Asserting your individuality is easy with the new generation of bespoke beautifers, says Phoebe Watt.
Once the calling card of self-important city dwellers, customisation is now a customary part of the customer experience.
Whether it’s a complicated coffee order (extra hot, triple-shot almond latte in two paper cups), a monogrammed handbag (to match your monogrammed phone case, of course), or the atmosphere in your car (pre-programmed to your specific requirements), the personal touch is something that we’ve come to expect from our consumables. So why, in this era of bespoke everything, are we still wearing off-the-rack cosmetics?
Personalised beauty buys are popping up across every product category — from blend-it-yourself foundation formulas, to hair and skincare tailor-made for you by the experts.
Here are the ones we highly recommend:
MAKEUP
- Make a multitasker out of your go-to moisturiser by dispensing a pearl-sized amount into your palm and adding one, two, or three drops of Clinique BIY Blend It Yourself Pigment Drops, $85, to create the BB cream, CC cream or full-coverage foundation of your dreams.
- Say goodbye to foundation tide lines with the Napoleon Perdis Bespoke Colour Blend Foundation Customiser Collection, $69, from David Jones. Perfect for those times of year when your makeup is suddenly completely the wrong tone for your skin, the kit includes three shades to help you lighten or darken your favourite foundation with ease.
- Launched last year and exclusive to Elizabeth Arden’s Queen Street, Auckland boutique, Elizabeth Arden Custom Color Foundation, $88, uses an optical skin-diagnostic tool and patented blending technology to create your perfect-match foundation on the spot.
SKINCARE
- Tailor by name, tailor-made by nature, Tailor Skincare Tailor Your Blend Moisture, $89, is a morning and night moisturising complex made for you, by you. The process is simple: visit tailorskin.co, select your skin type and concerns from the drop-down menus, and you’ll receive two extracts plus a 90ml moisture base. Blended together, this formulation is your ticket to optimum skin.
- Kiehl’s Apothecary Preparations, $158, combine Kiehl’s Skin Strengthening Concentrate with a duo of targeted serums selected for you by a Kiehl’s representative to address your two biggest skin concerns (redness, wrinkles, rough texture, large pores or dullness). The three components come enclosed in a personalised box; mix them at home before your first application. We’re in it for the chic packaging alone.
- There’s no more luxurious way to speed up your evening ritual than by mixing Aēsop Remove, $31, and Purifying Facial Cream Cleanser, $45, in the palm of your hand before massaging them into dry skin. Rinsed with warm water, this combination gently yet efficiently cleanses, removing any trace of makeup.
FRAGRANCE
- Musk, rose and jasmine layering oils are your key to unlocking a personalised version of Viktor & Rolf’s best-selling Flowerbomb EDP. Apply Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Twist Precious Layering Oils, $139, to your pulse points over top of the original fragrance for an effect that’s more unique than ubiquitous. They’re on counter for a limited time from September 18.
- Amazing alone, Jo Malone London’s range of fragrances and body crèmes are even better when worn together. Layer one cologne on top of another, use them to enhance a body crème or dry oil, or for a subtler signature scent, apply body lotion after cleansing with body wash. We like the smoky and citrusy Oud & Bergamot Dry Body Oil, $160, and Lime Basil & Mandarin Cologne, $116.
- Unisex scents designed to be worn together, Arquiste Infanta en Flor 100ml EDP and Fleur de Louis 100ml EDP, $299 each from World Beauty, tell two sides of the same historic story, making them an alluring option for couples on their wedding day.
- For a beautifully bespoke bottle, consider Curio Noir’s flagship boutique in Ponsonby, Auckland, where you can select your own hand-blown glass vessel to be filled with up to 100ml of your chosen fragrance. From $350.
HAIRCARE
- Full of naturally nourishing ingredients, Ethique Bespoke Shampoo, $35, is a solid bar custom-made to meet your individual hair needs. Select your hair type, colour and favourite scent online, and the team at Ethique will whip you up a simple-to-use bar that will last up to five times as long as your regular liquid shampoo, making it a win for your hair, wallet and the environment.
- Taking inspiration from makeup colour correctors, Kérastase’s Reflection Touche Chromatique, $35, and Masque, $65, offer highly pigmented shades that counteract the unwanted tones that can develop between salon visits. Mixed into the masque, the clever Touche pigment pen allows you to add as little or as much saturation as you like, whether you want to warm up, cool down or reduce undertones. Choose from cool brown, cool blonde, copper and red.
SPA TREATMENTS
- The Bespoke Facial from The Facialist, $170 for 60 minutes, incorporates a carefully curated mix of customised actives and intensive masks with The Facialist’s signature yoga massage, resulting in a ‘super facial’ designed exclusively for your skin.
- No two skins are the same — even your own needs change from season to season — and Bioelements Facials from Forme Spa, from $130, are designed to reflect this. From mild exfoliants to chemical peels, there’s a treatment to remedy every concern.
