shopping

Suddenly I want to smell like a coconut again



 Maya Njie Tropica fragrance

Well this is awkward. After a lifetime a year in relative isolation during which my longest journey away from home has been the decidedly unexotic Hastings pier, I find myself craving tropical coconut-laced smells.

That’s maybe not so surprising though. As with the power of touch and what’s known as ‘skin hunger’, the pandemic has not only literally stolen the sense of smell from some unlucky individuals, it has also heightened the link between scent and nostalgia.

“Fragrance can control your mood,” says perfumer and founder of her eponymous brand, Maya Njie. “If you’re feeling low and you need a boost, put fragrance on and it will elevate you.” (more…)



London is getting a permanent Glossier store this winter



Good news for all the people Googling “London Glossier store”… it’s back!

After its legendary Covent Garden store had to permanently close last year as a result of the first U.K lockdown, we’ve recently had happy news of its return. The new permanent Glossier London store* will actually be the first ever permanent international flagship for the beauty brand. While the exact location is still to be announced, we do know it will be opening at the end of the year. (more…)



Business of beauty: Chanel N°5 Factory Collection [updated]



Chanel No 5 The Body Oil - Chanel No 5 Factory Collection

[UPDATED: THE COLLECTION HAS NOW LANDED AT SELFRIDGES…]

If I could do a career switch, I would love to be a Chanel beauty-packaging designer. Every product I’ve ever interacted with, from the lipstick bullets to the Les Beiges bronzer compact has been the ultimate personal luxury experience. (Also, the products are the best of the best.)

Just launched is the Chanel N°5 Factory Collection*, a limited edition line that takes that idea to its logical conclusion. Chanel has taken its 100-year-old flagship product – Chanel N°5 – and turned it into a brand in itself. The Chanel N°5 Factory Collection is a capsule of 17 limited edition products, all scented with the smell of Chanel N°5. Genius.

The real genius part is the packaging. Functional-looking tubes of body cream*, individually wrapped bath tablets*, gouache-style body lotion tubes* and a body oil bottle that looks like it belongs in the garage (top). The collection is designed to mimic utilitarian products, giving Chanel N°5 a witty, youthful accessibility. (more…)



On my Radar: 19/99 Beauty



19/99 Beauty

While everyone else has gone nuts for Y2K style, I’m more than happy sticking to my failsafe 90s beauty classics. New in at Cult Beauty* is this very cool brand, 19/99 Beauty, which to me embodies the glamorous minimalism of 90s Helmut Lang and Jil Sander.

Billed as unprescribed beauty essentials that narrow the generational beauty gap, the product range is edited but versatile. (more…)