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What is it about bare-faced beauty that captivates us?
What is so magical about those who unashamedly embrace the skin they’re in?
How do we best nurture ourselves so that our inner beauty radiates from everything that we do?
These were the questions explored at Salon58, themed ‘BARE.’ The sought-after event in the Cape Winelands showcased the latest trends in beauty, fashion, design and food. Held at the PJ Olivier Art Centre on a crisp autumn Saturday, Salon58 was curated and hosted by former ELLE magazine SA editor and iconic style maven, Jackie Burger.
“I wanted the experience to be one of walking through the pages of a magazine,” said Burger, who invited representatives from prestigious skincare brand Kiehl’s; MAC Cosmetics, and legendary Italian perfumer and apothecary, Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella. The brands discussed their interpretations of the trend towards ‘bare beauty:’
A PERFECT CANVAS
Radiating your inner beauty outwards begins with taking immaculate care of yourself, and most importantly, your skin. Lindi from Kiehl’s at the Edgars V&A Waterfront store convinced us of the extensive virtues of investing in skincare and opting for products derived from nature…
It’s easy to hide behind foundation, concealer and powder, but they all have to come off at some stage. What you’re left with is your skin, which is in fact your greatest beauty asset if you invest in quality products and nourish it with wholesome ingredients.
If what you put in is what you get out, where do we find ourselves in our world full of harsh colourants and preservatives? As the list of banned ingredients grows each year, natural beauty brands like Kiehl’s are going from strength to strength. It’s all about trust: companies that are forthcoming about what goes in to their products are increasingly the ones we want to invest in.
Since 1851, Kiehl’s have kept their ingredients list as close to the earth as possible with powerful yet safe all-natural extracts. Lindi showcased several Kiehl’s products and their Midnight Recovery Concentrate facial oil (R 585; Kiehl’s counters in selected Edgars stores) stood out as the hero product. This moisture-boosting blend of botanical oils leaves skin smooth and radiant by morning.
(Beauty Bulletin is no stranger to Kiehl’s, having hosted a live chat with Kiehl’s skincare guru Euphony Kgadima as well as running a Kiehl’s review club).
REVEALING YOUR INNER GLOW
Leaving the house bare-faced is not for the faint of heart, but Saskia from MAC showed us how create a minimally made-up look that reveals the person behind the face, as opposed to a façade. It’s all about letting your natural skin shine through…just a rosier, more radiant and more even-toned version.
Using a palette of soft browns and earthy pinks, she interpreted the bare-faced beauty trend with the same ‘lit-from-within’ look we spotted at the recent MAC SS15 trends talk.
Her top tip: for natural, dewy foundation, mix MAC Mineralize Moisture Foundation with a few drops of MAC Care Blends Essential Oils face oil, and you’re good to go.
SCENTS AND SENSIBILITY
We so often underestimate the subtle power of fragrance in the construction of our identities, relying instead on a favourite lipstick or lashings of mascara to put forward the self we want others to see. Our scent delivers the final word in the impression we make on others, lingering long after we have left the room and hinting at the secrets that lie beneath our depths.
Michelle of Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella discussed this understated power of scent. Based in Florence, Santa Maria Novella is the world’s oldest perfumery, dating all the way back to 1221 where Dominican friars used botanicals grown in their gardens to prepare fragrances, balms and medications. Today, the products are made using the same recipes and sold in Russia, USA, China and at Michelle’s De Waterkant store in Cape Town.
Michelle explained that “fragrances were initially developed out of necessity” to mask the stench of the squalor that people lived in. However, as time went by, fragrance gained a personal dimension, with none other than Queen of France Catherine de’Medici asking Santa Maria Novella to create a signature scent for her. ‘Acqua della Regina’ (R1300 for 100ml) – or ‘water of the Queen’ – is still available today: a provocative combination of citrus and bergamot with subtle white flowers and warm exotic spices that we sampled at Salon58
BB beauties, what are some of the simple pleasures in your beauty repertoire that make you feel amazing? Share them here…