The ultimate luxury when it comes to beauty products, besides function, is knowing what is actually in all those things you put all over your body. A small company called Björk & Berries, based in Högbo, Sweden, has taken this philosophy and created a unique concept centered around locally sourced ingredients. All products are 100% natural and most of what’s in them has been derived from local sources from in and around Högbo. The natural spring water used is from Stanna Well in the forest just outside the estate.
There are five scent families: Honey-Vanilla, Birch-Apple, Lingonberry-Rose, Blueberry-Lavender and Cloudberry-Jasmine, and products include scented candles, shampoo, conditioner, shower creme, bath salt, body lotion, body butter, body splash and perfume. All scents are perfectly composed, unique and have a softness that can only be achieved by Mother Nature herself. There is a product line for men as well, featuring blends of patchouli, oakmoss and cedar.
The leaves, berries and honey used in the Eau de Perfume are distilled into concentrate in Grasse, the perfume capital of the world. The different scents are composed in New York City by renowned Swedish perfumer Pierre Wulff, and are made in Högbo. The natural fragrance design center is Sweden’s first and with it’s 100% natural fragrance breaks the tradition started with Chanel No.5, which was the first synthetic perfume made. Guests who visit the boutique can receive a guided tour of the on-site manufacturing.
Image by Högbo Brukshotell
The boutique and manufacturing facilities are located at Högbo Bruk, an old iron mill that in 1858 became the first to successfully employ in large-scale manufacturing the Bessemer technique of blowing air through the iron to clean it from carbon residue. Four years later production moved to a sandy bay on a nearby lake, close to new new railroad and Högbo Bruk is now a unique cultural center with a hotel and conference facilities.
Image by soak683 (via Panoramio)
The preserved estates, the red rows of houses, the smith cabins, the mill, the stables, and the park, give Högbo a special character and feeling of the past. The town that the iron mill move laid the groundwork for is now called Sandviken, and the mill has a new name, that of industrial giant Sandvik.
Björk & Berries products can be purchased in the brand’s online shop.
