Scandimania
I have a lot of time for Scandinavia. That cluster of mystical frosty land to the north-east has churned out an alarming percentage of my favourite bands (Lykke Li, The Knife, Mew), clothing brands (Stine Goya, Carin Wester, COS) and interior designers (Pia Wallen, Carl Hansen, Nils Strinning…err, IKEA?). Not to mention cardamom-cinnamon buns (kardemummabullar). Oh my.
However I’m also becoming a fan of the beauty brands making their way across the North Sea. Infused with the same ethos as other Scandinavian produce (I’m lumping lots of countries together here for simplicity’s sake, sorry), they seem to share an emphasis on the beautiful yet functional – things that work well and look nice but do so without shouting ‘HI, I’M HERE’.
There’s a Swedish expression I love, ‘lagom‘, which describes it perfectly; ’just the right amount’ / ‘not too little, not too much’. With that in mind, Scandi brands hold serious appeal to those who like a sheer wash of colour here, just a hint of fragrance there.
Estelle & Thild
Gorgeous Ecocert certified brand, Estelle & Thild, is a product of Stockholm and apparently very popular in its native land. Inspired by the birth of her daughters, Pernilla Rönnberg developed Estelle & Thild alongside dermatologists and paediatricians to create gentle but high quality skincare. Their Fragrance Free Sensitive Facial Oil (£42), a blend of jojoba, sunflower, almond, avocado and sacha inchi oils, is a favourite of mine for its intensely nourishing but non-greasy finish which leaves behind just a hint of post-sauna glow. It’s really easy to get hold of the range in the UK (and internationally if you’re shopping online) from Urban Retreat Beautique, Selfridges, Beauty Bay and Love Lula.
FACE Stockholm
Probably best described as the Swedish version of MAC (although they probably share this title with another Swedish chain, The Makeup Store), FACE Stockholm have just about every shade of eyeshadow you could dream of. Yet despite the riot of colour (and glitter!) in the pans, there’s still something clean and approachable about their products. Popular with makeup artists for good reason, everything is well pigmented but easy to work with. FACE’s Bronzer in Marseille is a staple in my makeup bag for its perfect olive undertones and matte finish. They have quite a few standalone stores globally but much of the range is available from Fenwicks and Beauty Bay.
& Other Stories
Despite a couple of disappointing encounters with H&M makeup, & Other Stories own-brand makeup is surprisingly high quality. Cleanly packaged and usually scattered among coordinating clothes in the store, it’s not just a token offering. Their nail colours (£5) all apply well and have super-speedy broad brushes. My favourites are Moire Green, Shoddy Pink and Linsey Salmon. The powder blushes (£10) are smooth, pigmented and pack a hefty 5.5g of product. & Other Stories also stock organic Swedish spa brand L:A Bruket. The only downside is an eye-watering £6 shipping charge for online orders (a common gripe with H&M brands) if you can’t get to a physical store - but they are opening in a few new cities this year.
Tromborg
Described as ’Professional Makeup & Scandinavian Mood’, Tromborg is a range of makeup, skincare and bodycare created by Danish makeup artist Marianne Tromborg, with an emphasis on ‘less is more’. The Aromatherapy Bath and Shower Wash (approx £18) is particularly beautiful with a lively, warming ginger fragrance (a little
Also worth checking out are Ole Henriksen, SACHAJUAN and, next on my ‘to-investigate’ list, Kjaer Weiss.
The post Scandimania appeared first on LipsSoFacto.
