Think of a relaxing break that is just as good for the mind as it is for the body, and you can’t beat the thought of days spent by the Adriatic, the blues of the natural landscape a balm for the soul.
New natural beauty brand Saint Iris Adriatica, which hails from Croatia, attempts to bottle that feeling. Its line-up of beauty products – in the most stunning green-glass bottles – have been created for time-stressed people with a passion for wellbeing. Inspired by the plants, remedies and sea spas of the sun-drenched Adriatic, the collection of products is based around active ingredients, with their roots (‘scuse the pun) in folk remedies of old, and aims to have a transformative effect on the body and mind.
The invigorating, Every Body Energy Cleanse, £29, for example, is the perfect way to kick-start your day. It has a natural citrus fragrance, which stimulates skin and uplifts the mood, and is guaranteed to get you singing in the shower, no matter how early it is!
As well as giving a deep clean, it contains fruit enzymes – such as pomegranate, which gently exfoliates – and essential oils, such as borage, reship and safflower, to clarify, hydrate and soften skin. The formula also contains soothing organic honey and bearberry – known for its detoxifying properties. The texture is thick and luxurious – with a little going a long way – and after showering, skin tone is improved and you feel pepped-up for the day ahead.
After showering, I’ve been following up with the Vitality Spritz, £45. This is so gorgeous. You spritz it on – all over the body – after showering or bathing, and it instantly hydrates and tones. It gently mists over the skin to refresh and moisturise, and is a must when travelling to hot climates.
Skin is left cool and scented and it is the perfect one-step if you are in a rush to get out the door, as you can cut out using your usual body moisturiser. As well as using fermented lemon peel from the Adriatic (known to brighten skin), it contains seaweed protein to aid collagen and elastin formation, helping to keep skin healthy and resilient. Like the whole range of products, it is build around wild plant and flower essences, including olive and pomegranate which work to hydrate and nourish dehydrated skin, not to mention leaving a subtle scent.
Founder Sanela Lazic, says that the Saint Iris Adriatica brand – or SIA – is a tribute to her Croatian heritage and the blissful spirit of wellbeing that comes naturally from the region’s thermal spas, snow-capped mountains and wild spaces.
Taking the most potent, clinically proven natural ingredients from the traditional folk remedies she grew up with, she has adapted them for modern times, and they are particularly aimed at working to strengthen the body and mind against city stress.
“The soul of each product is fjaka, the essential ingredient to a balanced Adriatic way of life,” she says. “Call it mindfulness in action or simply a state of bliss, fjaka comes naturally from living in the now and loving the feeling. With its sensual textures and uplifting, natural scent, SIA delivers the bliss whenever and wherever you need it.”
*This review is based on press samples
