Hasta La Ideas

The Mexican botanical-based brand on a mission to decolonize the bath and body industry

In the world of beauty, bath products often take a second seat to cleansers, face masks and makeup but soaps and skincare are essential—and that has become even more apparent in recent years. In fact, it was during these times that Nopalera, a premium bath and body line inspired by Mexico, came to fruition. Having just partnered with Free People this month, Nopalera blends nopal (a prickly pear cactus commonly found in Mexico) and research on formulation to create a clean, moisturizing-focused collection of botanical bar soaps, moisturizers and exfoliators that elevates Latino culture as well as the industry.

For the brand’s founder, Sandra Velasquez, the idea to create a cacti-derived collection stemmed from a lack of representation. “In 2019, I was working as a sales rep for other brands,” she tells us. “So I was in a lot of stores as part of my job and I noticed that there were no products on the shelves that really spoke to the Latina consumer, being myself. Latinas are the largest minority group in the country, why is there nothing on the shelf?” Frustrated with the insufficient market and her own financial situation, Velasquez began studying formulation, taking classes at the online, organic skincare school Bontanica. In 2020, she launched the brand she wished she had seen in stores.

Knowing that Latino, and specifically Mexican culture, had to be at the forefront of the brand, the founder arrived at nopal, which as she explains, “is the most Mexican plant ever—it’s even on the Mexican flag.” More than just culturally significant, cactus also has a variety of skincare benefits. The founder continues, “I use two different parts of the cactus: the green pad, the part of the cactus that most people know and the fruit that grows on the tip like a red bowl.” That tip is known as the “prickly pear,” but “no Latinos call it that,” says Velasquez. “In Spanish, it’s called ‘La tuna,’ as in tuna fish. That fruit has seeds and those seeds, when you extract them, produce a really luxurious oil that’s higher in Vitamin E than Vitamin E oil.” Further, it’s high in minerals and antioxidants, making it a powerful, penetrating ingredient in Nopalera’s Moisturizing Botanical Bar.

When it comes to the pads of the cactus, their insides—which have a similar texture to aloe vera—bolster and cleanse the skin. “Some people put the pads of the cactus directly on their face,” Velasquez tells us. “It soothes the skin, draws moisture to the skin and really the nopal is just highly regenerative, way more than aloe vera. If you’ve ever cut an aloe vera plant, it doesn’t grow back quickly or at all. The nopal, on the other hand, if you cut off a pad, another one will grow in a couple of weeks.” The nopal’s ability to heal itself makes it a more sustainable, versatile and healthier alternative for the skin, where it can further encourage cell regeneration.

Nopalera’s current collection is made by hand in Massachusetts and features a range of bath bars, cleaners and exfoliating scrubs—all wrapped in beautiful and bold packaging. Unlike other body washes on the market, the botanical brand is pure and ultra-moisturizing. “The soaps are cold-processed soap which is a true soap, meaning it’s not the soaps you see at the grocery store like Irish Spring and Dove. Dove is actually not a soap,” Velasquez points out. “That’s why they don’t call it a soap, they call it a beauty bar because it’s not actually true soap; it’s really a detergent bar.” To make up for the lack of high-quality soaps, the founder experimented with different formulas that can clean and create lasting hydration.

“I really wanted a moisturizing soap because I have really dry skin. So I studied the ingredients of the fatty acid profiles of different plant butters and oils and created a formula for the soap base,” she explains. From there, she adds the nopal, which are wild harvested from Mexico. The process to create their Botanical Bars is similar: Velasquez starts with a solid, plant butter bar to foster hydration with ingredients sourced from local suppliers. Then, she adds cactus oil to deepen its moisturizing ability.

Aesthetically and fragrantly, Nopalera’s bath and body line delights. Bright colors and gentle, earthy aromas of jasmine and lemongrass imbue the collection. These were all thoughtfully curated to reflect other aspects of Mexico. “The scents that I chose just remind me of places I’ve been,” says the founder. “Jasmine is everywhere, especially in the southern part of Mexico. Tangerine reminds me of orchards and my family who has an agricultural background. I wanted to pull from things that reminded me of Mexico and to come out with products that work together.”

In April, Nopalera will be releasing their first unscented soap for those with extra-sensitive skin after the launch of their partnership with Credo Beauty in mid-March. As the brand continues to evolve and grow, however, Velasquez’ mission remains the same: “to decolonize the bath and body category because it’s so filled with Eurocentric brands.” She tells us, “The community is ready to see themselves in an elevated way.” Seeing premium, Mexican-embodied options on the shelf is one way to empower this image.

Images courtesy of Nopalera

Hubble a photographié deux galaxies en collision donnant lieu à un ensemble appelé Arp 143, une frénésie de création d’étoiles tout à fait inédite. Cette collision a donné vie à une étrange forme de triangle. Le couple de galaxies contient la spirale NGC 2445, extrêmement brillante et que la NASA décrit comme « scintillante », à droite, et sa compagne NGC 2444, beaucoup moins voyante, à gauche.
« Les simulations montrent que les collisions frontales entre deux galaxies sont un moyen de créer des anneaux de nouvelles étoiles », explique l’astronome Julianne Dalcanton, du Centre d’astrophysique computationnelle du Flatiron Institute à New York et de l’université de Washington à Seattle.

The fact that dual-screen laptops (as necessary as they are in our multi-tasking workflows and WFH setups) still aren’t a norm bodes incredibly well for the folks at Mobile Pixels. The company has, since 2017, been crafting some of the most widely revered secondary screens for laptops, and they’ve definitely made a niche for themselves in the past 5-odd years. The first iteration of the DUEX laptop monitor shipped to more than 10,000 backers in 2018, and the DUEX Lite and DUEX Plus, which debuted last year, shipped to another 8000+ backers. The MIT Sandbox-incubated company is now back with the DUEX Max, a larger laptop monitor with a 14.1-inch 1080p display, higher brightness of 300 nits, and even smaller bezels, for an immersive second-screen experience.

Designers: Stephen Ng, Jack Yao, Peter Lee & Zikang Feng of Mobile Pixels

Click Here to Buy Now: $209 $349 (40% off). Hurry, Flash Sale ends in less than 48 hours! Raised over $550,000.

While the core idea behind the DUEX display remains the same, the DUEX Max presents the latest and the best design, with a smaller form factor, larger screen, better build, and more features – sort of like how smartphones and laptops upgrade every year. The new DUEX Max sports a 14.1-inch display that runs off a hybrid signal, making it compatible with most laptops.

The screen sits within a smaller chassis made from machined aluminum for a high strength-to-weight ratio, and slides out in two stages, a feature that allows the body to be a tad bit more compact (so that your DUEX Max fits on even the smallest, slimmest laptops. The outer chassis/cover uses powerful magnets that are thinner too, making the entire contraption sit virtually flat against your laptop… because that’s perhaps the DUEX’s most revolutionary idea – not to simply have an extra screen for your laptop, but to have one that’s perpetually attached to your laptop which you can swivel out whenever you want.

Designed as a successor to last year’s DUEX Plus, the 2022 DUEX Max comes with a large 14.1-inch screen that now matches up to the display units seen on most laptops. It sports a resolution of 1080p or FHD, a brightness of 300 nits, and even has an ‘Eyecare Mode’ that minimizes blue light. Designed to mount onto practically any laptop, the DUEX Max can be oriented either to the left or the right of your device, and has an auto-rotate feature that allows it to intuitively adjust its orientation based on how the screen’s placed.

Like its predecessors, it can be used either as an extension of your current screen for added productivity, or can be oriented to face outwards to someone sitting in front of you in what Mobile Pixels calls ‘Presentation Mode’. The screen both slides and swivels for near-infinite adjustability, and comes with not one, but two USB-C ports, so you don’t sacrifice a port on your laptop when you plug the DUEX Max in.

That being said, the folks at Mobile Pixels realized that simply confining the DUEX to your laptop would restrict its true potential. To that very end, the DUEX Max comes with support for Android phones and USB-C tablets too and even hooks up to your Nintendo Switch for large-screen gaming. The Max has an optional kickstand accessory that also lets you use it in portrait mode, so that auto-rotate feature really comes in handy.

With 4 color options to choose from, the DUEX Max is available on Kickstarter for a 40% discounted price of $209. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in April 2022, and you can even snag additional accessories like USB multi-port hubs, wireless foldable keyboards, privacy screen guards, and AI face-tracking webcams along with your DUEX Max.

Click Here to Buy Now: $209 $349 (40% off). Hurry, Flash Sale ends in less than 48 hours! Raised over $550,000.

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When you think of BMW’s signature cars, most people immediately conjure up images of high-performance ‘M Division’ stars like the stonking M3 and M5. Now while this very German brand makes brilliant internal combustion-powered vehicles, the world is going electric, and rather quickly. And to cater to the winds of change, the company needs a different style of flagship car. It needs a totally new signature model that stands head and shoulders above its rivals, a flagship that’s pure electric SUV and futuristic. The BMW iX is such a car.

That polarizing new kidney grille dominates design chatter

Looking like an SUV that Ironman might use to drive his kids to school in 2030, the iX boasts next-generation styling that makes this Tesla Model X rival stand out from the crowd. BMW claims that with the iX, they will gain over 50% market share of all-electric vehicles by 2030. Totally new from the ground up, the iX boasts 516-hp twin motors, over 300 miles of range, and quick charging from 10% to 80% in around 30 minutes. It is certainly a bold and ambitious move, but just how good is this techno tour de force battery electric vehicle (BEV)? We got behind the wheel of the iX xDrive50 to find out.

The iX’s exterior looks like nothing we’ve ever seen from the Munich-based carmaker. And it’s big too, eclipsing the Tesla Model Y, Audi e-tron and Ford Mustang Mach-E in the dimension department. To be honest, when we first saw the edgy, muscular iX silhouette with its new bolder interpretation of the 4-Series’ controversial kidney grille, we had more question marks than compliments. Many readers will recall the radical, polarizing, vertically-enhanced design on the 2020 4-Series grille that seemed to dominate industry chatter for a whole year. Some said it looked like a koala nose, while others likened it to rabbit teeth, a la Bugs Bunny. I can’t argue with either of those descriptions, although after several hours with the car, I started to like the exterior styling as I found this grille blends in better on the iX than the 4-series.

BMW’s head of design, Domagoj Dukec, said last year, “if you want to create something that stands out, it must be distinguishable and it has to be different. It’s not our job to please everyone, just our customers.” With the new grille, BMW has definitely created something that stands out, and yes, it does not please everyone. But it has certainly made its mark among customers with strong sales in its younger target audience. And at the end of the day, that’s what counts. Right?

It’s magic! The BMW grille repairs itself?!

But this new grille is not just pushing the boundaries of contemporary design norms. It also offers some unique innovative features which deserve a special mention. In fact, the grille is not even a grille. From a distance, this space almost looks like it’s full of intricate metallic and piano black elements shaped into a multi-layered diamond-like pattern. However, when you get up close and personal and rub your fingers over it, you discover that the grille is made of a material that feels like plastic. According to BMW, this plastic surface is actually covered with a thin layer of polyurethane coating which gives it the power to heal itself if it gets scratched or damaged — kind of like well-known superhero Wolverine.

Why fit such a feature? Say you’re parked in a shopping mall and someone accidentally bangs their shopping trolley into your new kidney grille. No problem because the polyurethane automatically ‘repairs’ light scratches within 24 hours when left at room temperature, or even in under five minutes under hot air from a hairdryer. And why is protecting the grille so important? Behind that enormous grille, you’ll find a set of sensors that allow the iX to see the world in front of it and relay that information to the onboard safety systems in real time. So if the grille has scratches, then the forward visibility and sensor operation could be compromised. That’s not the only feature to stand out on this next-generation grille. Behind it you’ll find a heated element that allows the grille to melt away ice and snow to—you guessed it—allow those hidden sensors to be able to see the road ahead in wintery conditions.

One feature that will certainly raise a few eyebrows is that you cannot open the hood on an iX. According to BMW engineers, there will be no need for owners to ever open their hood. In fact, if you see one with its hood up then that’ll mean something has gone horribly wrong with the mechanicals requiring instant dealer rescue. The fact that you can’t open the hood is a shame because it means that you don’t have a ‘frunk’ (front trunk), a feature found so often on BEV’s these days. You may also wonder how does one fill up the washer fluid? Easy. Just push to open the BMW logo above the grille and top up your washer fluid. Necessity is the mother of invention, so they say. That washer fluid logo feature is a clever, elegant solution to a potentially problematic design conundrum. Thumbs up to BMW designers there.

The sleek upslanting ‘Laser’ headlights and practical bumper integrated brake vents complement the grille design to give the iX a unique futuristic look necessary to make an impact in the market. While not quite as dramatic as the front end, the side view is highlighted by flared fenders and huge 22-inch wheels as well as hollow copper-colored door handles that perfectly matched the rather classy Aventurine Red body color on our iX test car. The floating C-pillar, with a gloss blacked-out section to match the tinted rear windows, connects subtly with the roof spoiler to complete a stylish, sporty silhouette.

Far more appealing however is the rear end. This is by far my favorite angle of the car to look at. The sharply angled rear window leads down to a narrow wraparound taillight treatment that sits in amongst some of the most beautifully contoured surfaces and lines you’ll ever see on an SUV.

There is one problem though. With most SUVs, the taillights are normally split across the tailgate and the rear body panel. With the iX, however, it’s all integrated into the tailgate. So when you raise the tailgate your brake lights disappear into the air meaning that people behind you cannot see your car clearly at night. The solution? BMW has had to design a second set of lights and integrate those into the rear corner bodywork. Form has unfortunately won over function here. This I feel is extremely wasteful as it means customers are paying extra money to have this ‘backup’ set of tail lights. This design also eats into luggage space with the iX only offering 500 liters of space in contrast to the BMW X5’s 650 liters, which is a similarly sized car.

Stunning! The iX’s cockpit is next-level design and functionality

So what’s the iX like inside? Stunning. No matter what you might think about the exterior, especially that grille design, the interior is simply breathtaking. The caramel tan-colored leather seats and dashboard, aluminum accents and huge cockpit-wide curves touchscreen instrumentation set the mood for BMW’s signature BEV. The result we see in the iX’s cabin is what happens when a carmaker gives its design team free rein to design something new, innovative, and cool.

Where to start? I adore the high-quality luxurious materials used inside. I adore the shape and feel of the seats and their special stitched inlays. I like the shape and feel of the curved 12-inch touchscreen for driver information and a massive hi-definition 15-inch display for all of your infotainment features. It feels like 2030 in here! I even adore the shape of the octagonal steering wheel. The floating center console with its next-generation i-Drive system boasts a gorgeous new design highlighted by a crystal dial and intuitive touch sensors. It also has a crystal gear shift lever as well as crystal knobs on the doors. The only downside, if you can call it that, is the fact that the crystal knobs and dial can cause some glare to shine in the driver’s face when direct sunlight hits it.

Interestingly the iX is packed with lots of sustainable materials. The olive leaf logo on the dashboard indicates that the dye used to color the leather inside the iX is sourced from olive leaf extract rather than non-biodegradable chemicals found in so many other cars. Apparently, the leather is sustainable as well, although we are not quite sure what that means.

In the back seats, you get loads of legroom and headroom and comfortable leather seats. This ample amount of headroom is aided by a clever panoramic glass sunroof design with electrochromic shading that allows occupants to merely press a button and either allow the sun in or shut it out. Apart from the good visibility, there are also two USB-C ports in each back seat and dedicated climate controls for both seats. There’s no doubt that the rear seats are just as comfortable as the front seats.

The Driving Experience

What’s it like on the road? There are two versions of the iX — the entry-level iX xDrive40 and the flagship iX xDrive 50, which we are testing. Both cars a very similar with 4WD, the main difference being the size of the battery packs, the power of the electric motors, and the amount of range.

Two electric motors and a dual-motor system provide all-wheel-drive through a gutsy 516 horsepower powertrain. It will jump from zero to 60-mph in 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 124-mph. This version packs a large 106.3-kWh battery pack that BMW says will deliver over 300 miles of range, and from the time we spent in the car, our estimates put that car’s real world range at around that figure. 200-kW DC fast-charging capability is standard and the iX can gain more than 75 miles of range in 10 minutes, or can be topped up using a quick charger from 10% to 80% takes around 30 minutes.

The first thing you notice about the driving experience is just how comfortable and quiet this car is. Of course, BEVs are generally quiet, as they don’t have gasoline engines, but the iX is a level above the rest. We could hardly hear any noise at all traveling at normal city traffic speeds, perhaps just the faintest of tire and wind noise and maybe a slight whir of the electric motors, but that’s about it. The air suspension, which comes as standard, is perfectly set up for this rather heavy 5,380 lbs SUV, delivering a buttery-smooth ride across most surfaces. Even on twisty roads, the instantaneous acceleration and pinpoint steering make this big, heavy SUV feel smaller than it is. Brakes are strong too with beefy six-piston calipers and large rotors offering ample stopping power.

As you’d expect the iX also comes with the latest safety features including autonomous emergency braking, parking sensors, automatic high beam headlights, and lane-keep assist systems. It also comes standard with a 655W, 18-speaker Harmon Kardon Surround Sound System or an optional Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound system packing 30-speakers and 1,615 watts with a 4D function that vibrates speakers in the seats.

Pricing and Options

Pricing according to BMW will start at $84,195 in the U.S. However as prices for options were not available at the time of publishing, we are giving readers a reference of option pricing in Japan. The base xDrive50 starts at 11.16 million yen in Japan although our test car, with options, was priced at 13.89 million yen. In Tokyo, where I’m based, buyers can add the following options that will push the price up to 13.89 million yen. For the Aventurine Red metallic paint, you’ll pay 310,000 yen, 650,000 yen for the Lounge Package (including the special sunroof), 750,000 yen for the Technology Package, 158,000 yen for the Aerodynamic Wheels, and 220,000 yen for the Sports Package.

BMW has done a truly sensational job with its next-generation iX. If you can live with the grille, have the $85,000 in hand, and you’re looking for the next best thing in luxurious, quick electric transportation, then we highly recommend the iX xDrive50. As far as rivals, the iX really has none at present. Sure there are the Mercedes EQA, Audi e-tron, Jaguar I-Pace, and Tesla Model X, but when it comes to next-generation design, power delivery, ride and comfort levels, and an interior to die for, the iX wins the electric SUV battle hands down. For now, at least.

The post BMW iX xDrive50 Review first appeared on Yanko Design.

The All-in-One Coffee Grinder is a handheld, portable coffee grinder with integrated brew methods for coffee on the go.

When it comes to coffee, the less we have to think about it the better. Just pour, drink, and enjoy. Several different coffee maker designs have come out to ensure our caffeinated experiences are as convenient as possible. From stackable coffee to siphon coffee makers, the possibilities are endless.

Designer: Locus Hsu

Coffee makers tend to be multifunctional by design, merging brew and drip mechanisms into one machine, but integrated grinders are always missing. Noticing a gap in the market, Locus Hsu conceptualized their All-in-One Coffee Grinder, a portable, electric coffee grinder that also incorporates brew methods.

Scaling the machine down to a handheld device, Hsu’s All-in-One Coffee Grinder is about the same size as a conventional, reusable water bottle. Suitable for a camping retreat or overnight road trip, the All-in-One Coffee Grinder can be packed into any suitcase or carry-on for a quick cup of coffee when the mood hits. Comprised of three primary modules, the All-in-One Coffee Grinder keeps its power core and key control interface towards the topmost module, just above the loading tray.

At its center, the All-in-One Coffee Grinder hosts its loading compartment which users can fill with coffee beans to grind. From there, users can twist the top module for grinding. Before spilling into the filter extraction cup, a dust covering sifts the coffee grinds.

Ending up in the filter extraction cup, users can then untwist the Coffee Grinder to pour hot water over the grinds and make a cup of coffee. The bottommost compartment is the All-in-One Coffee Grinder’s capacity cup that works like a reusable travel mug.

The All-in-One Coffee Grinder is portable and electric by design.

Integrated interfaces allow for precision control during the grinding process.

Adjustment dials provide different grinding modes to accommodate different drinks.

Chargeable via USB port, the All-in-One Coffee Grinder can be used wirelessly.

The All-in-One Coffee Grinder comes with a felt carrying case.

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