Precious organic soaps by IrèneIrène

Made from a combination of essential oils and natural aromatic plants, along with vegetal glycerin and various oils, Savons Gemme® faithful reproduce the colour and surface effects of colourful stones and minerals such as onyx, quartz, opal, garnet, malachite, amethyst or marble.

Twisted Lily: niche fragrance retail

Stores that sell hard-to-find perfumes and offer a personalised experience are an important retail category in New York, with Brooklyn in particular emerging as a key area for smaller fragrance stores looking to cater to its artistic residents who care about how fragrances are made and where they come from.

Loop Mirror by Front for Porro: Milan preview

Swedish designers Front have designed Loop Mirror, a poetic oval mirror that celebrates their sixth year of collaboration with Italian company Porro.

Aēsop, London: new store launch

Australian skin, body and hair care brand Aēsop has opened its sixth store in Covent Garden. The fresh, bright interior combines a minimalist approach with textural detailing.

Adjustable wall lamp by Omikron

Viiva mirror by Angeletti Ruzza Design for Omikron

Italian designer Angeletti Ruzza has collaborated with lighting manufacturer Omikron to develop a new system of wall lamps for the bathroom. Complete with a storage space for small toiletries, the light can be installed on mirrors of different shape and size, in a symmetrical or off-centre position. 

WGSN-homebuildlife subscribers can read our full report on mirrors here.

Iris Prima: the scent of ballet

Fine fragrance house Penhaligon's has developed a new scent called Iris Prima that captures the spirit and beauty of ballet.

MWV: Live from Luxepack New York 2013

MWV at Luxepack New York 2013

MeadWestvaco (MWV) showcased several of the key packaging trends to emerge from the 2013 Luxepack show, which ends today in New York.

Faye Toogood for MAKE

Matte Lipstick in Magma

British designer Faye Toogood has teamed up with new for-benefit beauty brand MAKE to create a range of cosmetics drawing inspiration from art, nature and volcanic ash.

Marimekko x Aesop

Finnish design giants Marimekko and Melbourne-based skincare brand Aesop have come together to create a collection of body products inspired by Scandinavian bathing culture.

The body balm and scrub of the Aesop-Marimekko Sauna Duet merges Marimekko's Finnish roots with Aesop's expertise in producing high-quality skincare products. Packaged in recycled jars and presented in a cotton bag decorated with Marimekko's Vellamo print, the products will be available to purchase from April 2013 in Marimekko stores and online at Aesop.com.

Laces: sustainable spa in São Paulo

Following the success of the 30-year-old Laces hair spa in the Morumbi neighbourhood of São Paulo, Cris & Mercedes Dios have launched a second branch of the salon in the wealthy surrounds of Jardins.

The new salon occupies a 1920s house, preserving the building’s colonial architecture while adding decorative touches such as antique mirrors and chandeliers. 

You Smell: luxury soaps with a twist

Bar soap by You Smell

California-based soap company You Smell was created by graphic designer Megan Cummins, who is passionate about packaging and wanted to develop a product that would combine luxury with humour. You Smell was launched after the success of the project in Kickstarter, and now the soaps can be found in more than 30 shops across the US.

Naturalis: bespoke cosmetics at home

Naturalis by Eliumstudio for Rowenta

Created by Paris-based Eliumstudio for Rowenta, Naturalis is a compact user-friendly machine that allows consumers to make bespoke cosmetics, by controlling the composition of products like cleansers and moisturisers according to their personal needs.

The Sensorium by Sephora and Firmenich

Beauty retailer Sephora and fragrance and flavours company Firmenich have partnered to create The Sensorium – a multi-sensory, interactive fragrance exhibition. The Sensorium is a dynamic experience that explores the emotion and instinct of scent through interactive experiences, compelling film, story-telling and three-dimensional art.

HBL Retail: Cire Trudon, London

The French candle manufacturer has opened its first permanent boutique outside of France, choosing London's Chiltern Street - an area that is currently getting a lot of retail attention thanks to a number of niche boutique and cafe openings.