Sandra‘s Closet

“I create so that each and every woman is the most beautiful“. Christian Dior

Christian Dior was a visionary. Beginning with his first collection in 1947 he rewrote the rules of modern elegance and imposed his style on the entire world. He brought women his vision of beauty and happiness. He showed unprecedented creative originality.

In a dress embroidered with thousands of flowers designed by Raf Simons, Natalie Portman reveals a new facette of Miss Dior – Le Parfum, which I was able to explore in detail before the grand opening of the exhibition at the Grand Palais dedicated to this iconic scent.

Me in my beloved Bambi print neoprene sweatshirt by Givenchy, belt by Bottega Veneta and stretch-leather skinny pants by Gucci.

François Demachy with me

Miss Dior is a green chypre, the world’s first. When it appeared in 1947, its construction was unique, a masterful balancing act of notes: the citric from a citrus fruit, the floral drawn straight from the garden, and then the woody notes of patchouli and oak moss.

“When Miss Dior was created in 1947, it was a perfume unlike any other. The green chypre was known at the time, but no one had succeeded in developing the green note in the chypre in a way that produced an harmonious result,” explains François Demachy, Dior’s perfumer-creator.

Miss Dior is a family and its various accords depend on the compositions, on the different raw materials with which they’re made. Thus, the citrus is expressed by a neroli (in the Eau de Toilette), a Sicilian mandarin (Eau de Parfum and the Parfum) or a Calabrian bergamot (Eau Fraîche); then jasmine, ylang-ylang and rose alternately form the fragrance’s floral bouquet; with oak moss, sandalwood, vetiver or patchouli writing the woody notes.

” Miss Dior is a highly codified succession of materials that in themselves have nothing in common. But it’s when these materials are mixed together that the fabled Miss Dior harmony is formed, the one that every woman recognizes,” François Demachy states.

Regarding the name, there is a sweet anecdote. Catherine, the little sister of Christian Dior, walked down the stairs when the designer’s muse Mitza Bricard exclaimed “Miss Dior” in her unique way that made him think of the ultimate chic.

Very interesting to know is that in the beginning when the perfume was launched, you could only get it if you bought a dress at Dior. Isn’t it funny how the world has changed. Today, you mostly buy into the world of Dior via a fragrance… but as Christian Dior put it: “Perfume is the finishing touch to a dress.” And again, I couldn’t agree more and Miss Dior Le Parfum definitely belongs to my favorites.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Happy first Sunday in Advent! Now, the merry season is starting and I have some fun surprises and contests for you until Christmas Eve. Let’s get started with a kit that promises perfect luminous skin and I can tell you that it holds its word.

3 of my Swiss readers have the chance to win this amazing kit consisting of  the new Olaz Regenerist Complexion Corrector CC Cream along with the new Olaz 3 Point Super Cleansing System for CHF 91.50 per set (RRP). If you don’t live in Switzerland, no worries, those products are available worldwide, in most countries the brand name is Olay. Have a look at their website for further information.

Olaz Regenerist Complexion Corrector CC Cream

Every woman is dreaming of an even, glowing complexion which is the final step for a gorgeous head-to-toe look. To fulfill this wish, Olaz presents the new Olaz Regenerist Complexion Corrector CC Cream, an all-in-one formula, blending a sheer foundation, an SPF 15 moisturiser and a serum to give you instantly perfected and younger looking skin over time. After two weeks, fine lines and wrinkles are reduced significantly and after 8 weeks the appearance of dark spots and skin redness is less up to 78%.

Olaz 3 Point Super Cleansing System

Especially after a night full of partying, deep cleansing your face is indispensable. It’s important to free the skin from its scales and makeup to give it the possibility  to regenerate. The newest addition to the market is the innovative Olaz Regenerist 3 Point Cleansing System together with the Olaz Regenerist cleansing cream – which should be a fix component in everyone’s bathroom. Its rotary brush is proven to cleanse up to 4x more effectively than manual cleansing alone. It massages and really activates the blood circulation of your skin. As most of you know, I am a big fan of Clarisonic, but the Olaz 3 Point Super Cleansing System is the perfect less expensive alternative.

To participate in the contest, please send me an e-mail with your postal address and the header “Olaz” to . All entries must be received until December 10, 2013. No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win this contest. By entering this contest, entrants accept and agree to be bound by these official rules.
The winner has to have a Swiss address.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Olaz

Yesterday I flew to Paris to celebrate the reopening of GUERLAIN‘s legendary address – 68, avenue des Champs-Elysées, which will officially open its doors this Saturday. Since 1914, it had been the house of the family and also the first boutique with only 45m² until 2005.

Peter Marino, Laurent Boillot (CEO Guerlain) and Guy Martin (Chef G68)

Today, it has become a temple of beauty with 1000m² on four floors, expressing the house’s DNA with an unbelievable atmosphere that has not forgotten its past. It is the biggest mono brand beauty store in the entire world. Peter Marino designed the store concept, displaying amazing pieces of art and giving the house’s history space. He encrusted marble into marble in a modern way and said that he relied on his wife for any advice on beauty.

For Peter Marino, “perfume is something in the air, something that is not concrete, that travels through the atmosphere.” Therefore he came up for example with a ceiling installation in the entrance that he called “lost in fragrance”, a very flowing and captivating interior design.

Yesterday with Guerlain’s famous face Natalia Vodianova

A happy Sandra exploring Guerlain’s temple of beauty, filled with house’s iconic fragrances and makeup products.

The store also has a private shopping room where you can indulge into the Haute Perfumery.

Here, you will find exceptional bottles, like for example the Queen Secret, a diamond encrusted bee that opens her wings to reveal the perfume you choose (€400.00 per piece) or a perfumed watch that combines the craftsmanship of watchmaking, jewelry and perfume making.

On display in the store are also some amazing vintage pieces.

An hommage to Guerlain’s iconic L’Orchidée Impériale line is this artwork by Marc Quinn.

To celebrate the opening, different limited or special editions have been launched such as a face powder of which only 400 pieces will be available or L’Eau 68, created by Thierry Wasser, that weaves a thread between the past and the future. Its scent, floral and woody, plays off the contrast between warm and cool spices.

Moreover, you can find a silk scarf selection or perfumed gloves which are amazing and said to keep their scent for a very long time.

The charming Olivier Echaudemaison, Creative Director of Guerlain, with me yesterday.

On the fourth floor, the amazing Guerlain spa is located. Nine rooms offer a relaxing and calming atmosphere with a very holistic approach. Every treatment is tailor-made for the customer. Different massage techniques from all over the world are combined to cater to the needs of the individual.

The waiting area has its own orchid garden and the entrance is just breathtaking.

In the basement, you will find the G68 restaurant where one of the best French chefs Guy Martin is treating his exclusive clientele to sophisticated and luxurious food – French Haute Cuisine. Martin has worked closely with Guerlain’s in-house perfumer Thierry Wasser. Following the same approach to creativity, they invented food that is called like the fragrances, working with similar ingredients. Martin said: “You have to understand the brand. You have to work with the best qualities, looking for the right products. It is a cuisine of comfort, pleasure and travel.”

I am completely in love with their tea selection named after their iconic fragrances that is also available to buy.

Guerlain’s legendary address is a feast for your senses, where you can indulge in luxury and beauty like nowhere else.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Today, I would love to share Bobbi Brown‘s beautiful Hollywood Glam Collection that is mainly dominated by the festive colors of gold, red and black. Perfect to get the right Christmassy sparkle. Doesn’t Katie Holmes looks absolutely gorgeous wearing the new must-have shades of the holiday season?

OLD HOLLYWOOD EYE PALETTE

What to pair with a leading lady-worthy lip? This palette plays the perfect supporting role to any look, from the season’s rich reds to alluring nudes. Featuring a mix of cool and warm colors for eyes with glitter and flat finishes, it includes a dual ended mini Eye Shadow Brush too.

CHF 125.00 (Limited Edition)

OLD HOLLYWOOD LIP COLOR

Red lips really never go out of style and this “Old Hollywood” shade is the perfect shade to sport red pouty lips.

CHF 40.00 (Limited Edition)

NAIL POLISH

A great complement to a dramatic Hollywood red lip or a sultry smokey eye, Bobbi’s nail lacquers polish off your look, making you glam from head to toe. Fun and festive, these two glitter polishes (Chrome and Solid Gold) add texture and a pretty touch of color, and can be layered over Siren Red or Tuxedo Black for added drama.

CHF 27.00 (Limited Edition)

INK LINER

With an improved formula and felt tip, this easy to use pen-style liner delivers the blackest black line. Inspired by the crisp cat-eye looks of the silver screen, this eyeliner is destined to be your go-to trick for standout eyes every time.

CHF 38.00

LIP GLOSS and HIGH SHIMMER LIP GLOSS

Bobbi’s limited edition shade of red (Siren Red) lets your smile take center stage. This Lip Gloss gives lips a brilliant, high-shine look and contains soothing botanical extracts to keep lips supple and soft. The other three sparkling High Shimmer Lip Glosses (Candlelight, Rosé and Pure Gold) provide a light-catching glimmer on bare lips (or added dimension over your favorite lipstick).

CHF 35.00 (Limited Edition)

LONG-WEAR CREAM SHADOW STICK

Effortless and high impact-that’s the essence of Bobbi’s Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick. This do-it-all formula glides on tug-free and can be used to shade, define, smoke up and highlight eyes. Available in three shades Tuxedo Black (New), 24 Karat (New) and Bronze (Limited Edition).

CHF 38.00

In stores November 2013.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Bobbi Brown

Once upon a time there was the most desirable woman of the 20th century…
Marilyn Monroe – the icon with a fresh sensuality – was the very essence of femininity. When she adopted CHANEL N°5, did she know what Mademoiselle Chanel had said of the bold fragrance back in 1921 : “I want a woman’s fragrance that smells like a woman” ?

Back then, the legend that this free and passionate woman wore nothing to bed but a few drops of CHANEL N°5 rocked the world. Her candid declaration of love for the quintessential feminine fragrance was there in black and white, in an article published on August 7, 1952 that accompanied her first cover of Life Magazine (see photos below) : “Marilyn, what do you wear to bed ? So I said I only wear CHANEL N°5.”

Today, that legend has become a reality. While perusing the archives on the star, the House of CHANEL discovered an unreleased recording capturing the spontaneous ambassadress’ original words. Flashback on the soundtrack : in 1960, Georges Belmont, editor-in-chief of Marie-Claire magazine *, interviewed the star of the film “Let’s Make Love” by Georges Cukor. On the spur of the moment, Marilyn confirmed the sincerity of her love for N°5 : “You know, they ask me questions. Just an example : ‘What do you wear to bed ? A pyjama top ? The bottoms of the pyjamas ? A nightgown ?’ So I said, ‘CHANEL N°5’, because it’s the truth… And yet, I don’t want to say ‘nude’. But it’s the truth !”

With this declaration, and the photo by Ed Feingersh ** showing her with a bottle of N°5 nestled in her décolleté, she definitively established N°5 as the fragrance of timeless femininity…
This advertising campaign will start this Fall in print and on TV.

N°5 – ODE TO SENSUALITY

N°5 is the first truly abstract fragrance: no identifiable dominant note stands out from the eighty ingredients used in its composition. A radical change that Jacques Polge, Creator of CHANEL Perfumes, describes as an olfactory symphony that blends notes of Ylang Ylang, Grasse Jasmine and May Rose, amplified by Aldehydes like a perfect accord.
N°5 has, since its creation, disrupted the codes of seduction and served the desires of women.
To complete the full perfuming ritual, CHANEL prolongs the trail of this legendary fragrance by creating a new sense-awakening moment with new bath and body products that invite you to fully immerse your senses in the world of N°5.

THE FOAMING BATH – BOTTLE 200 ML
A fine, generous foam, true to the fragrance, forms immediately upon contact with water for a pure moment of sensory relaxation. CHF 62.00
THE CLEANSING CREAM – BOTTLE 200 ML
A cream with a rich lather that envelops the body and fills the shower with its scent. CHF 60.00

THE BODY LOTION – BOTTLE 200 ML
Like a caress, it delicately wraps the body in a deliciously scented veil that moisturizes and protects the skin. CHF 68.00
THE DEODORANT – SPRAY 100 ML
A fresh breeze with the enveloping notes of N°5. CHF 56.00

THE HAIR MIST – SPRAY 40 ML
A delicate and sensual application for an aura of seduction and femininity. A fragrant mist that is gentle on hair. CHF 59.00
INTENSE BATH OIL – BOTTLE 250 ML
A few drops are all you need for your bath to take on a fragrant milky appearance. CHF 125.00

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel, © Bob Beerman, Philippe Halsman Magnum Photos, MOA/DALLE, © Sandra Bauknecht, * © Marie Claire 1960, ** © Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images

Looking outside at this dreadful weather, I love taking a hot shower. LE PETIT MARSEILLAIS has launched three new shower gels for the fall season, of which one is for men, that give you a little mood boost during this stormy season.

Verveine & Citron (Verbena & Lemon) Shower Gel gently cleanses, nourishes and hydrates the skin. Its scent is fresh and fruity.

Lait d’Acacia (Acacia Milk) Shower Gel comes with a delicate smell of flowers. It contains milk from acacia blossoms which is very soft and extremely moisturizing.

Bois de Cade & Fougère (Cade & Fern) Shower Gel for Men has a masculine woody smell and promises to nourish the skin while stimulating his (and probably also her) senses.

In Switzerland available at Coop for CHF 3.95 each (250ml).

LoL, Sandra

Photo: © Sandra Bauknecht

The new scent ANYWAY by Juliette has a Gun is different from what you would expect. Romano Ricci surprises with his new creation that brings a breath of freshness, simplicity and softness with the unusual mixture of citrusy and woody-floral components.

It symbolizes simplicity in the face of frivolity with just fifteen ingredients, going right back to basics, only keeping the best. Anyway is a signature fragrance ready to unite with the feminine as much as the masculine.

Top notes: Neroli and Lime
Middle notes: Jasmine
Base notes: Musk, Hedione and Ambrox Molecules

Available now as Eau de Parfum for CHF 117.00 (50ml) and CHF 153.00 (100ml).

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Juliette has a Gun and © Sandra Bauknecht

Being a huge fan of Tom Ford‘s Jasmin Rouge scent, I couldn’t have been more excited about the new matching color collection. There almost nothing as sexy as red lips and nails. Cherry or crimson, mix and match, the latest launch for the season is a fun one with names such as Rouge Fatale and Vampire Kiss for your lips while you can paint nails in Trophy Wife (my favorite as seen on my nails below, the perfect red with a hint of pink shimmer) and Shameless. Love it.

Prices are CHF 62.00 for the lipstick and CHF 42.00 for the nail polish.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Tom Ford and @ Sandra Bauknecht

Yesterday, Essie‘s Winter 2013 Collection was in the mail and couldn’t wait to share it with you! The cold season is coming – and with it, a lavish lineup of the season’s nicest necessities in six smashing shades. Pastels and saturated deeps, enjoy the new must-have hues including from left to right:

Parka Perfect: Shimmering cashmere mint grey
Warm & Toasty Turtleneck: Lavender angora
Toggle To The Top: Sparkling garnet red
Mind Your Mittens: Black teal
Sable Collar: Pearlescent cocoa plum
Shearling Darling: Ebony red

In stores now for CHF 20.00 each.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Essie and © Sandra Bauknecht

Let me introduce you to a groundbreaking, skin-optimizing serum that boosts hydration, clarity and luminosity and supercharges skin’s cellular functions to counteract the signs of aging immediately and over time: AHAVA Dead Sea Osmoter™ Concentrate.

In 1989, AHAVA scientists performed fundamental research on the shores of the Dead Sea that gave birth to the Osmoter™, a perfectly balanced concentrate of Dead Sea minerals. This serum features a new technology with the ability to deliver 3 times the Osmoter™ to skin cells. The delivery of highly concentrated Dead Sea minerals to the skin results in supercharged benefits.

Rehydrate – skin feels intensely moisturized and supple.
Illuminate – skin appears clearer, more radiant and youthful.
Recharge – skin is optimized to fully absorb nutrients from skincare regimen.
CHF 69.00 (30ml)

I recently tested the brand new AHAVA Dead Sea Osmoter™ Concentrate as a part of my daily beauty routine and was impressed by how radiant my skin started to look.

Great news for my Swiss readers: Five of you have the chance to win a bottle of AHAVA Dead Sea Osmoter™ Concentrate. To participate in the contest, please send me an e-mail with your postal address and the header “Ahava Concentrate” to . All entries must be received until November 16, 2013. No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win this contest. By entering this contest, entrants accept and agree to be bound by these official rules. The winner has to have a Swiss address.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Ahava