With winter beating its retreat and spring and summer soon on their way, it’s time to get excited about fresh fashion and beauty as we head into the warmer months…
Get ready to bare (your feet, at least) Time to book that long overdue pedicure because with warmer days and nights comes any excuse to pull out the sandals and slides.
If you’re on the lookout for something new that will slip effortlessly into any wardrobe, the new collection from La Tribe - ‘Before the Dawn’- is a great place to start. In keeping with the clean sophistication La Tribe has become renowned for, the collection explores a combination of newly crafted styles with archived ones that long-time fans of the brand just can’t get enough of. In gloriously neutral shades of sand, mocha and rose, the Elke Braided Sandal has been reimagined as the Thin Elke Braided Sandal, and is my pick of the bunch.
This version features the hand braiding that adorned the original bestseller, reinterpreted using slimmer straps for a more streamlined look. Drawing inspiration from the flagship Studded Sandal style, the Studded Heel in tan is another easy to love summer staple, while the Studded Platform is the kind of piece that you’ll invest in, and never want to take off.
Merchant 1948’s Wanderlust collection is another summer footwear wonderland to dive into, with the Stetson wedge and Oriel wedge sandal both coming with a sultry Mediterranean vibe that is so perfect for the warmer months. Embellished with floral embroidery and sporting a feature heel, the Restless style is my pick for a true show stopper, and essential in the lead up to party season.
Last but by no means least, it’s the season to elevate your Birkenstock game with the brand’s HIGH SHINE collection, which is available now. An elevated trio of key styles – Arizona Big Buckle, Gizeh Big Buckle and Franca - in glossy luxe black and brown, they look absolutely gorgeous and take everyone’s summer staple to a glamorous new level.
MECCA’s TerraCycle bins are now in store
All MECCA stores now have an in store TerraCycle bin that has been manufactured in Melbourne from 100 percent post-consumer waste – and it’s more than ready to take your makeup, haircare and skincare empties. The bins have been made using the empty beauty containers their customers and team members have recycled through TerraCycle, and even the signage on the bin is made from PVC-free vinyl, which means when the bins reach their end of life, the vinyl signage can be easily removed and recycled through a soft plastic recycling system.
However, while we know TerraCycle is a great solution for the end-of-life product packaging that can’t be recycled via kerbside collection, this is only one solution. It’s important that we take the time to consider sustainability at all stages of a product’s life cycle, and always refer back to the conscious shopper’s five Rs - refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, recycle - in everyday life.
Summer retreats are back
When time and budget allows, I love booking into a retreat to relax and reset, and spring and summer weather can really make the whole experience that much sweeter! Earlier this year I attended Ayurveda New Zealand’s first ever retreat, which was led by founder, Sarita Solvig Blankenburg, at Parohe on Kawau Island.
A Freemans Bay local, Sarita is an ayurvedic medicine practitioner and yoga therapist, as well as the founder of Ayurveda New Zealand and the Sattva Botanicals brand. She works with private clients from her Freemans Bay clinic, and also has her second Ayurvedic Panchakarma Cleanse Retreat coming up – once again at Parohe – from 24-27 November, 2022. With an autumn retreat also planned from 23-26 March, 2023, it’s definitely the perfect way to check in on your body and perhaps make some changes for the better.
www.ayurvedanz.co.nz
Skintopia is coming to the neighbourhood!
In major news for beauty fanatics like myself, the Skintopia brand is bringing its flagship store to 165 Jervois Road, Herne Bay. Skintopia calls itself a “results-driven, scientifically based skin treatment salon”, and is the work of the very clever Natasha Bourke. As well as being the founder of Skintopia (which first opened in Wellington), Natasha is the CEO for Two Hundred Doors, the New Zealand distributor for Dermalogica. A woman who definitely knows a LOT about skin, she first trained as a skin therapist before completing a Bachelor of Business Studies and relocating to London where she worked for Dermalogica. Towards the end of her tenure with the company she was responsible for setting up the first Dermalogica flagship store in Kensington, London and came home to do the same here. So it’s safe to say that when she created the Skintopia formula, it was with a great deal of retail, business and hands on experience to back it up.
For those a little pressed for time, I love a 30 minute glow up at Skintopia in the form of the ProSkin 30 treatment. It involves a thorough custom cleanse and facemapping, before a completely bespoke treatment is rolled out designed around targeting your greatest concerns. You can power this up with the likes of hydrodermabrasion, a contour mask or LED, then you’re free to go on your way in well under an hour. The perfect day-before-the-weekend treat and so effective, it really does aim to deliver results that you can see almost immediately. They also offer treatment rooms for the more lengthy and advanced treatments, like my personal favourite, the OxyGlow facial. Designed to literally breathe new life into your skin, the OxyGlow facial is a 60 minute treatment that focuses on hydrating, repairing, rejuvenating, healing, calming and more – making it perfect for addressing dry post-winter skin. It delivers an incredible hydration boost that continues over the following days, and is perfect for skin with an impaired barrier or those needing intense repair.
www.skintopia.co.nz
Freshen up your sheets
Spring and summer always mean a refresh when it comes with what you use to dress your bed, and George Street Linen have a beautiful collection of soft colours arriving for the warmer months as well as petite floral prints from Liberty of London. There are also some linen stripes being added to the brand’s current linen collection which are the dream seasonal swap out if you favour a classic, always comfy bedding situation (I know I do!). www.georgestreetlinen.com (HELENE RAVLICH)