On Beauty: Trusted Tools from Around the Globe

By The Line

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but it begins with what you’re holding: the trusted tools designed to tame, cleanse, purify, and prepare. Five such objects rise to quintessential status not only through their elegant utility but because of their roots in unique traditions that span the globe, from a knobby stick of detoxifying Japanese charcoal to a quick-drying towel born in the Turkish bath.

Morihata Kishu Binchotan Charcoals

The soothing and balancing begins in Japan, where artisans burn oak branches to yield Binchotan charcoal. Renowned for its purifying properties, this elemental substance can be used in stick form to filter water, absorb odors, and add an extra cleansing boost to a bath—or give new meaning to “smokey eye.”

Mason Pearson Detangler All-Nylon Hair Brush

The process of building a timeless toolkit continues in London, where Mason Pearson has eschewed mass production in the making of rubber-cushion hairbrushes since 1885. Created to not only tame but also “clean the hair, stimulate the scalp, and increase blood flow to the hair roots,” their sturdy nylon detangler is as versatile as the company’s rake comb, handmade with smoothly tapered teeth and rounded tips.

Mason Pearson Rake Comb

Scents and Feel Fouta Honeycomb Thin Stripe

A refined way to start or finish any beauty ritual is wrapped in the pure natural cotton of a striped fouta. This updated version of the traditional Hammam towel is hand-woven in Tunisia in a luxurious herringbone that is both lightweight and highly absorbent.

M.E. Skin Lab Baume 27

Finally, it’s onto the Paris HQ of M.E. SkinLab, where the less-is-more regime echoes the highly effective simplicity of the locals. Founder Michèle Evrard, trained as a pharmacist, began her tightly edited line with Baume 27, named for its blend of 27 active ingredients that work to repair and regenerate skin cells.