Bell Lydon founder of Re-Eau chats to Karen Radley today
Heels or flats: Flats mostly…although I have a small edit of heels that I will pass onto my daughters. I was just not gifted with feet that can run on stilts after the age of 25.
Vintage or new: More new than vintage, but I have a great collection of designer bags from the late 90s that I have kept that are now vintage. The benefits of age!
Style icon: Sarah Jessica Parker
Favourite beauty product: Mario Badescu Seaweed Night Cream. It is incredibly hydrating. I have been using it for nearly 30 years and it is perfect for the winter months.
And jewellery: My best friend’s collection of 18K gold pieces called Rondel.
What’s your signature scent: Re-Eau’s Costa Hydrating Body Splash scent that I love to mix with Le Labo Matcha 26 or Cocktail Lane from Japanese fragrance brand called EDIT(h).
Who inspires you: Fearless, strong women who share their vulnerability and generosity. Mary Oliver, Nina Simone, Jane Fonda, Emma Thompson and my mother and grandmother. Pillars of strength.
Museum or art gallery: Museum. Love the Frick in NYC and the V&A in London and The National Gallery in Dublin
Favourite beach: Ipanema in Rio de Janeiro for its majesty and non-stop action; You go to see the beauty of life and majesty of the city-meets-sea environment. The experience is unmatched!
Crepe or Croissant: Both…on a good day.
Best summer memory: Anytime I am leaving a beach and feeling the weight of life just float away after being in a playground of water and heat. It always transforms me, and I just feel wonderfully restored and rested.
Tell me about Re-Eau: I created Re-Eau (pronounced Rio) to develop the concept of Scent-Care, whereby fragrance is part of how you care for yourself and your wellbeing. The idea arose from my childhood in my birthplace of Rio de Janeiro (hence the name) and the way I learned to layer scents in the extreme year-round heat to always smell fresh and confident. I had adopted method of layering by buying eau de colognes, which are lighter fragrances, from Brazil and creating my own bespoke experiences. After 25 years working in fragrance marketing, it was time to bring something to the world that was modern and more authentically and sustainably designed for a modern world. Our fragrance mixes are very fresh and powdery, so they are perfect to wear alone or mix with other scents. At a 4 percent fragrance in an alcohol-free concentration that is not overpowering, but long-lasting with plant-based ingredients that are sulfate, paraben & cruelty-free as well as vegan. The range of refillable Hydrating Eau de Cologne, Body Cream and Non-Toxic Coconut-based Candles are all exclusively made in Portugal.
