THE ISLE OF BEAUTY Nathalie Eleni

THE ISLE OF BEAUTY

Six million years in the making, Nathalie Eleni visits the source of Ignae, the biotech beauty brand that’s bringing our faces into the future

Once in a while, a beauty brand comes along that really knocks our organic cashmere socks off, giving us the glow of a full night’s sleep, while maintaining our core values of respecting the planet. Enter Ignae Skincare.

THE BIRTH OF A BEAUTY BRAND

Halfway between America and Europe, the Azores consist of nine volcanic islands, characterised by lakefilled calderas and hot springs. Bursting with colour, vibrant green landscapes and bright, fragrant botanicals, it is no wonder that such potently rich and effective ingredients have been sourced from this magical place.

Hundreds of years ago, sailors would stop off here to bathe in the hot springs, rich in minerals of calcium, iron, magnesium and selenium, which would soothe and treat inflamed conditions developed from the harsh life at sea.

Azores-born Miguel Pombo, an expert in international ingredient manufacturing and EU regulations for beauty, spent years researching and testing the true potential of these exotic ingredients, and the way in which they could protect, heal and aid regeneration of the skin. Ignae was born. Winning three prestigious beauty awards in three countries so far, Ignae has turned unique Azorian ingredients into truly transformative skincare.

THE INGREDIENTS

Not all minerals are created equal.The minerality of the soil in the Azores took six million years to create. Abundant volcanic soil and rich thermal waters have grown these rare potent botanicals, giving them superpowers beyond the norm. The key ingredients

THE HERO PRODUCTS

Daily Enzyme Cleanser This refreshing cleanser provides mild and gentle exfoliation. It can also be applied as a weekly at-home peel, and be left on the skin for five minutes before removing. £78

Blue Light Serum Designed to protect against the blue light emitted from computers, this serum is rich in actives such as calendula, effective in reducing diesel fume- and cigarette smokeinduced inflammation responses. £95

The rich volcanic soil and thermal waters of the Azores form the basis of Ignae’s effective ingredients

Dynamic Eye Complex

High-performance peptides designed to reduce the appearance of dark circles and diminish fine lines and wrinkles while firming, make this a great all-inone product. £99

People have been coming to the Azores for hundreds of years to bathe in its hot springs

of algae, camellia japonica, thermal waters, phycocyanin (extracted from spirulina) and Japanese cedar tree have a far superior mineral quality from others sourced elsewhere in the world.

THE SCIENCE

What really sets Ignae apart is the breakthrough it has made in biotechnology, which not only creates more efficacy from these potent ingredients but also means 100 times less biomass is needed to create the same effect. For example, with the camellia seeds, only the leaves from the trimmings of the garden are used, so nature is not compromised.

This, combined with a truly intelligent liposomal delivery system that transports these powerful ingredients deep into the skin’s basal layer (where the magic happens in terms of collagen production and regeneration), Ignae is fully sustainable, fully vegan and fully luxurious.

DIGITAL DIFFERENCE

As if this all wasn’t enough, Claire Chung, a former Net-A-Porter executive, and now Ignae’s co-founder and CEO, has used her digital expertise to develop an app using the latest technology to provide customers with an AI skin test that measures ten parameters, including wrinkles, redness and pigmentation, so they can be guided on which regime to use and how to monitor their own skin’s transformative journey.

Ignae is available at John Bell & Croyden, as well as online. ignae.com

ABOVE: Pouring molten silver RIGHT: A new design comes to life

BURNING TO CREATE

The allure of fire and the strength of silver have inspired Giovanni Raspini over his celebrated career

In a world of mass-produced products, today true luxury lies in the uniqueness that only great craftsmanship can bring. All the pieces designed by silversmith Giovanni Raspini, from jewellery to homeware, have been hand made in his Tuscan atelier for 50 years, crafted one by one with care and attention according to ancient techniques handed down from generation to generation.

At the heart of it all is the creative idea, a kernel of inspiration that Giovanni Raspini takes from the fields of art, architecture, history and nature. The initial sketch is then transformed with the help of fire into tiny wax sculptures by the hands of skilled craftsmen.

This ‘lost-wax’ casting technique results in a unique model that is used as the basis of the subsequent production stages. The wax model then becomes the core of a plaster mould that, once solidified, is emptied of wax (or ‘lost’) and filled with molten silver. This technique, originating from the Etruscan tradition and mastered by Giovanni Raspini, brings silver to life and transforms it into jewellery. Countless stages follow, such as cleaning, assembly, burnishing, brushing and quality control, all of which are carried out by hand in the brand atelier. ‘My eyes are full of beautiful things and I want to share them with those who love my world, with those who share my enthusiasm,’ says the jeweller. ‘A jewel is also poetry because beauty can offer every day the thrill of creation.’ Although the jeweller’s designs have evolved over the decades to meet his customers’ ever-changing tastes and expectations, the signature Giovanni Raspini manufacturing techniques remain the same as in the past, embodying a true Made in Italy heritage and know-how. The result? Another unmatchable collection of jewellery, made with true skill, passion and artistry.

ABOVE: Giovanni Raspini’s native Tuscany, always at the heart of every design; RIGHT: Anenome ring, £195 Anenome button earrings, £140; Anenome small necklace, £560; Anenome ring, £195

Tuscan jeweller Giovanni Raspini

giovanniraspini.com