With a history in creating decorative materials for interior designers and stage scenography, Italy-based Moss Trend has now ventured into public spaces, including restaurants and spas.

The family-run business creates maintenance-free vertical gardens made with moss that lives on the humidity naturally present in the air.

Moss Trend recently finished a project at the Erato Wellness Luxury Spa in Artimino, Italy, using Jungle Moss to create a living wall made of preserved plants. Customers can choose between several types of plants, from Reindeermoss in various colours, to ready-to-hang plant frames, to preserved leaves and lichen.

“Installation of moss panels is very simple and easy,” says Francesco Meaolo, managing director of Moss Trend. “A natural preservation process gives the plants long-lasting durability. In recent years, we’ve been embracing a more green approach to public spaces, such as restaurants or spas. As our products do not require light, and absorb moisture from the air, spas are convenient spaces for our products. They bring texture, energy and that final touch of design to the interior, which gives guests a comfortable and warm feeling. We believe in the healing power of nature that is reflected in rooms dedicated to meditation, rest and healthy living.”

KEYWORDS: Moss Trend

Elemis is expanding its Superfood Facial Oil into an entire vegan-friendly range of skincare with three new products: a Superfood Facial Wash, Superfood Day Cream and Superfood Night Cream, all of which feature prebiotics and extracts from greens, grains and superfoods.

The range taps into the probiotic trend in skincare, which uses good bacteria as part of a skincare routine to keep the skin healthy. Prebiotics nourish the probiotics, which introduce good microflora to the surface of the skin.

“We’re launching this range as we know what’s good for the body is good for the skin, and nothing packs a more powerful nutritional punch then superfoods,” explains Noella Gabriel, managing director at Elemis.

“These nutrient-dense vegan formulae each contain a superfood complex and a prebiotic, which protects and maintains the skin’s delicate microbiome,” she continues. “The microbiome is the very first defence barrier against environmental stresses that can harm skin vitality so it’s crucial to keep this in balance for good skin health.”

Key ingredients in the line include goji berry, ginger ferment, matcha tea, green mandarin, broccoli seed, daikon radish, cucumber seed, carrot, rosemary, orange, barley, quinoa, flax, rice bran, black seed, chia seed oil, sweet almond milk and extracts of wheatgrass, kale and nettle.

KEYWORD: Elemis

Skincare specialist Germaine de Capuccini has created a menu of treatments for those undergoing cancer treatments.

The treatments use two varieties of holistic obsidiana stones: black and white onyx. The black stones are used warm, while the white stones are ice cold in order to release negative emotions and restore a sense of calm.

Products are used to target skin-related side effects, including heightened sensitivity and severe dryness, caused by chemotherapy and radiation treatments. The menu includes a Rose and Honey Harmony Facial, Aloe and Mint Cooling Body Therapy, Phytocare Baobab Body Ritual and a Calming Hand, Foot and Scalp Therapy.

“Many oncologists recommend complementary therapies – more to help the mind rather than the body, and these prove that clients feel better in themselves,” says Carole Jones, director of Totally UK, the brand’s UK distributor. “We‘ve been working on a small number of therapies that provide the client with a specific light-touch massage, along with products that are formulated to deal with the side effects of strong medication and radiotherapy – such as extreme dryness and sensitivity.”

KEYWORD: Germaine De Capuccini

Luxury skincare brand Biologique Recherche has launched La Grande Crème, a new face cream designed to target epigenetic ageing caused by non-genetic factors, including lifestyle.

It is formulated with EpigenActiv, a peptide that can counteract the effects of ageing and reverse DNA damage. Discovered in Biologique Recherche’s Gene Expression Laboratory, EpigenActiv acts on the epidermal growth factor receptors in the skin to aid the repair of damaged tissues and promote cellular regeneration.

“Each individual’s genetic heritage expresses itself differently over the course of a lifetime and one’s lifestyle,” says Rupert Schmid, chair of Biologique Recherche. “We’ve conducted numerous studies in order to repair negative traits within cells and counter cutaneous ageing and develop even better anti-ageing skin care products. La Grande Crème is a complete cream that contains the most concentrated active ingredients ever used in a Biologique Recherche product, and DNA research has made it possible to identify and use the properties of EpigenActiv in an anti-ageing skincare product.”

The cream also contains milk thistle, mimosa, elderflower, chestnut tree and myrobalan leaf extracts, and matrikines, myorelaxant peptides and carcinine.

KEYWORD: Biologique Recherche

Luxury skincare brand ESPA has expanded its treatment offering with the addition of the Strength and Resilience massage, a new signature treatment designed to target and relieve tired and aching muscles.

The treatment was inspired by the resilience of Painted Lady butterflies, who fly thousands of miles from Africa to the UK every spring. The massage features gentle strokes and swift movements to symbolise the butterflies’ flight and is designed to revive tired muscles and bring a renewed sense of clarity and wellbeing to the mind and body.

The treatment involves being ‘cocooned’ in warm towels and given a soothing massage and incorporates yogic stretches, a reflex zone foot massage, and a sinus release and scalp massage. “It feels beautiful and it’s results driven, and it also has additional inner benefits, such as strengthening and quieting the mind, building resilience and supporting immunity,” explains Sue Harmsworth, founder of ESPA.

Two new products, the Muscle Rescue Balm and the Fitness Shower Oil, are designed to complement the massage and are formulated with coconut oil, winged kelp, peppermint, eucalyptus oil, clove bud oil and West Indian bay.

KEYWORD: ESPA

Irish spa brand Voya has launched an anti-ageing skin care range for men. Voya Man is a performance-based three-step skincare system that is designed to treat a range of skincare concerns including dryness, inflammation, enlarged pores and fine lines and wrinkles.

Designed specifically for male skin, the range features a facial wash, shave gel and moisturiser.

The products are formulated with Speci’Men and Definsil-Plus, naturally derived active ingredients that are scientifically proven to repair the skin’s natural protective barrier and reduce signs of fatigue.

“Launching an organic facial Men’s Range was a necessary and natural progression for us,” explains Mark Walton, managing director at Voya.

“Men are now paying more attention to their skin. Voya is receptive to market demands and answered with a three-step simple facial solution for men. The unparalleled healing properties of seaweed means the anti-inflammatory functionality of these products reduces sensitivity, irritation and razor burn and also helps reduce acne. This range packs a unique-smelling citrus spice punch that we are very proud of.”

KEYWORD: Voya

Spanish premium skincare brand Natura Bissé has been named as an ‘Official Skincare Brand’ for Forbes Travel Guide, becoming the first beauty company to receive such an accolade.

In addition, the company has been awarded the ‘in partnership with’ seal, which recognises that the brand has been trained to uphold Forbes’ exacting standards.

“Our mission at Natura Bissé is to use our forward-thinking creativity to develop innovative and effective skincare products and beauty rituals,” says Verónica Fisas, CEO of Natura Bissé. “We’re very proud to become the Forbes Travel Guide exclusive ‘Official Skincare Brand’ and to become the first luxury skincare company in the world trained to meet its exacting standards. These recognitions reflect our passion for offering superior service and are the result of our constant ambition to elevate the level of guest service in spas and luxury retailers.”

Gerard J Inzerillo, CEO of Forbes Travel Guide, says: “Natura Bissé’s commitment to service excellence makes it a natural partner for us.”

KEYWORD: Natura Bisse

French skincare brand Caudalie has partnered with Harvard Medical School to launch Premier Cru the Serum, an extension of its existing Premier Cru range.

The serum was developed over a period of five years with Dr David Sinclair, a world-leading anti-ageing specialist and genetics professor at Harvard Medical School.

It contains three patented Caudalie ingredients: Vine Resveratrol, to plump and firm the skin, Viniferine, to even skin tone, and antioxidant-rich Polyphenols, derived from grape seeds. It also has a high-concentration of hyaluronic acid to help the skin maintain hydration levels.

In addition the serum contains Vinergy, a new patented ingredient developed with Sinclair, to target ageing cells, which produce less energy as the metabolism slows. Vinergy is a complex that combines Vine Resveratrol and naturally derived Betaine, which is designed to effectively combat the signs of ageing by increasing cellular energy metabolism and mitochondrial mass, as well as the production of ATP.

“Our groundbreaking discovery of Vinergy helps to restore the cell’s mitochondrial mass and energy production which in turn allows our cells to defend against ageing,” says Sinclair. “Together, we’ve discovered a solution to counteract the diminishing energy metabolism of our cells over time, which is a key reason our skin ages.”

The serum also improves the efficacy of other products in the Premier Cru range, including Premier Cru the Cream, which is more effective when used with the serum.

KEYWORDS: Caudalie