Jul 14, 2008

Made by handBy Mary ShustackLoHud.com

You’ll find Luisa New York soothing from the moment you see it.

It just might take you a couple of minutes to find the new Pleasantville shop filled with all-natural, hand-made skin-care products.

Thanks to directions from her neighbor, though, I made it to Gili Zilca’s boutique, which shares an entrance with other companies in a brick-faced building just across from the train station.

My little misstep was quickly forgotten as soon as I saw – and smelled – the array of soaps (carnation blossom, geranium, green tea and more), lemon facial cleansers and ocean-scented bath salts. I’m already addicted to the licorice-flavored lip gloss ($2.95).

The space, created by Pleasantville architectural designer Stomu Miyazaki, makes the most of its 144 square feet. Natural accents, from stones to hand-carved woods, echo the products’ natural properties.

Even the background music, a mix of instrumentals including compositions by Zilca’s husband, Ran Zilca, adds to the atmosphere.

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