The virtue of slowing down

AN ODE TO SLOWNESS

It is so pleasant to take our time... these days. So often fleeting and elusive, swept away by the frenzy of a world spinning at breakneck speed, Master Time slips away, leaving us behind.

Time, a notion universally known and endured, remains nonetheless one of the great mysteries of humanity. Questioned by the great thinkers of the past few centuries, it takes on a thousand forms: the Cartesian distinction between time and duration; the two decades it took Montaigne to write his Essays (a period deemed necessary for any claim to wisdom); the relentless, painful flight from the present moment in Pascal’s thought; Courtin and his Traité de la Paresse (Treatise on Laziness), or L’Art de bien employer son temps (The Art of Making Good Use of One’s Time), the Bergson’s notion that deserves a dispatch of its own; and lastly, Kant and his daily routine that was more punctual than a church clock. Sometimes depicted on the canvases of great painters or interpreted in melodious scores, time has always been at the heart of our reflections.

Still Life with Sleeping Woman, Henri Matisse, 1940

“We never keep to the present. We anticipate the future as if we found it too slow in coming and we were trying to hurry it up, or we recall the past as if to stay its too rapid flight. We are so unwise that we wander about in time that do not belong to us, and do not think of the only one that does; so vain that we dream of times that are not and blindly flee the only one that is.”

Fragment from “Vanité”, Pensées, Blaise Pascal, 1667

We celebrate it as much as we dread it, and the way we perceive it varies according to our moods, temperaments and occupations: from the boredom in which it seems to stretch to infinity, to moments of joy when it slips away like a wisp. Each and everyone’s relationship with time is unique, yet one truth remains undeniable: life is more pleasant when we take our time. Let us give it the space it needs to exist. On holiday and at home, in friendship and in love - the love we feel for others and the love we extend to ourselves. And finally, the time to take care of our beauty: prolonging a gesture by a few more seconds, massaging ourselves without haste, slowing down our pace and paying attention to what is going on around us.

The Persistence of Memory, Salvador Dalí, 1931

In this month of May - dotted with so-called public holidays - during which doing nothing is the rule, only one task is authorised (and highly recommended). The labours of Beauty and Care, without any haste. A halt to all the lively characters and other great hurriers of modern times who rush through life without taking advantage of the scenery. No more Alice in Wonderland white rabbits. Let us learn to spend time without chasing after it. And there is no need to wait for holidays or lazy Sunday mornings to allow ourselves to slow down a little and rediscover beauty.
Here, every gesture is magnified by the time we grant it. The Officine can never say it often enough: there is no point in rushing, because haste is the enemy of grace. Every act of self-care finds its nobility and effectiveness in this hymn to slowness.

FIRST MOVEMENT : SOOTHE THE SOUL

The first few moments of the morning shall serve the serenity of body and mind and, by extension, your beauty.

First of all... Move slowly. After a good night’s sleep, gently stretch your arms, neck and shoulders a little to get your body moving without rushing it. Then take a few conscious breaths. Pause at the window and contemplate the sky and its first light.

And then... Appreciate your reflection in the mirror and compliment yourself. You are now slowed down and ready to begin your nurturing beauty rituals.

Women in the Garden, Claude Monet, 1866

SECOND MOVEMENT : PAMPER YOUR FACE FULL-TIME

Cradle of the passage of time, the face requires utmost care. The more time we devote to its tending, the more serene its features will be. The application of a plant oil, a cream or any other delicate concoction must always be done with the tenderness of our hands, like a prolonged caress. The use of small rose quartz stones will perfect the gesture and comfort the eye contour, forehead and corner of the lips.

Young Women at Her Toilette, Giovanni Bellini, 1515

Scrub for an eternally youthful complexion

Gascony Plum oil

23,00 €

Relaxing, revitalizing oil with a delicious scent

Gascony Plum oil

Comforts and tones all skin types. Deeply relaxing, it’s perfect for daily skin care for dry or mature skin.

23,00 €

Rose petals powder

35,00 €

Exfoliating powder for a radiant complexion

Rose petals powder

Illuminates and revives the complexion. Erases signs of fatigue. A powerful anti-ageing action.

35,00 €

True Ionized Cleansing Water 1

32,00 €

Beautifying and soothing lotion - Mature and sensitive skin

True Ionized Cleansing Water 1

Enriched with natural ionized trace elements, this elixir cleanses the skin without causing irritation and provides lasting comfort. Sensitive or mature skin greatly benefits from...

32,00 €

Pommade virginale

50,00 €

Soft and moisturising face cream, ideal both in the morning and in the evening

Pommade virginale

An essential facial care, the Pommade Virginale is suitable for all skin types, even the most sensitive. With a simple gesture, the skin is moisturised,...

50,00 €

BRUSH YOUR BODY IN DETAIL FROM HEAD TO TOE...

FROM SOLES TO SKIES

The body is vast! Full of hidden corners, little-known areas and secrets, it needs to be listened to carefully and pampered with patience. We will therefore take the time to discover the body by brushing it, from head to toe. A body that has been brushed, and freed of all its tensions and impurities, will move through this dizzying universe with grace and agility.

Since we are in no rush and with ample time, let us also tend to the bathroom décor, immersed in a warm, olfactory rapture: a hot, perfumed bath with the Scented Bath Salts, the flicker of a hypnotic candle, a soft melody that envelops the atmosphere - these are just a few of the prerequisites for an impeccable bathing and brushing scene.

TOOLS FOR A WELL-BRUSHED BODY

The Back

With its long beechwood handle and round head of natural silk bristles, this wide bath brush cleanses and frees the back of the body without any contortionist effort.

AT BATH TIME AT BATH TIME

The Bust

Entirely natural and harvested in Greece, this large sea sponge is the faithful companion of full body ablutions. Chest, arms and bust are relieved of all their burdens, thus inviting a poised and upright posture.

EVERY OTHER DAY EVERY OTHER DAY

The Legs

Slowing our pace and rhythm does not make us look indolent, but rather gives us a wise and balanced energy. Made from beechwood, horsehair and bronze wire, this brush works wonders to invigorate and drain the body with a daily dry brushing. Massage upwards towards the heart, always following the blood flow.

EVERY DAY EVERY DAY