Get Ready to Glow with Aveda

There’s something quietly luxurious about discovering a product that simply works, no drama, no heavy-handed promises, just beautiful results. That was my first thought when Aveda Miraculous Oil landed on my desk.

From the very first application, it felt less like a styling product and more like a ritual. The texture is featherlight, melting instantly into the lengths without weighing the hair down. My hair drank it in, no residue, no greasiness, just an immediate, healthy-looking sheen that caught the light in that effortless, «good hair day» way.

The key is in how you use it: this is designed to be applied on damp hair. I smooth a small amount through the lengths and ends after washing (a little truly goes a long way), then style as usual.  What I love most is the balance it strikes. The hair feels nourished and protected, yet still fluid and touchable. There’s a softness that lingers, the kind that makes you run your fingers through your hair absentmindedly throughout the day. And the shine, never glassy or overdone, looks natural, almost intrinsic, as if your hair simply decided to behave better overnight.

According to the brand’s claims, hair can look 195% shinier instantly*, and feel 2x smoother all day.** And if you’re someone who battles flyaways the second you step outside, the up to 24 hours of anti-frizz protection ** is the kind of detail that makes a real difference in daily life.

What I also appreciate is that it’s not just about looks, there’s function here. It offers heat protection up to 230°C, which makes it feel genuinely useful if you blow-dry, straighten, or style with heat. And yes: it’s suitable for color-treated hair, which matters if you want shine and softness without compromising your colour.

Then there’s the sensorial side, very Aveda, and very much part of the charm. As you start styling, the signature pure-fume™ aroma gently unfolds with the warmth. It’s subtle, botanical, and calming, one of those small moments where you actually pause, breathe in, and feel like your routine has turned into a ritual.

In a world overflowing with hair oils, this one stands out by doing less, but doing it impeccably well. Consider it that rare beauty essential: understated, elegant, and destined to earn a permanent place on your shelf (and in your daily routine).

Available for CHF 52.00 (50ml).

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and Aveda
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* 195% instantly shinier hair (brand claim).
** 2x smoother hair & up to 24h anti-frizz protection (brand claims).

My Look: Tea Time in Zurich

The day I forgot my trousers. At least, that’s what it looked like.

The first outfit post of the year began on one of those icy Zurich mornings where the air feels almost unreal. It was bitterly cold, birds were circling around me, and for a moment the whole scene looked like something generated by AI, perfectly surreal, but completely real.

I was wrapped in a knitted ensemble that instantly steals the spotlight. A crystal-embroidered coat, a matching sweater, and the most unexpected piece of all: a tiny knitted short that almost looks like underwear. Bold, playful, and definitely not what winter dressing usually looks like.

This is exactly what I love about fashion, the tension between classic elegance and daring proportions. The craftsmanship feels timeless, while the short length of the knit adds a modern, almost cheeky twist. Unexpected combinations like this create the most exciting silhouettes.

The day itself felt just as special as the outfit. My daughter invited me for tea time at Mandarin Oriental Savoy, and I can only recommend it. Warm interiors, beautiful details, and a sense of calm luxury, the perfect contrast to the freezing streets outside.

An outfit that surprises, a moment that feels cinematic, and a reminder that sometimes the best way to start a new year is by breaking a few styling rules… or at least pretending you forgot your trousers.

My look: Gianni embellished wool-blend coat, Coraline embellished wool and cashmere-blend sweatericon, and Georgie crystal-embellished wool and cashmere-blend shortsicon, all by Simkhai, Brides de Gala forever scarf 90 in Noir / Crème / Gold, and scarf ring 90 Trio in Palladié, both by Hermès, Georgina embellished wool-felt fedoraicon by Eugenia Kim, velvet over-the-knee boots by Miu Miu, vintage logo shopper and square sunglasses with heart mirrors at the side, both by CHANEL.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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My Favorite Outfits of 2025

Following my tradition, here are my favourite outfits of 2025 – a little retrospective recalling my most fashionable moments, photographed in amazing places around the globe. It was a very difficult year for me but fashion is always my pillar to stay strong, happy and grateful.

May 2026 be as stylish as it is successful. I am wishing you a year of bold fashion choices, new inspirations, and a closet that always feels like your happy place.

LoL, Sandra

JANUARY 2025: One Day at a Time

Pop Art Let’s Party!

FEBRUARY 2025: Futuristic

Be Happy90’s VibesChic

In Love We TrustHot Dog

MARCH 2025: I’m Capable

Royal Power of LoveOwn Your Power Cyber Dots

BangLove

APRIL 2025: Neon Green

Good Things Take TimeEaster WeekendGirl Scout

SwitzerlandRose RomanticHappy Tuesday

FirenzeIstanbul Memories Minnie

MAY 2025: Team Work

Hello SpringRomanticSpace

Balletcore Bride BabeShare the Love

ChérieDirty Dancing

JUNE 2025: Scent-sational

Roar! Story TimeK-Pop

Pizza TimeHistorical Festival

Couture GooseTime for Adventure

JULY 2025: Summer Vibes in July

Buttercup YellowCaribbean NightDance Party

Favorite City GirlStudio 54Laceleaf

Tarzan VibesMoon Ray

AUGUST 2025: August

SilkStay StrongSmall Steps Every Day

LipsBest Friend Day

SEPTEMBER 2025: Bonjour Paris

Reflecting PoolLost in Translation

Brown Is The New BlackOne More Night in Boston

OCTOBER 2025: Joie de Vivre

BurgundySome Days

NOVEMBER 2025: The Defining Knit Dress

Moonlit One Thousand and One NightsRiyadh Style

DECEMBER 2025: Burberry Host

Rewear Celebrating Oscar

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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Happy 2026 – New Year Energy

Happy New Year 2026 to you all! I started the new year in St. Moritz, surrounded by my close friends, winter glamour, music, laughter, and exactly the kind of energy a new beginning deserves. We celebrated up on top of the mountain at White Marmot with good vibes, strong looks, and the feeling of truly stepping forward.

The year behind me was not an easy one, but this night reminded me of something essential: life moves, energy matters, and joy is something worth choosing again and again. We danced, celebrated, laughed, fully present, fully alive.

At the same time, the tragedy in Crans-Montana was a sobering reminder of how fragile life is, how quickly everything can change. My thoughts are with everyone affected. I wish strength, light, and healing to all who are grieving.

And maybe that’s exactly why moments like these matter so much.
Why we celebrate.
Why we gather.
Why we start again with intention, joy, and courage.

Grateful for my friends!

For this new year, I wish you energy, laughter, love, and the confidence to embrace everything good that comes your way. Let’s move forward, bold, grateful, and fully awake to life. 2026 – consider this my energy era.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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My Look: Celebrating Oscar

«Fashion is about optimismOscar de la Renta once said. On the last day of the year, those words feel especially present. This year brought profound loss and many difficult moments, marked by the passing of my parents. Ending it with a beautiful memory feels meaningful.

Earlier this month, I travelled to Santo Domingo for the Oscar de la Renta fashion show celebrating the house’s 60th anniversary, an experience I will share more of very soon. For now, this is a first glimpse of the look I wore.

Head to toe in Oscar de la Renta, the orchid print reflected the Caribbean Gala dress code for the night and matched perfect the beautiful background at my hotel, the Kimpton Las Mercedes.

My look: Maxi dress with orchid print, Tro crystal-embellished mini bag, and Impatiens silver-tone crystal clip earringsicon, all by Oscar de la Renta, crystal embellished sunglasses by CHANEL, diamond rose ring by Piaget , and Double Bow crystal-embellished glittered leather point-toe pumpsicon by Mach & Mach.

Wishing you all a bright, joyful, and great start to the new year! I am convinced that 2026 will be a good one!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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My Look: Burberry Host

Hosting a Burberry event in Zurich was a tue pleasure, a day shaped by conversations, style, and a shared appreciation for the house. Friends of mine and clients of the House came together to experience the F/W 2025 collection, alongside my styling insights and a closer look at the season’s defining themes.

What I wore felt like a natural extension of that dialogue. Dressed head to toe in Burberry, my look combined current pieces with elements that have long been part of my wardrobe. A reminder that true style isn’t about moments, but continuity and that Burberry’s strength lies in its ability to remain timeless while constantly evolving.

My look: Oversized silk-habotai shirticon, shearling-collar trim scarfasymmetric printed plissé-twill skirticon, leather-trimmed cashmere and cotton-gabardine bag charmicon, mini Pocket tote bag, and buckled leather knee bootsicon, all by Burberry.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / Sanjeev Velmurugan
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My Look: Rewear

Some pieces are simply too special to be worn only once. This Oscar de la Renta dress is one of them. I first wore it four years ago during Paris Fashion Week, for a special occasion hosted by Dr. Barbara Sturm.

With Dr. Barbara Sturm at Kaviar Caspia in Paris in 2021 wearing the dress for the first time.

Last week, I was wearing it again in a very different setting in front of a beautifully decorated Christmas tree at the National Palace in Santo Domingo on the occasion of Oscar de la Renta’s 60th anniversary.

Christmas tree camouflaging.
So perfectly decorated that I almost disappear into it.

The dress remains the same. I only changed the shoes and the earrings. And yet, it feels completely new.

My look in Paris: Open-back appliquéd tulle mini dressicon by Oscar de la Renta, vintage dark green stingray leather clutch, and platform sandals, both by Alaïa, oversized gold-tone, leather, crystal and faux pearl clip earrings by Dolce & Gabbana.

My look in Santo Domingo: Open-back appliquéd tulle mini dressicon and dark green long beaded tassel earrings, both by Oscar de la Renta, vintage dark green stingray leather clutch by Alaïa, and Jodie rose-embellished white leather platform sandals by Saint Laurent.

With its iconic three-dimensional floral appliqués, a design made iconic by Taylor Swift, this gown is an absolute dream piece. And when you are lucky enough to own something this special, you should wear it again and again. Because every time you do, it feels like a Christmas gift all over again: familiar, yet still magical.

These images below were taken in Paris, but over the coming days I’ll also be sharing what I experienced with Oscar de la Renta in Santo Domingo. This is just the beginning. Merry Christmas and stay tuned!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / Nadia Krawiecka
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Christmas Cocktail at Valentino in Zurich

Last night’s Christmas cocktail at Valentino in Zurich felt like a beautiful pause in time, a celebration not only of the season, but of friendship, creativity, and the unmistakable warmth of the Valentino family. Surrounded by shades of deep red, festive, sensual, and powerful, it was a joy to finally gather again, laugh together, and share a moment that felt both intimate and elevated.

With Gianfranca, Albena and Wei.

As a fashion observer at heart, my eye inevitably wandered to the clothes. Under Alessandro Michele’s creative direction, Valentino is entering a fascinating chapter. Michele once said, «Clothes are a form of self-definition, a way of declaring who you are without having to speak.» That philosophy is clearly present, rich, expressive, unapologetically emotional. And yet, one cannot help but feel that his signature is so strong, so personal, that it almost longs for a universe entirely of its own. Alessandro Michele doesn’t just design collections; he builds worlds.

I fell in love with the hat from the F/W 2025 collection.

That said, Valentino currently offers truly beautiful pieces to discover, highlights from the F/W 2025 collection can be found with up to 40% off, and the new Resort collection has arrived with fresh, desirable silhouettes that feel both joyful and timeless.

Valentino Resort 2026

The evening itself was filled with lightness: exquisite catering, endless conversations, and a room full of women clearly enjoying themselves. The photos capture it perfectly, elegance without stiffness, glamour without effort, and the simple pleasure of being together again.

Tanja, Thea, Wei and me.

Fashion, after all, is never just about clothes. It’s about moments like these.

LoL, Sandra

Fashion is calling…

… and my favorite dinner is served.

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and © Valentino
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My Tips for the Weltwoche Holiday Gift Guide

I’m very proud to have contributed once again to the Weltwoche Gift Guide, a beautifully curated selection where a variety of well-known personalities share their personal recommendations. And because I certainly don’t want to keep my tips from you, I’m sharing an English summary of my favorites here as well. Enjoy a little sparkle, a little travel dreaming, and a touch of everyday luxury.

A Touch of Luxury for Your Hair

Le Parfum by Hair Rituel by Sisley is like an invisible silk scarf that gently wraps around your hair. It smells as if you’ve just conquered the world—not the kitchen. One spritz and any trace of cooking, smoke, or daily hustle simply disappears.

What remains is shine, lightness, and that subtle, confident scent that quietly says: I’m not in a rush, I just smell fabulous.

Available at sisley-paris.ch, CHF 101.00 (100ml)

Infinity Collection by ONTOO – Luxury That Truly Adds Up

Who says bespoke craftsmanship is only for couture? At ONTOO, you can create jewelry that suits your life and your budget. Rose, white, or yellow gold? Prefer sapphire instead of diamond? Everything is possible.

The pieces by Swiss designer Martina Baeriswyl Holzach are light enough for sports yet elegant enough for an evening out. Jewelry that adapts to its wearer, not the other way around.

Prices upon request: ontoo.ch

London Calling – A Gift With the Curtain Up

For those who love collecting experiences rather than things: the legendary Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair now offers three new Forte Suites, each inspired by a personality who shaped the neighborhood, composer Muzio Clementi, soprano Clara Dow, and Dame Vera Lynn.

Imagine this: after an evening at the theatre, returning to the Brown’s Hotel for a glass of bubbly in an Emperador marble bathroom, the night drifting into the melody of «A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square.» A gift that feels like a movie scene.

The new Forte Suites start at £3,500 per night.
More information here.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and Courtesy of the Brands
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The Final Farewell

Last week, we gathered to say goodbye to my father, in the same forest, beside the same tree, where we stood only two months ago to say goodbye to my mother. The same place, the same quiet air, the same sacred ground that holds both of them now. And although it breaks my heart, it also fills me with peace. They are together again where they always belonged.

We came dressed in black with a touch of green, his favorite color, as he wished, and in the way he always loved me to express my emotions through what I wear: a hat with a Gamsbart, traditional touches he would have smiled at, and the CHANEL bag he gave me as a young girl, the very first one, carried close to my heart today.

And as if the sky wanted to honor him too, the day was bright and cold, a true Kaiserwetter: icy air, but sunlight pouring through the trees, warming us from above. It felt as though he were sending us one last golden greeting.

There was so much love around us. So many memories. My childhood friends came, a gesture that touched me deeply and helped carry me through this day. And all around, I felt kindness, warmth, and support from every side.

At one moment, I leaned toward the tree, the same tree where we stood for my mother, and kissed its bark. And in that brief second, it felt as if I was holding her again. As if the tree had become a bridge between worlds, carrying both of them in its roots and branches. A quiet embrace that wrapped itself around my heart.

My father was the most loyal, honest, and authentic man I have ever known. A true good soul, gentle, humorous, sociable, always ready to help, always seeing the best in others. He loved nature, he loved traveling, he loved wandering through the world with curiosity in his eyes. And he loved deeply especially my mother. Their bond was one of the great loves of a lifetime.

He gave love, and he received love. He lived with kindness, and he left with kindness. And now, after 83 years in this world, he has returned home back into a greater light, back to the woman he loved with all his heart.

It moves me to think that their journeys began and ended in such harmony: Two months apart. One final path leading them back to each other. A circle completed with grace. It was a day of farewell but also a day of gratitude. Gratitude for the memories, for the laughter, for the stories, for the quiet moments, for the love that will stay with us forever.

And as the sunlight shone through the trees, I felt something else too:
A gentle reassurance.
A whisper from above.

We are together again.
We are at peace.
We are watching over you.

Papa, I love you.
Thank you for everything you were, everything you gave, everything you taught me.
You will stay in my heart, always.

And now you are with Mama again.
That thought brings me comfort, and maybe even a little bit of joy.

Rest in peace, Papa.
You are home.

With love, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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