Sandra‘s Closet

When I first heard that Gwen Stefani was teaming up with OPI for a limited edition collection, I couldn’t contain my excitement. Inspired by the 2013 Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute Gala that featured the theme “Punk: Chaos to Couture,” seven new nail lacquers, featuring standout color in breakthrough finishes will launch in January 2014.

Highlights from the collection include a bold red lacquer that pays homage to Gwen’s signature lipstick, a new semi-matte satin finish in shades of gold and black, and a mirrored chrome paired with a special base coat.

From left to right:
Over & Over A-Gwen – Gwen’s signature red OPI hue is available in a boxed set, which includes Swarovski black crystals and silver, gold and pewter studs in bar, square, diamond and circle shapes for creating unique nail designs, as well as nail glue for easy application.
Hey Baby (a perfect pink) and I Sing in Color (a deep blackberry) are also two glossy crème lacquers.

From left to right:
Love.Angel.Music.Baby. and 4 in the Morning feature a new, semi-matte satin finish designed to be worn without top coat.
In True Stefani Fashion is a sparkly holographic silver glitter shade.

My favorite: Push and Shove, a bold chrome hue, is also worn without top coat but requires a special complimentary base.

The collection will be in stores worldwide in January 2014, in Switzerland it will launch on the 21st and be available for around 3 months.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: ©2014 OPI Products Inc.

If you are somebody who is not very keen on wearing heavy foundation but still likes to mask flaws and add a little radiance to your complexion, you might thank me forever for this post. Here is a product that offers great coverage with a light and airy feeling. I tried it and it is truly amazing as it simultaneously moisturizes the skin throughout the day.

MIRACLE AIR DE TEINT is Lancôme‘s latest foundation launch and beautiful Penelope Cruz stars in the ad campaign. Try it, you will love it. It is like a veil, the lightweight formula is outstanding. A new makeup generation due to a mixture of volatile and semi-volatile oils, with “miraculous particles“, that are consisting of 90% air.

In Switzerland, Miracle Air de Teint will be available in 12 shades starting this month for CHF 62.00 a bottle.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Recently, we had an eminent visit in Zurich. Llyod Simmonds, Creative Director Make-up Yves Saint Laurent, had flown in to present his newest creation at Aura:
the FLOWER CRUSH Spring Look 2014.

Lovers and collectors of YSL beauty items will be pleased to look at those limited edition beauty must-haves that will hit the shelves in Switzerland in February 2014.

My personal favourites are the new GLOSS VOLUPTÉ lip glosses that replace the brand’s iconic Golden Gloss. This new generation of lip shine will be available in 24 shades in three different harmonies: golden, iridescent and pure. Four of these are already included in the upcoming YSL Spring 2014 Flower Crush Collection. What makes the gloss stand out is its applicator, which is designed to look like a kiss-shape and which allows for precise application.
As Lloyd put it: “An invitation to kiss.”

LoL, Sandra

Lloyd Simmonds with me

PIVOINE CRUSH Palette Collector pour les Yeux CHF 89.00 (One Shot)

ROSY BLUSH Palette Collector pour le Teint CHF 89.00 (One Shot)

GLOSS VOLUPTÉ N°104 Prune Organdi –  N°49 Terriblement Fuchsia – N°19 Rose Orfèvre – N°3 Rose Fusion CHF 48.00 each

ROUGE VOLUPTÉ N°34 Rose Asarine – N° 31 Fuchsia Tourbillon – N°33 Rose Neillia – N°32 Corail Jalouse CHF 50.00 each

ROUGE PUR COUTURE VERNIS À LÈVRES N°32 Rouge Avant-Gardiste – N°33 Bourgogne Artistique CHF 48.00 each

LA LACQUE COUTURE N°48 Rose Scabiosa (One Shot) – N°49 Rouge Pablo CHF 38.00 each

DESSIN DU REGARD WATERPROOF N°11 Pourpre Intense CHF 36.00
MASCARA VOLUME EFFET FAUX CILS N°22 Violine Ténébreuse CHF 50.00 (One Shot)

Photos: © David Biedert and © Sandra Bauknecht

What could be more British than London rain? This fact inspired Master Perfumer Christine Nagel to capture the different moods of a downpour, from the soft sparkle of a morning shower to a wild rainstorm at night for Jo Malone‘s upcoming limited edition LONDON RAIN collection.

“The initial concept from Jo Malone London was to create a scented portrait of London to conjure up the romantic and deeply intense rainy days,” says Nagel.

I find the weather inspiration such a great concept and I cannot wait to indulge my nose in those four new scents.

Rain & Angelica
Glassy beads of dew, awakening a London park at dawn. A revitalising scent, enlivened with herbaceous angelica and juicy lime on an earthy base of vetiver. Aqueous and clear.

Wisteria & Violet
A soft morning shower, soaking purple wisteria cascading over London stone walls. Infused with the wet-petal scent of violets and water lily. Rainwashed and intoxicating.

White Jasmine & Mint
An afternoon cloudburst, drenching gardens exuberant with jasmine, lily, orange flower and rose. Eccentric with its dash of scrambling wild mint. Enchanting and refreshing.

Black Cedarwood & Juniper
Midnight rain. Seductive with the carnal touch of cumin, chilli leaves, and aromatic juniper. Dark with cedar wood. Humid with moss. Modern and urban.

LONDON RAIN Limited Edition
In the UK and other countries available from March 2014. Each Cologne 100ml RRP £82 / €100.
In Switzerland available in the beginning of May 2014. Each Cologne 100ml RRP CHF 130.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Jo Malone

Gorgeous Daria Strokous is the face of Dior‘s new S/S 2014 makeup collection, “Dior Trianon“, that is inspired by Versailles, Marie-Antoinette and her private estate Petit Trianon.

All you need to create the look of a contemporary courtesan with porcelain complexion,flashy mouth ,pinky cheeks and pastel colors on her eyelids and nails.
One word that describes it all: beautiful!

The collection will be available in Switzerland from January 15, 2014. Below you can explore all the upcoming amazing products.

STAR PRODUCT
001 Palette Trianon Favorite CHF 115.00 (One Shot)

DIORSHOW FUSION MONO MATTE
091 “Nocturne”  – 121 “Céleste” (One Shot) – 721 “Songe” – 761 “Mirage”  CHF 49.00 each

5 COLEURS TRIANON EDITION
234 “Pastel Fontanges” (One Shot) CHF 92.00

954 “Pink Pompadour” (One Shot) CHF 92.00

DIORSHOW MONO TRIANON EDITION
170 “Angélique” (One Shot) and 427 “Opaline” (One Shot) CHF 50.00 each

PRIMER
001 Glow Maximizer (Light Boosting Primer) CHF 62.00
001 Pore Minimizer (Skin Refining Matte Primer) CHF 62.00

002 Backstage Eye Prime (Long-wear & Smoothing) CHF 43.00

DIORBLUSH TRIANON EDITION
763 “Corail Bagatelle” (One Shot) CHF 69.00

946 “Pink Rêverie” (One Shot) CHF 69.00

ROUGE DIOR
531 “Rose Crinoline” – 757 “Souveraine” (One Shot) – 761 “Courtisane” (One Shot) – 774 “Allégresse” (One Shot) CHF 51.50 each

DIOR ADDICT GLOSS
122 “Mousseline” – 382 “Minauderie” – 442 “Pétillante” – 772 “Exquise” (All One Shots) CHF 45.00 each

DIOR ADDICT LIP GLOW
004 “Coral” (One Shot) CHF 46.50

DIOR VERNIS
187 Trianon Édition “Perlé” CHF 38.50 (One Shot)
204 “Porcelaine”  – 457  “Bouquet” – 777 “Bloom” CHF 37.00 (All One Shots)

In Switzerland in stores starting January 15, 2014.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Dior

Lily Collins is the face of Lancôme‘s Spring 2014 makeup collection FRENCH BALLERINE. Looking at her gorgeous brows, her beautiful complexion and her striking resemblance to Audrey Hepburn, it was only a matter of time before the actress and daughter of Phil Collins landed a beauty contract. And it couldn’t be a better fit as Lily’s grandmother, Jane Hale, was dancing en pointe professionally in the forties.

Her first campaign was lensed by Mario Testino. Lancôme‘s FRENCH BALLERINE features the most romantic products inspired by the pink satin ribbons sewn onto toe shoes. For every woman who ever dreamed of wearing a tutu.

BLUSH HIGHLIGHTER
01 Rose Ballerine CHF 65.00

HYPNÔSE PALETTE DOLL EYES
D06 Rose Ballerine CHF 79.00

OMBRE HYPNÔSE DAZZLING
DO114 Topaze Dorée – DO215 Spinelle Rose CHF 48.00 each

CRAYON KHÔL HYPNÔSE WATERPROOF
07 Taupe CHF 36.00

GLOSS IN LOVE
010 Volumizer CHF 49.00
202 Mocha Queen – 302 Rose Oscar CHF 45.00 each

VERNIS IN LOVE
030 Undercoat Color Booster – 366 Rose Satin – 537N Pearl Grey CHF 26.00 each

This beautiful and romantic collection will hit the shelves this month in Switzerland.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Lancôme

L`Eau Couture is the olfactory continuation of the designer’s Prêt-â-Porter S/S 2014 collection, in which ethereal fabrics as light as petals chisel a magical fusion between woman and nature. It captures the ecstasy of nature blossoming in an urban springtime setting.

For L`Eau Couture, Francis Kurkdjian dreamed up a brand new tribute to freshness, which he leads into sensuality characterised by absolute sophistication. L`Eau Couture reinterprets accords in a way never seen before. “The idea to create a Couture Eau is quite uncommon in this register. It s a sophisticated, sensual freshness, far removed from the conventions found in fragrances usually created in this repertoire” – Francis Kurkdjian.

FLORAL

Top notes: Bergamot, magnolia and citrusy notes
Middle notes: Orange blossom
Base notes: Vanilla and green almond

Dressed in an elegant water-green box, the delicately facetted bottle reveals a crystalline green juice. L’Eau Couture lets us discover freshness like a promise of new emotions. It invites us to dive into unknown sensations born of the lightness associated with the newness of spring.

L’Eau Couture is the perfect addition to the Elie Saab fragrance family and will be available from February 1, 2014 (Swiss launch date) as EdT Vaporisateur 30ml (CHF 63.00), 50ml (CHF 94.00) and 90ml (CHF 132.00). I am already a huge fan!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Elie Saab

What happens at night stays there. MAC captures the moment when flashing lights illuminate a flair for finery and limitless luxury that can only be described as divine. Gorgeous colours in rich finishes inspire an evening on the scene and to be seen. Enjoy yourself – past midnight, the darkness keeps the secrets.

One night in Bangkok and the world’s your oyster… I cannot wait to wear those shades for New Year’s Eve in the Thai capital.

Here are the products I got for myself (starting clockwise from top left):

MINERALIZE EYE SHADOW in Captivating and Tonight’s Temptation – CHF 34.00
MINERALIZE BLUSH in Lavish Living – CHF 36.00
FROST LIPSTICK in You’ve Got It – CHF 31.00
FLUIDLINE EYE-LINER GEL in Deliciously Rich – CHF 27.00
CREMESHEEN GLASS in You’ve Got It – CHF 32.00
KOHL POWER EYE PENCIL in Raven – CHF 25.00
The DIVINE NIGHT collection is in stores worldwide now. Great news is that MAC has recently launched an online shop for Germany and Switzerland. To visit the site, please click here.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

I love this time of the year when the new makeup collections will soon hit the shelves. The main beauty trend for Spring 2014 is cute and sweet, soft pastel shades mixed up with some vibrant hues. All very feminine and romantic. Here is your sneak preview of CHANEL‘s Notes De Printemps, one of the most beautiful ones for the new season.

NAILS
Chanel Le Vernis (CHF 35.00 each)
• Charivari – a deep aubergine
• Tapage – a vibrant coral red

LE TEINT
Chanel Poudre Universelle Compacte (CHF 62.00)
• Préface – translucent light peach

Le Blush Crème de Chanel (CHF 54.00 each)
• Intonation – intense coral pink
• Chamade – tangy rosy red

LE REGARD – EYES
Chanel Illusion d’Ombré (CHF 47.00 each)
• Impulsion – silver-shimmer pastel pink
• Diapason – violet-plum brown

Chanel Lumière Facettes Eyeshadow Quad (CHF 77.00) Création Exclusive (Edition Ephémère)
• Quadrille – Grey lavender, Shimmery gold-ivory, Satin apricot pink, Matte deep brown

LIPS
Chanel Rouge Allure (CHF 48.00 each)
• Mélodieuse – candy orange-red
• Fougueuse – fuchsia

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet (CHF 48.00 each)
• L’Adorée – matte plum
• La Diva – matte electric pink

Chanel Le Crayon Lèveres Lip Liner (CHF 34.00)
• Sonic Pink – soft pink

Chanel Glossimer – Lèvres Scintillantes (CHF 41.00 each)
• Murmure – coral
• Plaisir – sheer soft pink
• Sonate – red

Chanel Rouge Coco (CHF 46.00 each)
• Dédicace – sweet blue-based pink
• Triomphe – sweet peach pink

The collection will be available in Switzerland in the end of January 2014. In some other countries, like the United States, already around the 10th.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Chanel 2013

Recently, I was invited to La Réserve in Geneva, one of my favorite hotels in this area, to be pampered in their spa with the amazing products of Nescens. During my stay, I also had the honor to meet Professor Jacques Proust, a pioneer in the biology of aging and anti-aging medicine, who created fifteen years ago a center that is unique in Europe: “Centre de Prévention du Vieillissement” (Nescens Center for Preventive Medicine at the Clinique de Genolier).

Professor Proust’s passionate vision is pretty simple and easy to understand as every human being deeply aspires to enjoying the best of life for as long as possible and needless to say this is accomplished through the preservation of his or her appearance, physical fitness and health. He created Nescens to help every individual attain this legitimate desire.

Building on his years of fundamental research in the field of senescence, Professor Jacques Proust developed a deep interest in the therapeutic strategies susceptible of slowing down the effects of aging on the human body. As the largest and most exposed organ of the body, the skin naturally attracted his scientific interest. Based on his knowledge of the biological mechanisms underlying the aging process, Professor Jacques Proust devised the Nescens cosmeceutical range and its product formulas which are all scientifically validated.

I can absolutely recommend a visit to the Nescens Medical Spa that is located inside the 5-star hotel La Réserve Genève. Being one of the best ones I have seen so far, it boasts 2,000 sq.m dedicated to well-being and the management of your health capital, under the supervision of a team of physicians, nutritionists and osteopaths.

I was absolutely impressed by this high performance anti-aging treatment program that combines technical prowess and ultimate comfort for long-lasting effectiveness and tailor-made support. The first diagnostic step, based on an in-depth analysis with the help of  dedicated machine, shows you the different aspects to be considered concerning skin aging, from dark spots to wrinkles, from its moisture level to its firmness. You see the now status and how it would develop if you didn’t consider working on its appearance. This enables your therapist to create a customized preventive and corrective treatment.

The big difference to other treatments is that Nescens delivers cellular regeneration, step by step, from the stratum corneum to the deep structure of the cells. An improvement is visible in just 10 sessions: the skin looks revitalized and rejuvenated; wrinkles appear visibly smoothed and diminished; the complexion is resolutely evened out and clarified. It was very impressive to see what is already possible in one hour, not to be speak of the long-term if you continue working with their products.

The Nescens range offers a resolutely innovative anti-aging approach based on the understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in the maintenance and repair of skin structures. If you are interested, check out their product range by clicking here.

I am absolutely convinced and can highly recommend the Swiss brand.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, Product shot: © Nescens