Scented Crying Candles by The Jacks

The young Korean designers make melting animal faces and human brains adorable

We’ve seen our fair share of handmade scented candles and thoughtful containers, but it’s the ones hiding a devious personality underneath that really go the extra mile. PyroPet’s cat and bird forms (which reveal a metallic skeleton inside) are a favorite—but we’ve now found another brand that successfully blends the cute and macabre. These candles, from new Korean company The Jacks, are shaped like ears, …

Amsterdam-based, Japanese-inspired Kiyoko

A new lifestyle line with just two products thus far: lip balm and a sweater

With their debut product being a quality, 100% natural lip balm (“that softens your lips on a sunny morning after a swim in the lake,” the minimalist packaging reads), many (incorrectly) considered the mysterious brand Kiyoko to be a new skincare line. Founded in Amsterdam by two friends Evelien Emondts and Merel Groenenboom, Kiyoko is actually a lifestyle brand prioritizing good quality and design. The …

Interview: National Geographic Photographer, Stephen Alvarez

Two decades of near-death experiences, changing technology and the creative process that emerges

Few people know about the power of image-making as well as a National Geographic photographer. While the final photographs published in the glossy pages of the yellow-bordered magazine speak a thousand, powerful words, the people behind the lens are often more elusive. We had the pleasure of interviewing Stephen Alvarez, who’s been working (or, survived working) for National Geographic since 1995, and are sure his …