We’ll all be feeling smuk* in 2019 (*That’s Danish for beautiful)
We fell for Scandi noir, Nordic jumpers and hygge. Now, as they take over our make-up bags, here’s why. ..
YOU’VE hygged your home and learned to love lagom — now you need to get on board with a new Scandinavian word: smuk. Meaning beautiful in Danish, smuk (it rhymes with look) is the Scandi trend that will take us all by storm in 2019.
What is the smuk look? Think that gorgeous, glowy, fresh-from-the-forest look Nordic people are so famous for.
Smuk also happens to be the name of one of a hottest new celebrity beauty destinations — a lifestyle salon owned and run by Danish make-up artist Miabella Ristorp.
The salon is just part of a continuing love affair that we have with all things Scandi that began with minimalist interiors, graduated to Nordic noir boxsets (witness the success of The Bridge and The Killing) and worked its way into our wardrobes via fashion brands such as Baum und Pferdgarten, Acne, Ganni and High Street behemoth H&M (whose stable includes Arket, Cos, Monki, & Other Stories, Weekday and Cheap Monday).
When you consider that Scandinavian women are often voted the most beautiful in the world — look no further than Helena Christensen for evidence — is it any wonder we’re tuning into the region often nicknamed ‘Skindinavia’ for its beauty secrets, too?
‘Smuk is so much more than just a word,’ says founder Miabella, 32. ‘Smuk is a feeling, an experience, a confidence and an acceptance of who you are. That’s why when we cut your hair or do your make-up, we look to enhance what nature gave you.
‘The “smuk look” is the antithesis of the Kardashian aesthetic.’
As well as promoting a Nordic look, Miabella is committed to providing natural products and treatments.
A face oil from her favoured Danish skincare brand, Amazing Space, is pure enough to add to a smoothie, while SMUK’s anti-ageing treatments come in the form of sculpting face massages, acupuncture lip enhancements and face-lifts.
‘Scandinavian beauty starts with healthy, glowing skin,’ says Emma Hagemo, vice president of global R&D at Stockholm-based skincare brand Oriflame. ‘It’s a marker of healthy living.’
UNLIKE cultures that look to the laboratory for innovation in skincare and beauty, Scandinavians expect the answers to be found in nature.
To this end, up-and-coming brands such as Bjork & Berries and Estelle & Thild pride themselves on their organic, local ingredients such as lingonberries and birch, which are abundant in Scandinavian forests.
Many Scandi beauty brands also subscribe to the lagom ethos. Translating as ‘just the right amount’ or ‘not too little, not too much’, in a skincare context that means stripping out any unnecessary ingredients, which in many cases makes the resulting product vegan.
And, as you’d expect, all aspects of the industry’s production cycle take environmental considerations into account.
But none of these priorities mean Scandi beauty products don’t deliver.
‘Using really pure organic ingredients on your skin and not allowing chemicals into your body means your skin looks healthier,’ says Miabella. ‘And the healthier your skin, the less make-up you need to wear.’
Danish-born Kirsten Weis, a make-up artist and founder of luxury brand Kjaer Weis, adds: ‘Scandinavian women are all about minimalism. They tend to choose a fresh look with a pop of colour on the cheeks and a little on the lips. Less is more.’
It’s the essence of the ‘smuk look’ that’s set to be huge for 2019, according to Emma. ‘The very natural, “just back from the beach” glow is set to dominate next year,’ she says.
‘We’re seeing skincare taking up as much space backstage at fashion shows, and in bathroom cabinets, as make-up.
‘Scandinavians have always been at the forefront with minimalism and natural beauty, and an awareness of sourcing and sustainability. Finally, the world is catching up.’
SCANDI BRANDS TO LOOK OUT FOR
FOREO SWEDISH brand FOREO has been disrupting the health and beauty market since 2013, when it launched the Luna — a silicone device that uses sonic vibrations to deep-clean skin. MUST TRY: The UFO (right, €210, foreo. com). THIS handheld gadget ups your mask game by adding hot and cold functions, LED lights and sonic pulses to help optimise and increase the effectiveness of the ingredients.
GOSH
THE Danish equivalent of, say, Rimmel, GOSH is a fashion-led High Street brand evolved out of a pharmaceutical company founded in the 40s.
In keeping with Scandi mores, many of its products are vegan and paraben-free. MUST TRY: Rebel Eyes Lengthening Mascara (€12.99, goshireland.
com). This best-seller contains popular Scandi ingredient buckthorn seed oil to nurture lashes while also adding volume and length.
KJAER WEIS
DANISH make-up artist turned beauty entrepreneur Kirsten Kjaer Weis has poured 20 years of experience into her eponymous line. With ‘certified organic’ or ‘certified natural’ approval for all products and stunning refillable packaging, its eco credentials are as impeccable as its performance. MUST TRY: Cream Foundation (€56.67, cultbeauty.co.uk).
In keeping with the Scandinavian less-is-more ethos, this foundation is buildable, so can be worn sheer as a tinted moisturiser, or layered up as a concealer.
The luminous formula delivers a natural Scandi glow.
& OTHER STORIES
ORIGINALLY a beauty brand, Swedish High Street giant H&M’s & Other Stories label employed renowned make-up artist Lisa Butler and perfumier Ben Gorham (the nose behind the Byredo fragrance) to create its make-up, perfume and skincare line.
The result? Luxe beauty and skincare with a low price tag. MUST TRY: Lipstick (€19, stories.com). Choose Orchid Mauve for a matte, yourlips-only-better shade.
ECOOKING
SO PURE are the ingredients in Danish brand Ecooking’s range, many are safe enough to eat. Quite literally cooked up in Tina Søgaard’s kitchen, the series of skin, hair and bodycare products are all organic and natural. MUST TRY: Multibalm (€25.58, cultbeauty.co.uk). If you never leave the house without Eight Hour Cream, you might consider a switch to this all-star all-rounder that effortlessly tackles inflammation and dry skin.
ESTELLE & THILD
RELAUNCHING in January as a completely vegan beauty brand, Swedish Estelle & Thild is the epitome of natural skincare, using organic botanicals such as rosehip oil and marine microalgae to tackle hydration, irritation and the effects of ageing. MUST TRY: BioCalm Optimal Comfort Rescue Oil (€29.40, feelunique.com). Cleansing and face oils form the backbone of Swedish skincare regimes. Here, organic jojoba and oat oils soothe, calm and condition.
ORIFLAME
FROM its skin research centre in Stockholm, Oriflame is continually adding to its range of natural beauty products.
The newest is the Swedish Spa collection, which harnesses local ingredients such as a seaweed found off the coast of Sweden. MUST TRY: Ecobeauty Smoothing and Radiance Face Cream (€33, oriflame.com).
Lingonberries — which grow abundantly in the Swedish forest and are packed with antioxidants to fight pollution and ageing — and sea buckthorn feature in this lightweight face cream.
BJORK & BERRIES
STARTING as a community project, Bjork & Berries has kept its Nordic roots with many of its skincare and perfume products containing birch (‘bjork’ in Swedish), beech and botanicals. MUST TRY: Never Spring Eau de Parfum (€67.15,bjorkandberries.com.) Inspired by the feeling of longing for a change in seasons after a brutal winter, notes of blackcurrant, cedarwood and musk are designed to evoke a sense of optimism.