In July, I travelled with TOM FORD to Gordes in France for the launch of the brand’s newest unisex fragrance, LAVENDER EXTRÊME. An extremely beautiful scent that I fell in love with from the first encounter, different from everything I had smelled before. The iconic lilac flower is upended, translated from its storied origin in Provence and into a fresh subversion of itself. Different types of lavender are mixed together, developing diverse facets, from an adrenaline-pumping freshness to an amber-like facets and layered with Italian bergamot and citrus. For the base note, the relaxing scent of lavender gets a shot of electricity with a spicy, warm oriental tonka, and benzoin drydown. Extremely sexy, seductive and long-lasting – exactly what TOM FORD stands for.

For the social media campaign, I was honored to be part of this amazing shoot in the lavender fields close to Gordes, wearing this stunning outfit by TOM FORD.

My look: Light jersey mock neck cape dress, leather pumps with padlocks, vintage purple «punk»-style fur bag, silk-chiffon headscarf, and Linda sunglasses, all by Tom Ford, leather and suede waist belt by Balmain.

Housed in an all-silver, sleek bottle, LAVENDER EXTRÊME is the epitome of understated glamour. In Switzerland available now at Jelmoli, Globus Zurich and Globus Geneva for CHF 340.00 (50 ml).

Enjoy more photos below and stay tuned for the make-up look coming up soon.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Virgile Guinard for Tom Ford / © Sandra Bauknecht

This week, parts of Europe have to experience an extreme heatwave as exceptionally hot weather is pulled from Africa northwards across our Northern hemisphere. In some parts of the continent, temperatures are rising as high as – and surpass – 40 degrees.

The only thing that helps to beat the heat is a cold shower. Pick one of these new summer shower gels and stay fresh. They will stimulate the senses, give you a great bathing experience and leave you with a rejuvenating feeling.

This summer, LE PETIT MARSEILLAIS launches two new scents inspired by the Provence, «Fig» and «Lavender» to make it even more fun to gently clean your skin. The foam reveals a sweet and romantic fragrance while leaving your skin moisturized and nourished.
250ml for CHF 3.50 each

WELEDA invites you to get aways from the everyday in a lush summer with the limited edition «Summer Garden Shower». Step into the summer scents of exotic ylang ylang, fresh lemon and woody copaiba. The 100% plant-based surfactants cleanse gentle while organic sesame oil cares for your skin.
200ml for CHF 10.50

BIOTHERM‘s «Delighting Blend» cleansing gel is infused with grapefruit and sage for the ultimate indulging moment. When in need of a detox – for your skin and for your mind – this uplifting fragrance will help your mind disconnect while the fresh formulas will leave your skin purified and lightly perfumed.
400ml for around CHF 28.90

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

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

M∙A∙C’s cult-favourite hydrating mist, Prep + Prime Fix+, takes on a delicious new twist in four permanent scents: rose, lavender, coconut and our original sugi needle aroma.
Water, vitamins and extracts give skin an instant boost of hydration while the lightweight prolonging formula sets makeup and refreshes your complexion. Try it, you will thank me forever! I use it on a daily base! Sheer out foundation, intensify colour, improve and extend the wear of makeup, or moisturize and soothe tired skin with the holy grail of hydrating mists.

PREP + PRIME FIX+
Original – Coconut – Rose – Lavender
CHF 26.00

Available January 2018 at all M∙A∙C locations, M∙A∙C stores and at maccosmetics.ch.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of M∙A∙C Cosmetics

S/S 2018 TREND 1: SILK ROAD
Céline – Hermès – Versace

S/S 2018 TREND 2: ART LOVERS
Akris – Prada – Missoni

S/S 2018 TREND 3: IN FULL BLOOM
Rochas – Erdem – Marni

S/S 2018 TREND 4: FRINGES
Balmain – Calvin Klein 205W39NYC– Dior

S/S 2018 TREND 5: MARABOU
Proenza Schouler – Saint Laurent – Nina Ricci

S/S 2018 TREND 6: LAVENDER
The Row – Michael Kors – Tom Ford

S/S 2018 TREND 7: LIFE IN PLASTIC
Chanel – Burberry – Valentino

S/S 2018 TREND 8: WORKOUT
Gucci – Louis Vuitton – Marc Jacobs

S/S 2018 TREND 9: PLAID PLEASE
Fendi – Prabal Gurung – Balenciaga

S/S 2018 TREND 10: 80’s DENIM
Max Mara – Stella McCartney – Oscar de la Renta

S/S 2018 TREND 11: THE TRENCH
Gabriela Hearst – Maison Margiela – Victoria Beckham

S/S 2018 TREND 12: SHOW YOUR UNDIES
Christopher Kane – Miu Miu – Alessandra Rich

S/S 2018 TREND 13: RAINBOW
Peter Pilotto – Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini – Vionnet

S/S 2018 TREND 14: WHITE AT NIGHT
Jil Sander – Alexander McQueen – Etro

S/S 2018 TREND 15: MISE-EN-SCÈNE
Moschino – Dolce & Gabbana – Comme des Garçons

Photos: via Vogue.com

Rumours were out for a long time, now it is official! In 2016, the Maison Louis Vuitton is preparing to explore new territory after 70 years: perfume.

The new 7-piece fragrance collection. Even the bottles designed by Marc Newson are on point.

While unprecedented and firmly anchored in the House’s history, this olfactory path is not unchartered territory. Quite the contrary: it is informed by the trunk-maker’s legendary fondness for the vanity cases, travel asks and fragrances stamped Louis Vuitton that were created throughout the 20th century.

Toilets accessories from a Cora case in leather, 1927

By way of an olfactory prelude, the Maison Louis Vuitton unveils its creative atelier in the heart of Grasse, in the Provence region of France; the unique background of House Perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, and the palette of exclusive raw materials he has assembled since his arrival. It is an invitation to travel, a prologue to an imminent departure…

ITINERARY OF A GRASSE NATIVE

Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, Louis Vuitton Master perfumer, 2016

Named Maître Parfumeur of Louis Vuitton in 2012, Jacques Cavallier Belletrud traveled the world for four years to perfect the first collection of Louis Vuitton perfumes.

Facade of the Bastide, Les Fontaines Parfumées, Grasse

As a schoolboy in Grasse, Jacques Cavallier Belletrud would walk by an imposing portal. He had no idea what sat behind the wrought iron gates that so intrigued him. Little could he have imagined that, in 2016, this very place would become his creative workshop.

At that time, fragrance still fanned through every street and alleyway in Grasse. One only had to breathe in to know what the perfume factories were distilling that day. Orange blossom, citronella, lavender, Jacques already knew those ingredients, by heart.

Burst of May roses from Grasse

At the age of eight, Jacques Cavallier Belletrud went to his father, a perfumer, and told him he wanted to follow in his footsteps. He learned perfume notes the way other children practiced piano scales. Every evening, his father gave him perfume blotters, dipped in essence and he would have to wait until daybreak to write a detailed description in the notebooks he kept with care. When he got good grades in school, his father allowed him to weigh out formulas. The day after receiving his high school diploma, he began working in a perfume factory in Grasse, where he learned to distill flowers. At 18, he created his first formula — but his father reminded him that becoming a perfumer takes much more than mixing a few scents together…

Years later, Jacques Cavallier Belletrud proved his parent right. With the development of the Vuitton-exclusive fragrance palette, he has gone one step beyond using the latest fragrance extraction technology, of course.

Emblematic Louis Vuitton natural leather

For example, while there are existing molecules simulating the smell of leather in perfumery today, Jacques Cavallier Belletrud insisted that the Vuitton perfume workshop makes their own. Using the light beige leather that covers the handles and straps of Maison’s trunks and handbags, the exquisite scent of the Vuitton leather is extracted following complex steps of steeping in alcohol and clarification until a clear and crystalline liquid is obtained. Free of any hints of sharpness or smokiness, the end result is soft, refined and utterly Vuitton.

Extraction process of the Louis Vuitton leather infusion.

And that’s not all. Jacques Cavallier Belletrud also uses the supercritical CO2 extraction method on precious fresh flowers like the Centifolia rose and jasmine. Exclusive to Maison Louis Vuitton, this method doesn’t use any heat so as to ensure that all of the delicate flowers’ scent facets are protected and retained.

Centifolia rose from Grasse, immersed in the fountain water, Les Fontaines Parfumées, Grasse.

THE FACE

Léa Seydoux

By way of this visual prelude, the Maison Louis Vuitton unveils a first hint of the upcoming campaign: “Beyond Perfume”. French actress Léa Seydoux is the face of the new Louis Vuitton fragrances.

A COLLECTION OF SEVEN OLFACTORY EMOTIONS From the airiness of Rose des Vents to the intoxicating Turbulences, the ecstasy of a first night with Dans la Peau to the mindful immersion in nature with Apogée; from the self-revealing Contre Moi to an exploration of a darker side with Matière Noire and the explosion of the senses with Mille Feux… Les parfums Louis Vuitton describe a journey of emotions.

Les Parfums Louis Vuitton will be available from September 1st, 2016.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

When I go to bed, I really enjoy being relaxed, especially after a tough day at work or some intense traveling. Sometimes my mind just drifts away and my head is filled with thoughts or things I need to do. Then, I love to use some of the L’Occitane Aromacholgie products that truly work their magic when it comes to relaxation. It’s like having a spa treatment at home.

Relaxing Pillow Mist
Made with essential oils, this mist can be sprayed in your bedroom or on your pillow to create a calming atmosphere that promotes relaxation and well-being. 100% natural scent with proven soothing effectiveness.
CHF 25.00 (100ml)

Relaxing Massage Body Oil
This rich massage oil helps to relax the senses and ease away tensions. Made with sweet almond oil from Provence, it leaves skin supple and satiny.
CHF 36.00 (100ml)

Relaxing Perfumed Sachets
Filled with dried lavender and beads scented with essential oils, these sachets release a relaxing fragrance, making them ideal for bedtime.
CHF 20.00 (2 x 25g)

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of L’Occitane