Our Nordic neighbours are famed for always looking effortlessly chic and inimitably fresh (we’re looking at you Freja Beha Erichsen).
So what’s their secret? Other than great genes (damn them), niche beauty products also play a big part in imparting a fresh-faced glow at all times.
Click through to see what our Scandinavian counterparts pioneer in their beauty cabinets and the icons we look to for inspiration…
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Anna-Marie Solowij, co-founder of Beauty Mart says ‘there are so many things that we love about this brand: the packaging - pretty but not too girly; the EcoCert stamp - always reassuring to know that your products meet those standards; the subtle fragrances - so many products are overly perfumed these days; and the Swedish aspect - love a bit of Scandi style!’ We couldn’t agree more.
Paired-back packaging, highly efficacious ingredients and a reassuringly expensive price tag make up this niche Swedish skincare brand.
Relatively new to British soil, Verso has quickly shot up on our most-wanted list. Our pick: Dark Spot Fix, £125, which contains a high dose of Retinol 8 (Vitamin A complex) claiming to be up to eight times more potent than your standard drugstore Vitamin A product (hence the price point). We were wary at first too but rest assured, clinical tests prove it’s 50% less irritating.
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Known by the ELLE Beauty Team as The Great Dane, this 24-year-old Danish supermodel exudes natural beauty. And yes, we’ve spent countless hours in front of the bathroom mirror trying to emulate her easy-beach, wavy hair. Doesn't work.
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What started as a Stockholm-based salon in 1997 turned into range of high-performance hair products in 2003. No packaging gimmicks or frills, these are simple products that do what they say on the label. And give you really, really healthy hair thanks to a cocktail of proteins and mineral extracts.
Ole’s namesake brand was born after years of treating and plumping-up the faces of Hollywood’s elite in his LA salon.
Fights have ensued in the ELLE office over Ole’s Truth Serum Collagen Booster, £47, which gives skin an instant boost whilst working on pesky wrinkles and dark spots (thanks to a high dose of Vitamin C).
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Yes, this famous double-act has Danish and Norwegian ancestry. The Olsen twins (originally ‘Olsenboye’) embody quintessential Scandi attributes, boasting immaculate skin, linen blonde hair that never looks frazzled and understatedly chic make-up.
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Skyn Icelands entire range is formulated to treat stressed skin, great for remedying aggravated city skin.
‘Iceland is my muse as well as my source for the key ingredients in my skincare line’ says Sarah Kugelman, founder of Skyn Iceland, ‘I import mineral-rich glacial waters, Icelandic kelp and Icelandic moss; ingredients which are powerful enough to survive the harshest environment and sub-zero temperatures that can in turn protect, repair and rejuvenate skin’.
Founder Marianne Tromborg believes that products should be simple, accessible and give quick results. Which is exactly what her all-natural, organic products achieve.
In make-up terms this means shades that don’t mask or cake but that enhance with sheer and delicate textures.
Emerald green eyes and some of the shiniest hair in the business - not to mention that body (we can’t even go there) - make Copenhagen-born supermodel and photographer Helena a testament to Scandinavian, natural beauty.