They came up with the idea for two products: a body and a fragrance oil, which melded their expertise — and their approach. “We come from very different, albeit similar worlds, and see skincare and fragrance as ritualistic practices,” adds Gorham of the project, which took about a year and a half from start to finish. “We have a similar ethos and taste so that was the easy part — the creative side,” Kaufmann recalls. “There were no egos involved.”

“I’ve always admired what Ben does — coming from sports, building up a perfume brand, and I love his scents,” she says of her decision to work with the 6ft 5in Swede, who was born to an Indian mother and Canadian father, and grew up between Toronto, New York and Stockholm.

Gorham pursued a professional career in basketball in the Swedish capital before visa complications derailed his ambitions. After working on construction sites and earning a degree in fine arts, a chance encounter with perfumer Pierre Wulff in 2004 set him on a new path.

Two years later, Byredo was born. The global brand’s offering of boutique fragrances has now expanded to make-up, body care and leather goods. Spanish luxury group Puig acquired a majority stake in Byredo in a €1bn sale in May 2022.

We love getting in touch with the earth, our roots

Gorham is a serial collaborator — Byredo has partnered with brands as diverse as Off-White and Ikea — but this collection was a chance to explore a shared passion: nature. “We love getting in touch with the earth, our roots and the communities we surround ourselves with,” says Gorham. Their new, limited-edition collection is named after a region in the west of Austria, Bregenzerwald, where Kaufmann was born and raised.

This is Kaufmann’s first collaborative venture — but she has been harnessing the centuries-old knowledge of Alpine plants to create efficacious, science-backed formulas for the past 20 years. Her conscious skincare range began when she took over the family hotel in the 1990s and created her own product line to support the treatments for the spa. She still resides in Bezau, a picturesque village lying in a valley nudging against peaks perennially carpeted in pines. “The clocks turn backwards here,” she laughs.

Susanne Kaufmann and Byredo Bregenzerwald body oil, £90 for 100ml

The fragrance of the oil is based on the Bregenz forest near to where Kaufmann lives. “The woods served as our inspiration and we spoke about how to translate these amazing landscapes into a product,” says Gorham, who describes the scent as both “fresh and invigorating, while also being sensual, natural and sophisticated”. Kaufmann outlines the three different notes: “The head is more flowery, the heart is pine, and the woody base is the moss.” With notes of jasmine and hints of fig, this is a sweet, earthy unisex fragrance that “is not more feminine or masculine, it’s just the scent of the forest”, says Kaufmann.

Intuitively connecting scent and emotion has long been Gorham’s modus operandi. He associates the bittersweet memory of his absentee father with the smell of green peas, which formed the basis for his first fragrance, called Green. “When I began Byredo, I would create products from a completely subjective place and tap into this idea of a collective memory or emotion,” he explains. “Eventually you realise that your position as a creator is more about proposing and inspiring, or igniting an emotional memory for others.”

Gorham had his own particular experience with oils growing up. “My mother is from India and would always use a mixture of different ones for both her skin and hair,” he says. “Oils are synonymous with wellbeing, massage and traditions. It’s one of the true arts of life.” The antioxidant-rich oils found in the Bregenzerwald collection include apricot kernel, meadowfoam seed and sunflower seed, which are sourced as locally as possible from Europe.

It was Kaufmann’s continued commitment to sustainability that was part of the draw for Gorham. “I love that she’s always stayed true to her values as her success has grown,” he says of Kaufmann’s oils, which are bottled in recyclable glass. The cardboard boxes are printed in deep green and bright blue to reflect the vivid colours of Bregenzerwald. “When you come to Bezau you will see why — it’s like the forest is kissing the sky,” Kaufmann smiles.

This story originally appeared on: Financial Times - Author:Clara Baldock

But what does “natural deodorant” mean? Plant-based ingredients are key, says Matt Kennedy, co-founder of British deodorant brand Fussy. Deodorants support the naturally detoxifying and body-temperature-regulating process of sweating, so their aim is to combat bad-smelling bacteria – unlike antiperspirants, which use aluminium chloride salts to block sweat glands. 

GoBo deodorant, £9.99

Megababe The Geo Deo, $14

US brand Megababe harnesses the power of probiotics to regulate the skin’s microbiome. The multi-mineral The Geo Duo ($14) is a vegan stick that uses lactobacillus ferment, commonly found in yoghurt, to stimulate skin’s good microbes.

Fussy’s cases are made from recycled plastic and the compostable refills from waste sugarcane

Nécessaire’s gel ($15) and GoBo (£9.99) are roll-on deodorants that call into action alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), which decrease the pH of skin, and make armpits an inhospitable environment for bacteria. They don’t leave marks and are super-powerful. AHAs can cause irritation to sensitive skin so Kopari’s baking-soda-free deodorant ($16) is a soothing alternative.

Aesop deodorant spray, £25 for 50ml

Aurelia botanical cream deodorant, £19

I’ve also found some great balms and sprays including Ursa Major’s Sublime Sage spray ($20), and Aesop’s earthy and spicy unisex deodorant (£25). Pastes might seem a bit messy, but they often have nifty application devices. AKT has created a solid-brass tool for its unisex balm (£19) with arrowroot, which comes in a toothpaste-like metal tube. Mio’s Pit Proof (£12) in eucalyptus and Siberian pine is applied through slits at the top, and Aurelia’s tea tree, eucalyptus and peppermint cream comes in a glass jar (£19). 

Salt & Stone upcycles ocean plastics for its containers. Its extra-strength Santal deodorant ($20) includes antioxidant-rich seaweed extracts, and its notes of Australian sandalwood, cedar and cardamom mean it could almost double up as a fragrance. Elsa’s uses compostable tubes made from recycled paper – the Ocean stick deodorant (£18) has a long-lasting peppermint aroma. Fussy goes one step further: certified carbon-neutral, the pebble-shaped case is made from recycled plastic and the compostable refills from waste sugarcane (£13 followed by a £5 refill subscription).

This story originally appeared on: Financial Times - Author:Clara Baldock