If you are looking for a skincare regime that uses high quality organic ingredients and does not contain nasty chemicals, consider Dr. Alkaitis. I came across this relatively new product line recently when I received a travel kit containing the purifying facial cleanser, herbal toner, soothing gel, treatment oil, day creme, night creme, eye creme and mask. Dr. Alkaitis products differ from other skincare lines in the following ways:

• the products are biologically active, certified organic and are edible (indeed, I wanted to eat the mask, which contains strawberry, blueberry and raspberry, because it smelled like a strawberry shake);
• they do not use chemicals or synthetic materials;
• they use 100 percent certified organic Aloe Vera gel as a product base; and
• they do not test on animals.

Enough of that. What are they like?

All the products smell lovely without the overwhelming fragrance that accompanies mass market skincare products. They just smell fresh and delicious. The cleanser leaves the skin feeling fresh, but not tight and dry. The toner, which I use in the morning, wakes up my face with its wonderful zingy scent. The cremes are the star products. Both the day creme and the night creme resemble whipped mousse and when applied on the skin, absorb immediately. You don’t have that greasy, slippery feel. The eye creme is also very good and does not irritate the eyes (very important for someone like me who wears contact lenses). I used the soothing gel on a couple of warm days when my skin felt a bit too oily. I used the treatment oil on rough dry patches on my elbows and that worked wonders, although if your face feels very dry and raw (after skiing or sailing), that will work very well. I use the treatment oil on dry cuticles, too. Dr. Alkaitis has other products: mascara and eye makeup remover (the cleanser does not remove stubborn waterproof mascara), body washes and shampoos, and a lip balm.

In summary, I love these products and will continue to use them. It’s difficult to find good skin care that uses organic ingredients instead of harsh, harmful synthetics, and this one actually performs well. Best of all, Dr. Alkaitis does not make any outlandish claims that his products will suddenly erase the wrinkles from your face, like the mainstream beauty brands. He just delivers very good skincare products that work: they cleanse gently, moisturize effectively, and give the skin a good healthy glow. After a week of using these products, my skin looks much better.

A good way to try out the products is to order the travel kit ($45) which contains enough product to last for seven to twelve days:

If you’ve been reading Shopplr for sometime now, you will know that I like very feminine clothes that have a modern twist. I don’t like the overtly sexual, aggressive clothes that have taken over fashion magazines in the past few years. It seems to me that fashion editors care only about images that shock, instead of clothes that quietly seduce both the wearer and those gazing upon her.

That’s why I am so thrilled to see Juliette Hogan, a New Zealand designer, come up with a gorgeous Winter 2010 collection called “so pretty it hurts” that celebrates what she calls the “demure muse”. Check out the dramatic cape coat in lavender, the floaty dresses in dusty pink tones and the flirty corset plus miniskirt ensemble that is sexy and playful. I dare say that Hogan’s style is very French, like agnes b. and Claudie Pierlot.



She has a boutique in Auckland, New Zealand. Her clothes are carried in other boutiques in New Zealand (and one in Sydney).

Juliette Hogan
170 Ponsonby Road
Auckland, New Zealand
+64 9 360 9347
www.juliettehogan.com

Ormonde Jayne Sampaguita

Ormonde Jayne is a small London perfumery dedicated to making rare perfumes and fragrances. The one I like most is Sampaguita, the name of the national flower of the Philippines. Sampaguita (jasminum sambac) is a type of jasmine that grows profusely in the Philippines. When I was young, we had a large sampaguita plant in our garden and I can still remember the exquisite scent the flowers would give off when they are in bloom. Filipinos also string sampaguita flowers into leis and place them in the home to create a distinctive home fragrance.

If you prefer a more oriental spicy scent, try Tolu (frankincense, tolu and myrrh). For those who court danger, there’s Ormonde Woman and Ormonde Man, made with the heart of black hemlock, Socrates’s poison of choice. Ormonde Jayne’s fragrances are available in the form of scented candles, bathing oils, travel purse sprays and bath cremes.

I like getting my perfume from small perfumers like Ormonde Jayne, Annick Goutal and Parfums Frederic Malle because I know I won’t smell like everyone else. I want to support small artisan perfumers who struggle against the massive marketing machines of the multinational beauty brands and their horrid celebrity scents. These small perfumers make limited quantities and use special oils that are not used in mass market fragrances.

Indeed, going into a boutique like Ormonde Jayne in London is like stepping into another world with its black glass chandeliers, ivory stone floors and black lacquered walls. You can order online, too, but it’s not the same.

Ormonde Jayne
12 The Royal Arcade
28 Old Bond Street
London W1S 4SL
United Kingdom
www.ormondejayne.com