product every day for one minute on the receding hair lines and enjoy the cooling effect of this easy-to-use roll-on.

Available at select Kérastase salons for CHF 41.- along with the complete product range, including the new Kérastase Homme Capital Force Bain Vita-Energetique, a shampoo for daily use formulated specifically for normal hair types. Its superior three-tiered nourishing, stimulating and cooling action helps to achieve a healthy scalp and to strengthen the hair fibre, CHF 26.-.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Kérastase