Sandra‘s Closet

Gosh, it feels so good to be back in Zurich and to dress up again. One week in Iceland with no makeup and fancy clothes has been enough for me. Now, I am ready to bring back some glamour into my life! For a start, I had a fabulous girls’ lunch yesterday in the city…

My look: Striped stretch-silk chiffon top, printed cotton-blend brocade skirt, filigrane embellished gold-plated necklace, bucket bag featuring a floral and face print and matching heels, all by Dolce & Gabbana, ring “Mitzah” by Dior Haute Joaillerie and bangles by Chanel and Rasoir sunglasses by Miu Miu.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

When creating new nail polishes (remember the Sequined Manicure), U.K. brand Ciaté, helmed by Charlotte Knight, always surprises us. Imagine my excitement when I got the news about their upcoming launch this September: the FEATHER MANICURE.

Knight took inspiration from the runways when formulating this eye-catching trend, which involves gluing an actual feather on your tips.

Here’s how it works: Apply two thin coats of the nail polish, followed by a layer of Speed Coat Pro, and lay the feather on your nail before it dries. Seal in the plume with a second top coat and clip any excess feather overhang. One final top coat layer, and you’re done!

The three different kits will be available in September 2013.
In the U.K. and US: Sephora – In Germany: Douglas (Snow Owl- What a hoot) and Karstadt – In Switzerland, Austria and other countries: www.ciate.co.uk.

LoL, Sandra

All a Flutter

What a Hoot

Ruffle my Feathers

Photos: Courtesy of Ciaté

When I received the new Chanel skincare range, I have been without doubt all over the moon to try it. I can assure you that you will be blown away by this amazing trio!

According to the French Maison, our skin is programmed to know when it’s day and night, or even when it’s weekend time. Inspired by this fact, this new weekly wardrobe helps you to get radiance back, restore balance and to achieve a gorgeous glow. Within the first fifteen days, I have already felt a difference. This trio makes your skin look great and also your bathroom shelf – so worth the investment.

FOR DAY Le Jour de Chanel contains jasmine to energize and salicylic acid to exfoliate and brighten. CHF 105.00
FOR NIGHT La Nuit de Chanel. Its frankincense extract soothes the skin while hyaluronic acid plumps. CHF 105.00
FOR THE WEEKEND Le Weekend de Chanel is infused with rose water to comfort and soften, plus glycolic acid to smooth skin. (This product is a secret weapon. I like to use it when I need an instant boost.) CHF 130.00

In Switzerland available end of August 2013.
TO SHOP ONLINE, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Chanel – Photographer: Benjamin Henon

After I had visited Iceland’s Golden Triangle in the beginning of last week, I went all around the island and drove over 2000 kilometers. I passed the most stunning sceneries and experienced breathtaking natural phenomenons, which have truly inspired me. Europe’s most sparsely populated country is so untouched with a population of about 320,000 of which two-thirds are living in the Reykjavík area. The creatures you see most are sheeps and the famous Icelandic horses. Let me show you my journey around the island:

Skaftafell has been one of the most rewarding spots for me. I hiked along the trail that leads to the glacial tongue Skaftafellsjökull where you can witness this stunning natural phenomenon.

Fjallsárlón is a glacier lake near Vatnajökull that has some floating icebergs, very similiar but smaller than Jökulsárlón, which was my next stop:

Personally speaking, the large glacial lake Jökulsárlón in southeast Iceland was my favourite sightseeing spot on my trip. One of the natural wonders of the country, it developed into a lake after the glacier started receding from the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.

The stunning scenery has been the setting for different Hollywood movies, such as Die Another Day, Tomb Raider and Batman Begins. I could have stayed there forever watching the icebergs floating towards the sea.

I passed some very cute fishing towns such as Höfn in the south-eastern part of the country.

Driving further east, I saw the mountain Búlandstindur that is truly breathtaking due to its pyramid-shaped stack of basaltic strata.

Dettifoss, located on the Diamond Circle, around Húsavík and Lake Mývatn in North Iceland, is an amazing waterfall. I even spotted a beautiful rainbow above its spray.

Watching whales has become one of the most common activities among foreign visitors to North Iceland. In fact, the cute town of Húsavík offers those excursions.

Being in the Lake Mývatn area, I decided spontaneously to hike to the top of the Hverfjall volcanic cone. Walking along the rim of the crater was pretty impressive.

My last stop before heading back to Reykjavík, was the waterfall of the gods, Goðafoss. The photo was taken around midnight. Isn’t it amazing how light it still was?!

Iceland has been an amazing experience, so different from what I had seen before in my life.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Before Chanel’s F/W 2013 makeup collection Superstition (post coming up soon) will finally become available here in Switzerland at the end of this month, we can indulge in the beautiful Chanel COLLECTION ROUGE ALLURE MOIRÉ which will hit the shelves this week. Inspired by the beauty and refinement of overflowing fabrics and ribbons, the warm and delicate moiré colours heighten the charm and mystery of intangible makeup.

Let’s take a closer look at those new irresistible products:

ROUGE ALLURE – CHF 48.00

Each name of the eight shades could be used to describe a seductive and mysterious woman. You just have to find out which one suits you best! Do you feel stunning, fierce or mysterious?

122 FAROUCHE A sensual and luxurious chocolate gleaming with silver shimmer.
124 AMBIGÜE A rosy brown warmed by bronze and violet plum pearl.
125 INDÉCISE A natural rosy beige enhanced with a coppery effect.
129 SURPRENANTE An intense pink with ultra-luminous fuchsia shimmer.
131 ÉTONNANTE A satiny apricot with golden pearl, both delicate and elegant.
132 IMPULSIVE A stirring reddish pink, enlivened with gold and silver.
134 AUDACIEUSE A bold rosy red with a more intense moiré effect.
135 ÉNIGMATIQUE A deep brownish red, lit up with gold and silver pearl.

ROUGE ALLURE EXTRAIT DE GLOSS – CHF 48.00

Ultra-shiny and highly concentrated with pigments, it combines the easy application of a gloss and the lasting hold of a lipstick.

71 RÉFLEXION A reddish pink glowing with freshness.
72 CONTROVERSY (pictured to the left) An intense violet plum.

LE CRAYON LÈVRES – CHF 34.00

The smile and the intensity of colour are accentuated by a pencil line tracing the lip contours.

68 ROSE POUDRÉ A slightly greyish pale pink gives precision to delicate shades.
69 ROSE ARDENT (pictured) A reddish pink with a bold character offers vibrancy to the most dazzling shades of the collection.

LE VERNIS – CHF 35.00

Always in movement, painted nails naturally play with the light. The partner of a bewitching smile, LE VERNIS comes in two satiny shades with shimmering reflections.

593 ROSE MOIRÉ A greyish pink for a delicate version.
595 ROUGE MOIRÉ A raspberry red for a seductive version.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel

This is the most stylish I got in Iceland. First of all, it was freezing cold (Thank God, I brought this padded gilet with me!), second of all, I have never felt the urge to dress up or put on make-up. Everything is just laid back and very relaxing.

My look: Grosgrain-trimmed cotton-jersey sweatshirt by Saint Laurent, Pedal Star skinny-leg printed denim pants by Closed, white padded gilet by Moncler Grenoble, large studded backpack by MCM, sunglasses by Marc Jacobs, printed silk scarf by Gabriele Frantzen and biker boots by Chanel. Hat, souvenir from Iceland.

Being on “luxury withdrawal therapy” is kind of fun for one week, but now I cannot wait to bring back some glamour into my life. Stay also tuned for the upcoming post about the most breathtaking sceneries I have seen on the island.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Switzerland has a new beauty oasis, a very urban one: ease DESIGN SPA. A paradise in the city with a vibrant vibe, located in Zurich-West on the first floor of Puls 5. Of course, it doesn’t have this typical zen ambiance but that is on purpose. I enjoyed the facial treatment to funky music in a relaxing ambiance created by award-winning interior designers Dyer-Smith Frey very much.

The highly qualified team offers top quality service and a bundle of experience along with the comfort of a spa in the city.

Ease DESIGN SPA works with SALIN de BIOSEL from Italy. All products and treatments have been designed to be personalised “à la carte”. How does this work? By adding precious components aimed to solve your specific beauty problem, like a unique cosmetic recipe, you enjoy a treatment made exclusively to suit your skin needs.

Everything at ease DESIGN SPA is easy, even the online booking service. I hope that you will feel as much at ease as I did.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Ease Spa and © Sandra Bauknecht

ITALY MEETS ARABIA

Acqua di Parma‘s new Colonia Intensa Oud is absolutely wonderful, something we would like to smell on our men. Bringing together two different worlds, this unique fragrance blends the distinctive Italian freshness of the cologne with the richness of the finest ingredients of the Middle East. The fragrance is the portrait of a man who embodies the best of different cultures, and confident in his own unique identity.

Congratulations! Last month, Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa Oud won the 2013 Fragrance Foundation Award in the Men’s Luxury category in New York.

Top notes: Orange and Calabrian bergamot
Middle notes: Coriander, Amyris wood and Agarwood essential oil
(Agarwood essential oil is known to be a sign of charismatic, ancestral virility in the worlds of incenses, balms, particularly found in male Middle Eastern fragrances)
Base notes: Sandalwood, ceadrwood, patchouli, musk, wood and forest notes

A complete line for those who love this captivating fragrance in every aspect of their lives. The Eau de Cologne is available in 180ml and 100ml sizes, as well as in a Travel Spray 30ml format for those who want to enjoy the pleasure of this Eau de Cologne at any time and place.

Colonia Intensa Oud is now also available as a Shampoo and Shower Gel, Perfumed Deodorant and as a skilfully crafted Cube Candle for those who would love to spread the enigmatic notes of this Eau de Cologne in their daily routine and in their homes.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Acqua di Parma

For F/W 2013, Louis Vuitton has invited three new international street artists – Eko Nugroho from Indonesia, EINE from the UK and Franco-Tunisian eL Seed – to bring their vision to bear on its emblematic giant silk square. This latest collaboration continues Louis Vuitton’s world tour of the buzzing street scene, which began last season with AIKO, RETNA and Os Gemeos – themselves following in a tradition of partnerships with contemporary artists, including Stephen Sprouse, Yayoi Kusama, Takashi Murakami and Richard Prince.

Mixing urban and pop influences with traditional Indonesian motifs, Eko Nugroho’s intriguing design conjures up a mythical beast in deliberately clashing colours, which twists across a geometrical background of scale-like shapes in blue and khaki.

Drawing on Louis Vuitton’s heritage, EINE expresses the excitement of travel in words and colour, printing the phrase “great adventures” in bold block letters and eye-popping shades onto a dramatic black background, and framing the entire design with the Louis Vuitton signature.

Inspired by Arabic calligraphy, eL Seed imagines the graceful swirls of this ancestral art overlaying the Monogram pattern. One half of the design is printed in fuchsia, while the other is covered with a discreet filigree that reveals, rather than conceals, Louis Vuitton’s iconic motif.

I love the new scarves so much and Stephen Sprouse‘s iconic print is still among my favorites. Which one is yours?

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

After two days in Reykjavík, I have started my trip around Iceland. The so-called Golden Triangle, “the three great destinations” for the Icelandair travelers that visit the country are Gullfoss, Geysir and Þingvellir and were first on my “to-see list”. Believe me, they are absolutely worth the visit. Step off luxury and explore paradise! Enjoy my photo diary.

Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park

The Þingvellir area is an area of sea-floor spreading, displaying the close association of crustal rifting and volcanism. Þingvellir is next to the Great Rift Valley of Eastern Africa the only site on earth where the effects of two major plates drifting apart can be observed. Almannagjá that you can see above is pherhaps the most dramatic structure at Þingvellir.

Gullfoss Waterfall

Gullfoss (translated as “Golden Falls”) is to my opinion one of Iceland’s most stunning waterfalls (and I have seen Niagara falls in Canada!). The light, the scenery is just breathtaking.

Geysir – Strokkur

Strokkur is one of Iceland’s famous fountain geysers, erupting about every 4-8 minutes 15-20m high, sometimes even up to 40m high. It is part of a whole geothermal area next to the famous Great Geysir which was the first one described in a printed source and which is the name giver for this natural phenomenon.

It was freezing cold and I experienced very strong winds that day.

My look: White padded gilet by Moncler Grenoble, pink sweater and checkered shirt, both by Abercrombie & Fitch, large studded backpack by MCM, sunglasses by Katie Grand ♥ HOGAN, printed silk scarf by Gabriele Frantzen, suede classic short boots by UGG Australia and Le Skinny de Jeanne mid-rise skinny jeans by Frame Denim. Hat and gloves, both souvenirs from Iceland.

Skógafoss

On my drive further east, I passed by Skógafoss, a waterfall situated in the south of Iceland at the cliffs of the former coastline. It probably rivals Gullfoss as Iceland’s most famous waterfall.

Dyrhólaey

The small peninsula Dyrhólaey is located on the south coast of Iceland. The view from up there from the cliff is gorgeous with black lava columns coming out of the sea.

Travelling through Iceland feels a little bit like being on luxury withdrawal therapy. The accommodations are pretty basic and you don’t find fancy restaurants. But you find something here that is absolutely unbeatable, breathtaking nature, an amazing light as it barely gets dark these months and peace for your mind.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht