Harnessing ingredients from the Amazon rainforest, former Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa offers minimalist beauty of a new kind
From the niche new beauty brands doing something different, to the industry’s evergreen icons, Sophie Bew opens up AnOther’s dream vanity in a new series…
- Who should use it? Anyone who loves oils (or hasn’t yet been converted).
- How long until I love it? Work it into your nightly massage routine for a week and you’ll be hooked.
- How planet-/people-friendly is it? Rather! Francisco Costa works with conservationists, local suppliers and scientists to wild-harvest his ingredients (meaning no trees are cut down), while packaging is made from recycled materials and the product is paraben, silicone and sulfate free. Joy all round!
- How do I use it? The facial oil is great for a quick facial massage (it should be the last product you use unless using SPF); the body oil should just be slathered all over in sheer delight.
Francisco Costa may be best known for his 12 years designing Calvin Klein Collection – dressing A-list idols like Claire Danes and Emma Stone in clean-lined pastel perfection on the red carpet – but today his distilled minimalism is poured into beautification of another kind: that of the skin. Beloved by celebrity facialist and massage empress Joanna Czech, his small line of skincare and fragrance products harness the power of ingredients sustainably sourced from the Amazon rainforest – most notably those in his Jungle Complex, a high-potency blend of (mineral-rich) Kaya and (antioxidant-packed) Cacay oils, and soothing Breu resin.
His simple five-strong line – face oil, body oil, body cream, a jungle-scented candle and Breu resin rocks for burning in the home – makes for the reductionist’s dream capsule collection. Costa himself describes his morning routine as follows: teeth-brushing, ice cold water on the face (in the shower he says he uses only epsom and raw salt to wash his face), and then the Kaya anti-aging facial oil. But it’s the ultimate finisher for a maximalist too, thanks to its lightweight texture it will lock in the moisture of multiple creams and serums without heaviness but with a bumper boost of vitamins to enhance firmness and reduce fine lines. The juicy body oil meanwhile is oozing with omega oils and fatty acids, as well as all those delicious vitamins and is your perfect holiday accompaniment: hydrating tucuma butter, Brazil nut and patua seeds help restore elasticity and firmness, while the Breu resin will calm sun-blushed and salt-sore skin. But frankly if it’s good enough for Joanna, it’s good enough for me. I’ll be channelling her pummelling palms as I apply these wonder-workers all winter long.
