The Candle Edit:

Basik, Sandoval, AYDRY & Co.

The perfect candle is essential, more over, crucial. Dictating the scent of ones home sets the mood for your sanity.

As our editors came to the end of the year with so much candle love, we couldn’t just simply pick one but rather combine our office faves into one photo. The three choices we’ve made cover a range of smells—from sweet to savory, we couldn’t go a day without burning these must-haves.

AYDRY & Co. (left) we came across at West Coast Craft last summer and fully fell in love with the scent Japanese Yuzu at her minimally designed booth. Founder Ayu Carlton carefully formulates the candle with its refreshing aroma blend of Japanese yuzu citrus and yuzu flowers creating beautiful, clean, floral and soft citrusy notes.

But with a gorgeous summer scent came the need for a winter scent all it’s own, BASIK (top) based here in San Francisco has perfected the gorgeous notes of wood, evergreen, and warmth into one black jar.
When we need to bring peace back into our space, we immediately grab our SANDOVAL candle (our contributing fashion editors fave.) Calming notes of palo santo, sandalwood, frankincense and patchouli, that create a peaceful, calming feeling in you and your space.

Port of Mokha x Dandelion Chocolate Box

Coffee is a San Francisco staple, no doubt about that—so when Port of Mokha and Dandelion chocolate combined geniuses, a box of delectable sweets was born. Of course, this isn’t your average edible Christmas gift, the box itself comes in a gorgeous designed hard-frame grey letter box, it’s so chic that giftee’s won’t even have to ask “where did you get this?” Combining Port of Mokha’s award-winning coffees with single-origin premium dark chocolate for decadent chocolate-coated espresso beans, never feel bad dipping into this chocolate box. But this collaboration does signify two homesprun brands coming together to create a delicious bond that truly livens up the holidays.

Future Glory Co

A gift that doesn’t break the bank, looks incredibly chic, and supports Bay Area makers and non-profits, that’s a triple whammy in the gift giving world. Founder and designer of Future Glory Co., Theresa Lee, draws on over a decade of experience in design to develop the singular vision. Established in 2013, this self-funded venture marks Theresa’s transition into the world of fashion, where she’s married her gift for minimalist design with her passion for empowering women. Whether she’s taking her bag’s physical design up a knotch or making fun-sized travel wallets, her work goes recoginzed by the top aficionados in the country. Theresa has since been selected as one of Makers Row’s Top 10 Brands and Manufacturers Under 40.

Melissa Holden Art

Tag lined, “original art for your favorite spaces,” Melissa Holden’s work embraces a minimalist aesthetic of clean, bold shapes and lines, and high contrast. Everything is completely produced by the working girl herself from start to finish using top of the line materials. This original designed calendar by the artist is creating a New Year in 2018! Get inspired to make, help, and advocate for the year you want to see unfold in 2018. This calendar at a glance is screen printed by hand and comes in either red or blue. It measures 11 x 14 inches and is printed on thick acid-free printmaking paper.

Known for her light-hearted prints, Melissa also excels at her main artistic focus “block prints,” a main focal color blocked in such a way it looks like a natural impression on nature… on paper. The type of block printing can also be seen in her illustration work which is why we love getting the newest Melissa Holden whenever we can.

Erica Tanov

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Erica Tanov is a designer who seeks beauty in all forms. Working with the finest opulent fabrics, embracing meticulous construction and subtle detailing, yet always drawn to raw, natural beauty, both Tanov’s clothing and homeware collections exude a relaxed, lived-in grandeur. Erica Tanov boutiques feature the designer’s own collections, alongside a carefully curated selection of other brands of clothing, home goods, jewelry and apothecary. No stranger to Bob Cut, we’ve featured Erica’s impeccible taste for style and for good reason.

For the designer of her Berkeley-based atelier, holiday shopping is a season of things you’ll want to give, and gifts you’ll secretly wish you’d receive. Her curatorial eye highlights handcrafted objects, or beautifully constructed accessories, bringing her feminine touch and relaxed glamour to your wardrobe and home. And for those who live bag to bag, you need to stop and appreciate the gold charm of this mother/daughter clutch and make-up bag duo. For us, when we are picking up a bag to hold our entire lives in, we tend to focus on one particular aspect—the zipper. Made with durable metals, the bag is easy to open and even buttery to close, this simple gold leather makeup bag with stitched center seam and leather zipper pull is the perfect stocking stuffer sister, mom, grandma would enjoy.

Evenprime

The winter time should never be forgotten when you’re moisturizing your delicate skin and for most men, it’s not even on their radar. It’s no secret that Korea is the mecca in innovative, highly effective cosmetics and skincare. Co-founder Koh Kim started her search there, identifying equally driven partners. From the start, EVENPRIME has partnered up with some of the best labs and manufacturers in Korea to create just the right products for men. Now teaming up with her youngest brother, Andrew Kim, they wanted to help men achieve their potential with their products.

Starting with their founding CORE Set, the set is designed to be the foundation of your daily skincare routine: two simple, effective basics that keep skin clean and hydrated each day. The cleanser removes impurities without irritating or drying the skin. The moisturizer hydrates and soothes skin. All products are formulated without: Sulfates, parabens, phthalates, mineral oils, artificial colors, animal testing. Bless up.

Totem

Everything from home gifts to delicately made jewelry, Berkeley’s own Totem is a home aesthetic we can subscribe to. Julia Lemke, founder of Totem, designs a gorgeous collection of homeware and jewelry inspired by natural forms, simplicity, and traditional craft. Each piece of ceramics is made by hand with high-fire durable stoneware.

One reason we are so enthralled by Totem’s brass spoons is that a.) made in the East Bay, b.) multi-use outside of the kitchen, c.) we get compliments on our homeware when we have guests over. For our editior in chief, he likes to use his Totem brass spoon as a face massager with his Cocokind Moss mask. The spoon stays incredibly sanitary for the sole purpose of skincare and really helps blood circulation on the cheecks and gently under the eyes.

If you have yet to meet the maker behind this minimally gorgeous line, you can normally find her chic display covering the West Coast Craft and Renegade craft scene.

Monastery

Skin is an incredibly sensitive organ, subject, and idea to consume. There are professionals who have years of training and other’s who do it in a hobbyist way, for co-founder Athena Hewett—she found the ability to mix both aspects into her raved about line of healing face oils. Athena first experienced the power of aromatherapy and natural skincare from her grandmother’s pressed oil. From their own grove and mixed sage, chamomile, and rosemary into tonics to purify and heal her skin. But after over a decade studying and practicing with medical-grade skincare products in California, Athena realized that technology had not improved on her grandmother’s holistic recipes for purifying and healing skin.

In fact, the proliferation of astringent products which tried (and mostly failed) to combat acne left her patients’ skin irritated, red, and dry. Of course, how does a local brand that taps into pure skincare have such a loyal and cult following? Easy, her ingredients. Picture: sages from the archipelagos of Greece, roses from Ayurvedic India, citri from the blooms of Japan — these products evoke the suns they were grown under.

ARNO Cooperative

We’ve all said it once, twice, and five times over: ” I’m looking for a simple _____,” and in the search of trying to find your one true love, you find yourself endlessly scrolling on shoe sites you don’t want to be on. Well hold everything, we’ve just gotten word that ARNO Cooperative (a trio-partner team) has launched their debut shoe line for the SF masses and beyond.

“After years of living and working in Italy, I’ve witnessed what mass-production overseas has done to destroy beloved Italian artisan communities. With this, I felt compelled to find a way to preserve the history and skill that is unique to the region,” said Co-founder and CEO, Rachel Arnow. “ARNO was born of an ardent desire to revive old-world Italian craftsmanship, while simultaneously designing exceptional products at a fair price.”

Inspired by the romanticism of the Arno River in Italy, ARNO is founded on three essential pillars—Creation, Craftsmanship and Community—that affirm why the company makes the product it does. Overall, we’re so excited to see more power ladies launching dreams and making fashionable footwear attainable in San Francisco.

Rough Linen x True Botanicals

The exfoliating power of Rough Linen and the healing power of True Botanicals have made their way to the collaborative stage to show people how the power of cloth and soap can turn your skin around in no time. Virtue and luxury in one simple package. Cleaner-than-clean Rough Linen orkney washcloth for mild exfoliation, True Botanicals heavenly purer-than-pure cleanser, to leave your skin glowing and sweet-smelling when you wash off the day.

The set includes True Botanicals’ new Basics Hydrating Cleanser and 3 of Rough Linen’s beautiful linen wash cloths either in charcoal, natural or black. We are very much here for the black version of the cloth because it doesn’t show dirt. Of course, make sure to always wash your linens but we get being lazy and being modern—as long as you are washing your face.

Windy Chien

Another maker covered by Bob Cut but how could we not? Windy Chien has been killing the collaboration scene in the Bay Area all 2017 long. Everything from her Helix lights, Bryr Clogs, 365 days of Knots, and now the wearable art that pulls any outfit together—the Bay Area is incredibly lucky to have a creative like Windy.

Windy makes art that activates space and crafts objects that elevate the daily rituals of life. For her simply chic Ringbolt necklaces, Windy still uses her art of knotting at a smaller scale. The Ringbolt Necklace evolved naturally from the larger art pieces she still makes to this day. It comprises two of her favorite knots: the Ringbolt Hitch and the sliding Triple Englishman’s Knot. A taste of Windy’s artistry on your person at all times.

“I owned an independent San Francisco record shop (Aquarius Records) for 14 years, building community and evangelizing the music I loved,” Windy told us when we asked about her past to now, “my music knowledge is encyclopedic and infectious—I can easily sell your grandmother a heavy metal record. Then, I spent many happy years at Apple, where I joined a fledgling iTunes and shepherded it through the ensuing eight years of explosive growth as iTunes product manager, producer, and curator, and then App Store managing editor.” Another boss lady to shop is always wonderful.

UME Studio

Where the passion for architecture and making things conspired, co-founders Victor and Mei-Lan formed UMÉ Studio and ran way with their unique vision on home goods, installation art, and various other things they could get their hands on. Of course, it’s not about how gorgeous a plate, mirror, or shelf can be—it’s need to say more. UMÉ Studio believes an object’s shape and use is derived from its making and is deeply committed to allowing an object’s function and the process behind it to inspire its form, yielding elegant solutions for daily life.

Hitting the ground running, the two set off the design gorgeous homewares that even had our entire office wanting buy out their entire stock for our kitchen. The dish-set (missing the smallest plate in photograph) is made of a casted pour. This dish is formed like a button to showcase your everyday favorites, handmixed with different minerals and natural pigments, the Bouton carries subtle textures on its surface. As the concrete settles uniquely for each pour, no two marbles are the same. So what we’re saying is, everytime you buy UME, you are going to get a unique piece of art. Magnificent.

Vive La Tarte

How could we not talk about food gifts and not rightly mention the over the moon tastes of Vive La Tarte? Luckily for us, Viva La Tarte offers pre-order and pick up options on their website through Square, making it easy to snag one of their winter specials in time for the family dinner. Their limited Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake is exactly as delicious as it sounds and don’t let the PSL sway you—Vive La Tarte’s baking team has the formula down pat.

And if you wanted to know how the team can achieve such rich flavors in their medium-sized creations: it’s all about sourcing. “We source our seasonal local fruit straight from the farm through our partnership with FruitRollup,” their team enlightened us, “we love alternative dairy and unprocessed sweeteners. We never ever use additives, preservatives, stabilizers or gelatins.”

When you get a moment to head to this neighborhood bakery, expect to find authentic, local produce driven baked goods, in a minimalistic and relaxed environment. We will see you there.