Tooth gems, Argentinian gin and designers to know

Plus, a look at the companies helping us better connect. Friday 26 May 2023 [View in browser]( / [Sign up]( This week we've got good stuff from Argentina, Turkey and South Africa, plus designers to watch from all over the world. And, with loneliness on the rise, we look at the companies taking unique approaches to helping people connect. 01. Tooth gems are the latest Y2K trend to make a comeback 🦷. But it could stick: the jewels are semi-permanent, which means there's opportunity for repeat business and new trends popping up all the time. ‘At the moment, butterflies are all the rage. I have clients of all genders asking for them,’ Vanessa Victoria, founder of Singapore-based [Third Eye Toothgems]( [told us](. 02. Meanwhile, this toupee specialist in Utah is bringing a [fresh perspective]( to the touchy subject of male hair loss: ‘I love giving people their dream hair and I also love the idea of normalizing cosmetics for men. My goal is to make toupees more accepted and accessible.’ 03. Slugging – a skincare technique where you slather petroleum jelly on your face to lock in hydration – was all over TikTok last year. Now it’s coming to a store near you. [Futurewise]( has designed an entire slugging system, while [Experiment]( has released a buffer jelly for ‘micro slugging’ 🐌. 04. Toronto-based [1HOUR-AFTER]( is focused on post-workout personal care – like a shampoo that counteracts hair damage from sweat. 05. The shower is the next skincare frontier. ‘I've been paying attention to showerhead-filter [brand] [Jolie]( Bijan Shahvali, founder of vintage store [Intramural]( told us. ‘It's been interesting to see how they're approaching skincare from a different angle – one that isn't lotions or creams. It's also a really good example of how influencer review content can drive sales.’ TIP. The influencer industry is changing constantly, so you've got to think creatively when taking this route. Here are five brands that took [unconventional approaches]( that paid off. 06. The restaurant and product collabs [just keep coming](. And, if you just want to dress like a chef, [Cookman]( and [Service Works]( have you covered 👨‍🍳. 07. Bottled cocktails are everywhere, but the packaging of Copenhagen-based [Aeris]( looks like something you'll want to keep even after drinking. 08. Elsewhere in Copenhagen, graphic designer Kabir Singh is behind masala-chai concentrate [Hindude Chai](. 09. And [Djuce]( is making its lack of glass bottles a selling point – it puts European wine in easier-to-recycle aluminum cans with fun, poppy designs. 10. Eugenia Ripari, founder of kombucha brand [Slug Club]( (unrelated to the skincare technique above), told us that there's crazy interest in gin in Argentina 🇦🇷. ‘I can easily count five gins that are being made in and around San Carlos de Bariloche, where we're based. There are some really interesting botanicals coming out of Patagonia, including Patagonian juniper – which can only be found in Chile and Argentina and grows in the harsh conditions of the area – which I think is triggering the trend. [Piel Spirits Co]( is creating a beautiful high-end product. Not only is its packaging and logo wonderfully designed, but the product really separates itself from the competition in terms of quality.’ 11. Eugenia also told us that everyone's talking about next-level plant cafes in Buenos Aires. New spot [Las Flores]( has tables tucked into an overgrown garden, while [Herbarium]( is a lush market on the outskirts of the city selling over 1,000 varieties of plants, with an onsite pizzeria 🍕. 12. Fresh from being the youngest artist to [design]( the BRIT Awards statue, Nigerian skateboarder and painter [Olaolu Slawn]( has [opened a cafe]( in east London named after his son. 13. [Moon Mart]( is an adorable Asian convenience store and cafe in Melbourne. 14. Where do adults go – besides a bar or a new-parent class or whatever – to make friends? In Sydney, Chrissy Flanagan runs a space to fill that gap: it's called [Chaotic Social](. 15. [Quouch]( is a homestay platform focused on queer people and women, for budget travelers who feel safer staying with hosts who share their identity and values. 16. [Anyone]( is meant to provide its members with quick hits of career advice, feedback and inspiration, via five-minute phone calls with similar-minded people (you can search for members who are activists or makers) 📞. 17. [Intro]( is kinda like if you combined Raya, Cameo and LinkedIn: 15-minute phone calls with top industry leaders, at varying prices (it costs $776 to speak with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian). 18. Our very own [Bre Graham]( just got back from Bodrum 🇹🇷, where she met some local winemakers. ‘Turkey may not be your first thought for a thriving wine scene, but I came home with a suitcase full of bottles from [Chamlija](. The man behind the brand is Mustafa Çamlıca, who named the winery after his daughter, who designs the striking labels.’ TRY IT. Would you start a business with family? We talked to sibling co-founders about how to navigate [business and personal relationships](. 19. Mother-son team Zainab and Shaheed Martin, who are behind South African apparel brand [Nuun]( couldn't find sustainable packaging up to their standards, so they created a [water-soluble polybag](. Now they're using what they learned to consult for other small businesses. ‘Finding the right manufacturer that could produce low MOQs [minimum order quantity] and [was] eager to work with our materials and designs was impossible,’ Zainab told us. ‘Through a process of trial and error, we've built a network of individuals we trust and who share similar values. This is what we wanted to share with others – an invaluable resource.’ 20. We've got our eye on these up-and-coming designers from all around the world 🌍… - [Nifemi Marcus-Bello]( is creating a local manufacturing network in Lagos and documenting design production in Africa. - [Khaled El Mays]( makes [maximalist, otherworldly furniture]( in his hometown of Beirut. - [Maryam Turkey]( is a young Iraqi designer/artist to watch – based in New York. - [Elvira Bakubayeva]( and [Aisulu Uali]( are the co-founders of Kazakhstan architecture studio [NAAW](. - Rodrigo Armas and Julio Kowalenko are the architects behind Venezuelan design firm [Atelier Caracas](. - [Jamie Wolfond]( is a designer in Toronto who used to run a [super-popular homewares company]( called Good Thing, but now he's got [his own practice](. 21. Custom furniture brand [Surcle Wood]( uses recycled wood. Founder Julie Jackson learned her craft by apprenticing with her woodworking brother, [Josh Jackson]( as well as watching YouTube tutorials and attending American Association of Woodturners meetups 🪵. 22. The [co-founders]( of product design firm [Late Checkout]( thought they were going to have to lay people off as client budgets started shrinking. Instead, they launched a subscription design service, which allowed them to take on smaller (but consistent) [projects]( and keep employees. TIP. Pivoting is a natural – and often necessary – part of running a small business. Here's everything you need to know about [making that shift]( when the time comes. 23. [PICNIC SURF SHAPES]( is a hand-shaped wooden surfboard brand based in the middle of Texas, 300 miles (!) from the ocean. Surfer and artist [Gregory Ruppe]( started it as a pandemic project 🏄. 24. For those closer to the ocean: [Lung Tank]( is a mini, refillable, hands-free breathing tank that can last 10 minutes underwater. Elsewhere in Courier: 🤳 On TikTok: [Go inside]( a dreamy Moroccan surf school and guesthouse. 💻 Online: The pros and cons of [fractional work](. 📰 In print: There are a ton of ways to make a living. Here's [how to get started](. Drop us a line any time at [hello@couriermedia.com](mailto:hello@couriermedia.co). Update your preferences [here](. Unsubscribe [here](