I have no idea why I didn't know about Steamcream until years after it had been on the market – very much like how I missed cutting-edge nail polish line Laqa & Co. And also like Laqa & Co., Steamcream has a huge line of beautifully designed pieces, some of which are the result of artist collaborations.
What exactly is Steamcream? According to the website, it's an all-over moisturizer (meaning it can be used on the face as well as body). Natural ingredients like almond oil, orange flower water and cocoa butter are fused with steam. "It’s Steamcream’s unique steam process that makes our cream much more effective on the
skin. The force of the steam fuses the ingredients instantly – holding
them together in a very gentle and loose emulsion. When it touches your
skin, the naturally moisturising ingredients and pure, calming essential
oils are released from the light emulsion so they can sink past the
surface reaching the areas they are needed fast." Interesting concept, but what intrigues me most is the packaging. There are at least 50 designs in the line and I could see nearly every single one in a Museum exhibition, especially the holiday-themed ones (I did pick up two for the most recent holiday/winter exhibition).
Here are a few of my favorites.
Arles, inspired by Van Gogh's Sunflowers, and Gaudy, with a proud colorful peacock:
Amani Na Upendo, which was designed by African artist Mustapha, and Planetarium:
These Hawaii-themed tins are adorable as well:
Some of the newer ones include Shé, in honor of the Year of the Snake:
And two with the theme "fabric of Japan", based on traditional kimono designs.
(images from steamcream.co.uk)
That concludes this very brief overview of Steamcream, but I will be posting about individual tins as I continue collecting them. 🙂