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Drink

Coffee to Go?


If you follow longevity experts long enough, you, too, will take up rucking and pop Ashwagandha. That’s how I ended up with a 10-sachet pack of Strong Coffee Company instant powder which, yes, sounds like sacrilege. Stick with me here. It’s laced with grass-fed collagen protein, allegedly to support joints and tendons, and MCT oil powder, which—fingers crossed—may even improve cognitive function. Ten cups later, my creaky knees don’t feel radically more springy, but who cares? The most surprising aspect of this cup is its taste. Without a trace of Nescafé’s chemical bitterness, Strong Coffee Company even rivals the Stumptown Hair Bender brew I’ve been making in my Technivorm Moccamaster each morning for more than a decade. But it’s most useful when you’re on the road. Imagine never having to face a Keurig cup again! ($15 for a pack of 10, amazon.com) —Ashley Baker

Collect

Out of This World


Anyone who’s ever had a weakness for Guerlain Météorites, the pastel balls of powder makeup that look like candy, will reach for the smelling salts when they catch a glimpse of the brand’s new collaboration with Pucci. The psychedelic pattern on Pucci silks—meant to represent the reflection of the sun on the Mediterranean Sea, perhaps after a jeroboam of rosé at Club 55—is the inspiration. Pucci’s artistic director, Camille Miceli, worked with the makeup artist Violette to bring the sunshine to this limited-edition collection. It includes two pigment-rich lipsticks; an eye-shadow palette; the groovy Terracotta bronzer; and—hallelujah!— the familiar pastel Météorites in a punchy Pucci case. It’s a jolt of joy. (from $80, for the lipstick, guerlain.com) —Linda Wells

Pamper

Garden of Delights


Since Santa Maria Novella launched I Giardini Medicei, six fragrances that capture the wonders of a Renaissance-era garden, I’ve been toggling between L’Iris and Magnolia, its headiest florals. But on those work-from-home days, when the only being in my immediate orbit is an English cocker spaniel, head-to-toe spritzing feels a bit troppo. Fortunately, my go-tos (along with the citrusy Bizzarria and jasmine Gelsomino scents) now come in body-care form. Employing vegetable-derived surfactants, the Bath Gel cleanses the skin so gently you’ll feel as pampered as a contessa. (It’s not exactly what you might require after a doubleheader at Barry’s Bootcamp.) On recovery days, draw a bath, close your eyes, and allow it to transport you to a Florentine garden. The Fluid Body Cream, formulated with vegetable oils and butters, sinks into the skin beautifully. Both leave behind a suggestion of scent. When the mood strikes, layer them on lavishly and accept the compliments with grace. (Bath Gel, $65; Fluid Body Cream, $75; santamarianovella.com) —Ashley Baker

Spritz

Party of Five


We all have our favorite Diptyque candles (mine: Baies, Feu de Bois, and Foin Coupé). But Diptyque’s eaux de parfum captivate in a quieter way. They’re wholly original, slightly quirky blends in oval bottles with inventive graphics. Now, Diptyque is introducing five new fragrances inspired by nature, and there’s nothing predictable about them. First, the inspiration doesn’t come from the usual fruits, flowers, and herbs—and none is notable for its scent. There’s coral (Corail Oscuro, a salty mineral scent mixed with mandarin orange), mother-of-pearl (Lunamaris, with pink peppercorn, incense, and rockrose), bark (Bois Corsé, tonka bean, milky sandalwood, and a shot of coffee), water (in this case, water lily or Lilyphéa, all leafy and fleshy), and crystals known as desert rose (Rose Roche, a lemon, rose, and patchouli mix). Each bottle has a line drawing on the back and a black ball on top, tempting you to place them proudly on your coffee table rather than hidden on a bathroom shelf. ($330 each, diptyqueparis.com) —Linda Wells

Roll

Soothe Move


If you’ve been over-reliant on Aleve lately, you might want to consider an herbal alternative. The Japanese brand Shikohin makes a cooling, menthol-scented liquid that soothes muscles and relieves tension in an instant. Shikohin’s Cooling Roll-On looks like the classic deodorant your dad used back in the day but contains a mixture of natural ingredients, including cannabidiol from hemp to relax, antioxidant licorice root with skin-calming properties, and the poria cocos mushroom, which helps reduce inflammation and moisturize the skin. The formula comes from Kampo, the Japanese herbal-medicine system dating back to the sixth century. I keep a bottle by my laptop and glide it over my traps, neck, and lower back instead of—and I know how radical this is—standing up and perhaps even stretching. At four P.M., when my energy dips, I slick a bit on my temples and spring back to life. ($50, neimanmarcus.com) —Linda Wells

Vintner’s Daughter
Stock Up

Natural Wonder


Close your eyes and imagine: You’re under the canopy of a redwood forest in Northern California surrounded by wild violets and roses, with moss-covered rocks and a stream nearby. That’s the fantasy of Understory, a new perfumed oil from Vintner’s Daughter. This is not the kind of scent that you blast on your pulse points to leave a heady cloud in your wake. Instead, it melds with the skin, intimately, personally. “I was never a scent person,” says April Gargiulo, the brand’s founder. Growing up in a family of wine-makers meant she couldn’t even use scented shampoo. But Gargiulo was drawn to the aromatic plants that make Vintner’s Daughter’s serum so enticing. She and Loreto Remsing, a local perfumer, developed an oil a few years ago but scrapped it after Remsing decided the quality of the raw ingredients wasn’t good enough. This new version, called Understory Vol. 2, is limited by nature. “Once it sells out, it’s done,” says Gargiulo. Just like a dream. ($245, vintnersdaughter.com) —Linda Wells

Issue No. 19
September 6, 2024
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Issue No. 19
September 6, 2024