aedes de venustas
Aedes de Venustas - the name means ‘temple of beauty’ in Latin - is a cult beauty boutique in New York’s West Village, owned by Karl Bradl and Robert Gerstner. (Trust us, these guys know a thing or two about beauty and perfumery!) Fans of their boudoir-style boutique include Kate Hudson, Jennifer Lopez, Liv Tyler, Naomi Campbell, Giorgio Armani and top make-up artist Pat McGrath. The boutique’s cult Lime-Coconut Sea Salt Exfoliator has an impressive line up of fans around the world - including a well-known (male) Paris couturier and a top Latino pop diva. We are delighted to be able to offer it exclusively in the UK.
child
The ultimate cult fragrance, this rollerball oil is being made available in the UK for the first time through atelierdebeauté.com. It already has a devoted following in the US, where celebrity fans are said to include Sigourney Weaver, Madonna, Britney Spears and Tori Spelling. Child Perfume Oil sold-out across the US after one American actress, Jennie Garth, declared that ‘Child drives men wild.’ It is a very personal and understated fragrance, which touches those around you in a very subtle and unique way. Child Perfume Oil is a mysterious blend of exotic flowers - although the exact ingredients are a closely-guarded secret. Each bottle is lovingly blended and poured by hand by its charismatic creator Susan D Owens, who is based in Dallas.
fragonard
Founded in 1926 in Grasse, the heart of the French perfumery industry, Fragonard is one of the oldest and most renowned French perfumers. Still a family business, it is run today by the great-grandaughters of the founder - the super-stylish Agnes and Francoise Costa. Agnes and Francoise have modernised Fragonard by introducing some wonderful new products, while still managing to preserve the artisanal and traditional character of the venerable perfume house. We are pleased to be able to offer their cult ‘pebble’ soaps - made in the purest tradition of soap making - and a new line of luxe, plant-oil soaps, including a delightful tangerine-scented soap. (Tip: tangerine is poised to become a very trendy ingredient in perfumery!)
john masters organics
New York-based hairdresser John Masters has been creating his own hair products in his SoHo salon for over a decade. He believes that you should be good to your skin and the earth - and get great looking hair in the process. His products use organic botanical ingredients and contain no petrochemicals or harsh chemical additives. John Masters Organics won Best New Organic Non-Food Product from the Soil Association in 2004. As John points out sixty per cent of what you put on your skin is absorbed into the blood stream, and since the skin on your scalp is thinner than elsewhere, it makes sense to opt for products that are as pure and chemical-free as possible. And unlike many organic hair ranges, which perform poorly and have pungent hippy-herbal aromas, John Masters Organics smell delicious and are lush and sensuous to use. The two ‘hero’ products in the range are the Honey & Hibiscus Hair Reconstructing Shampoo, £26, and Reconstructor £28, which come in smart chocolate-coloured packaging and are especially good for chemically-treated and older, weakened hair.
l'orientaliste
L'Orientaliste, is a cult boutique in Marrakech owned by French husband and wife team, Claude and Emmanuelle Amzallag. Specialising in beauty products from Morocco, L'Orientaliste is best known among beauty insiders for its range of single-note scents - jasmine, Atlas rose, patchouli and gardenia. Lesser known are the boutique's beautifying argan oils: one scented with orange flower, the other with rose from the Atlas mountains. Naturally organic and with rejuvenating properties, they contain pure Argan oil, lightly scented with essential oils. Ideal for use on the face, they help to regenerate the skin and improve its elasticity.
louise bloor
Young, up-and-coming bespoke perfumer Louise Bloor studied politics at university and went on to work in the House of Commons but has always indulged her passion for perfume in her spare time. She trained with cult Californian perfumer Mandy Aftel of Aftelier and is keen to revive the art of traditional perfumery. To this end, she uses only natural essential oils - whether it is frankincense from Arabia or velvety rich vanilla from Madagascar - and avoids the synthetic ingredients widely used in commercial perfumery.
While bespoke perfume is Louise Bloor’s speciality, we love her ‘ready-to-wear’ or ‘off-the-shelf’ range and are delighted to be able to offer four Louise Bloor bath-oil blends - including her bestselling Geranium and Lime. In addition, Louise has created a special in-house bath oil for atelierdebeauté.com. It’s an uplifting, citrusy blend of litsea cubeba (a lemon-sherberty-smelling oil from the Chinese May Chang tree) tangerine and rosewood. It works equally well on a bleak winter morning as it does on a bright summer eve. If you like it, do let us know, as we are hoping that Louise will make us a perfume to match.
VRAI
With its pure, white packaging, high-quality ingredients and subtle, refreshing scent, VRAI is arguably the beauty world’s ‘best-kept secret’. (Yes, we know the phrase is overused but this range, the latest creation from venerable French perfumer Fragonard, truly is!) It’s a pure and simple product line, comprised of premium products, including an amazing handcream, that leaves the skin feeling as soft as antique linen. The most ‘must-have’ item of all - and by far the best-selling item on our website - is the VRAI Hair & Body Argan Oil. It’s hard to know where to start when describing the skin-enhancing and revitalising benefits of this iconic product - other than to refer you to a recent article in The London Magazine. See press coverage for details.
In a nutshell, VRAI Hair & Body Argan Oil is excellent for all dry skin conditions and for caring for the hair and scalp. Argan oil, comes from the Moroccan Argan tree and was used in traditional Moroccan medicine to care for the skin and counteract the effects of age and the sun. The oil is rich in natural ingredients that help renew cell structure. VRAI Hair & Body Argan Oil is designed to be used as an all-over body treatment to condition the skin and hair. It also makes an excellent massage oil and can help to:
- improve skin elasticity - particularly after weight-loss or childbirth.
- reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
- reduce scars left by acne, chicken pox, spots or burns.
- heal scarring after surgery.
- relieve joint pain.
- restore shine to dull, lifeless hair.
- strengthen brittle nails.
The VRAI range is softly-scented with a beguiling mix of bergamot, verbena, jasmine, basil, orange, amber, thyme and iris. It comes in stylish clean, white packaging, covered in a a rubberised cotton pouch that gives it instant tactile appeal.
Please note: Vrai products are only available to customers in the UK.