Aman, the luxury hospitality company established in Asia in 1988, has a cult-like following that few other hotel chains can claim. “Amanjunkies”, as the brand’s loyal fans are known, love to boast about the number of resorts they have visited and to share insider tips about them. They always get excited when the brand announces an opening in a far-flung exotic location or world-class city and plan trips to check out the latest property. The hospitality brand has always been aware that its fans want to immerse themselves in the Aman lifestyle, which was the reason behind the creation of Aman Essentials, a line of products ranging from fragrances to ready-to-wear. Available in its hotel boutiques and on its website, as well as at retailers such as London department store Harrods, the line is the brainchild of Aman Essentials chief executive Kristina Romanova, a former model and avowed skincare enthusiast. While the line has long offered beauty products such as body care and fragrances inspired by its resorts, the latest addition, Aman Essential Skin, is the brand’s first foray into functional and active skincare . Developed with Japanese beauty company Kosé, the range comprises five products, and can be experienced in facial treatments offered by Aman Spas around the world, or in the comfort of your home. He was an athlete until he founded a beauty brand. Meet Byredo’s Ben Gorham We sat down with Romanova for a chat at the launch of the line at Aman Tokyo, one of the brand’s award-winning properties and Romanova’s favourite. How did this skincare range come about? “It started about two years ago. We decided to cooperate with Kosé because we previously worked with them for some spa treatments, before we had our own skincare line, and so we knew they could deliver the quality we were looking for. “Mr Kobayashi, the chairman of Kosé, is a big fan of the Aman brand and as a long-time customer, he knew the ethos and pillars of the brand so it was a natural choice. “We started working on this line during the pandemic , so it was a challenging experience because I couldn’t physically come to Japan at the time as the country was closed. We were sending samples back and forth. “I’m thankful to Kosé for giving me the chance to be involved in the development and for following my direction.” Why Japan? “Aman has always been rooted in Asia and we have hotels here. Japan has always fascinated me for its culture and attention to detail. I knew that one day we would do something here, and then we started thinking about this particular skincare line and I wanted to do it in Japan. I was also fascinated by Japanese beauty. “I really like the pillars of Japanese beauty, and Kosé came to mind when thinking of a partner.” What was your input into the development of the line? “Because of my modelling career, I got to learn hacks and tips from industry professionals and the best make-up artists and dermatologists in the world, and I was fortunate enough to collect all this knowledge and incorporate it in the line. “I always knew what the most important things in skincare were for me: hydration and protection from the outside environment, and those were implemented in the line. “When we were working with Kosé, it was brave of them to give me so much authority because, obviously, they are experts in the field but they wanted to hear my perspective and how I envisioned the line. “I told them the ingredients I wanted, such as vitamin C and vitamin E and hyaluronic acid , and also two ingredients from Japan – rice bran extract and indigo. And camellia oil , peptides and caffeine for the eye cream.” How did you translate the ethos of the Aman brand into this line? “The design aesthetic reflects the Aman language, and the packaging is made from recyclable glass and biomass and we use sustainable paper. “At the heart of Aman is quality, so ensuring the quality of the products and ingredients was key. Exceptional service is one of the pillars and also creating a holistic journey with whatever we do and making it timeless. The new frontier in luxury skincare: baby products “It’s also genderless and suitable for everyone and simple and easy to travel with; it’s only five products and not a very complicated routine, because Amanjunkies are very busy and not ready to invest too much time in tons of products. “It’s a pretty simple and minimal routine, fragrance-free and suitable for pregnancy and menopause and different hormonal states. It’s quality over quantity. “Overconsumption is a big thing, so all our lifestyle collections are seasonless and timeless and we don’t follow trends.” Why do you think it’s important for a brand like yours to make forays into categories such as fashion and beauty? “For us, it was a natural expansion of the brand and answering the demand from our clients. It’s such a cult brand. There’s always a strong demand for every launch and opening, and everyone is always so excited. “You know how Amanjunkies always collect the luggage tags from our properties, for instance, so the idea was to let you take a piece of Aman with you; a piece of Aman’s holistic lifestyle and journey. And then especially with digital channels, it became so natural to the brand. “Aman has always been more than a hotel brand. I cannot name any other hospitality brand that has such a loyal and cult following. Amanjunkies think of the brand as more than a hotel; it’s really a lifestyle.” What are your skincare secrets? “Hydration is key, not just hydrating from within with water, but also using hydrating products for your skin, especially when you fly. “ It’s essential to take care of your skin during the flight and after , and also listen to your skin and find the right product for it. And if you need a quick solution to look good at the last minute, sheet masks really do work.”