Sandra‘s Closet

Can a lip balm make you smile? EOS thinks so and invented a lip balm (EOS Smooth Spheres Organic Lip Balms ) that is 95% organic, 100% natural, and paraben and petrolatum free. Delightfully flavored and packed with antioxidant-rich vitamin E, soothing shea butter, and jojoba oil, these lip products have caused a hype among beauty lovers. But not everyone was pleased with its nourishing results.

Last year, EOS was in the news as there was a class action lawsuit in the US filed for severe allergic reaction to the iconic lip balm. Now, this has been settled and the brand is said to have updated its packaging to address the adverse reactions some customers have had.

Personally speaking, I have those little «ping pong balls» in an array of colors plastered around my house, in my car and my hand bags. I have never had an allergic reaction to them. But as I tend to have very dry skin, those lip balms alone would not be enough and I still need more nourishing products at night.

View from Haute restaurant.

Recently, I was invited to their press event at Haute restaurant in Zurich. Overlooking the Swiss city, I was able to indulge in the world of EOS and learnt some interesting facts:

– It is the beauty brand with the highest social media engagement.
– The pomegranate flavor sells best in Europe whereas the strawberry one is the bestseller worldwide.

– The ones that come with the swirl packaging (EOS Visibly Soft™ ) have a more nourishing effect as they have an extra dose of cocoa butter and shea butter, which is great for winter.
– The only one with an SPF is the yellow lemon drop (see photo below).

EOS lip balms are available for CHF 6.90 at Manor in Switzerland!
Happy Sunday!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © David Biedert Photography

The packaging of five of Jo Malone‘s most beloved soaps will be redesign by British artist Michael Angove in the beginning of 2017.

A passion for pattern: Michael Angove

Exhaling pure cuteness, those beauty must-haves make the perfect hostess gift when you are invited for a dinner.

Lime Basil Mandarin 100g
English Pear & Freesia 100g
Blackberry & Bay 100g
Red Roses 100g
Pomegranate Noir 100g

The limited edition soaps will be available from February 2017 for CHF 23.00 each. In Switzerland at Globus Geneva, Globus Lucerne and Jelmoli Zurich.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Jo Malone

No wonder there is traditionally a queue around the block from her shops at Christmas. The name Jo Malone sends most women into a reverie of pristine cream boxes with black edging and grosgrain ribbons filled with original fresh scents.

The products are wonderful gifts. Even the tissue paper is misted with fragrance so that the Jo Malone experience starts already when lifting the lit.

As a child, Jo Malone would make her own perfumes with flowers from the garden and grated Camay soap. Her mother was a beautician and her father an artist.
She worked as a florist and gave facials in her kitchen at night. Soon she became one of London’s most sought-after skin care therapist. It was when she met her husband Gary at the age of 19, that their business, featuring handmade scents and products, took off. She gave her Nutmeg and Ginger Bath Oil as a thank you to her clients and the orders began to flood in.

Jo Malone opened her first store at 154 Walton Street in London in 1994. By 1999, she launched her flagship store in London’s Sloane Street. That same year her company was purchased by Estée Lauder with Jo Malone still at its UK helm as chairwoman and creative director. Then in 2006, she sold it to them in its entirety.

For deeper, richer dimension to your home, it’s decorating with scent that makes the difference. Shouldn’t the fragrance ambience of your home be as inviting as the fragrance on your skin?

For her, perfume and stories go hand in hand, each cologne has been inspired by a real moment. Think of fragrances as your little black dress. You can create your bespoke scent by mixing, matching and layering with other Jo Malone colognes for endless effects. Accessorize it extravagantly or pair it down, just follow your mood and make each day another statement.
This is the philosophy behind Jo Malone’s Fragrance Combining. In case you are worried that a cologne doesn’t last enough, you will be astonished how long the fragrances stay on. Especially in combination with the Jo Malone body products.

You can choose from all sorts of fragrance families such as floral, spicy or woody. For more details, please enjoy the collages below:

As I am a big fan of oriental, opulent fragrances, I am truly happy about Jo Malone’s new addition: The 4 new Colognes Intenses. Ingredients like rose water, amber, patchouli, vanilla, musk and oud give in combination a wonderful deepness to your bespoke scent. They were supposed to be limited but seem to stay in the collection due to their high demand.

To the left, you can see a photo of my very own bathroom and its little Jo Malone display.
For a store locator, please click here. For my Zurich based readers, I have good news. There is a Jo Malone corner now at Jelmoli.

LoL, Sandra