I’m a huge fan of the Dutch brand Marie Stella Maris! It is an Amsterdam-based lifestyle brand and flagship store, established in 2011. Marie-Stella-Maris believes everyone should have access to clean drinking water. By offering natural care products like scrubs, lip balms, body and bath products and home fragrance sprays and natural mineral water (still and sparkle), they are dedicated to contribute. How! For each product you purchase, Marie-Stella-Maris donates a fixed amount towards clean drinking water projects worldwide. Reason enough to go to the beautiful shop and their basement coffee bar on Keizersgracht 357 in Amsterdam! [continue reading after jump]
Water, sanitation and hygiene are the basis elements behind Marie-Stella-Maris’ philosophy. To realize access to clean drinking water, it is of great importance to pay attention to sanitary services and hygiene. This direct link between clean drinking water and hygiene has inspired them in 2014 to offer next to their water products also care products. For their natural mineral water they contribute 5 cents per liter and for the care products 1 euro per product.
The shop is beautiful. It is light and sleek with a long wall of light boxes displaying all the different products: body care, skin care, hair care, and home fragrance spays. In the middle of the store a wash bin where you get to try the scrubs, soaps and other products. Stairs lead you down to the basement where you can enjoy a cup of coffee in a stylish environement with marble tables, design books to browse in, and relaxing music in the background.
I left the store with a poivre noir fraiche body scrub. It is a sea salt scrub with a blend of extracts of black pepper, geranium, almond oil and thistle oil. I love it because it has a very unique scent and it leaves my skin smooth, polished and soft like a baby.
