At first, I was sceptical; now I’m a convert. Rarely have I been as convinced by a product as I am by Fine Deodorant. My initial hesitation stemmed from the fact that the small, individually designed jars and tubes don’t contain aluminium salts (though they do contain harmless aluminium silicates; read more on that here) and also have fewer of the other unpronounceable words usually found on ingredients lists. I’ve tested several types while undertaking a range of everyday activities and am happy to confirm that Fine keeps you body odor-free, thanks to ingredients like coconut oil. For use at home, I recommend the glass jar format, out of which you scoop out the paste with a tiny spatula, while the tube format is very practical for traveling. The neutral type is great for sensitive skin, or there’s a range of essential oil versions to suit your scent. I first came across this deodorant brand at Andreas Murkudis, but it’s also available through Fine Deodorant’s website, along with samples — so you can find your favorite. (Text: Nina Trippel / Photos: Emilie Wade)

Fine Deodorant: Website, Instagram, Facebook

In case you haven’t heard: banana skins are edible. But I have to admit, that’s just a teaser to pique your interest in the recent cookbook by Tainá Guedes. At the moment it’s available only in German, under the long title “Die Küche der Achtsamkeit. Mottainai: Nichts verschwenden, kreativ kochen, gesund essen” (2017, Kunstmann Verlag). “Mottainai“, as you may know, is a term borrowed from Buddhism and loosely translates as “don’t waste anything that has value”. That’s to say: this book is all about delicious food, but most of all about handling ingredients with love and care and using leftovers for new dishes. It’s not a dry lecture in food ethics, however — instead, it’s a practical, inspiring recipe book for everyday meals, as is encapsulated in the cover, which features a smiling Tainá Guedes. The author was born to a Japanese mother in Brazil and, luckily for us, she moved to Berlin to inspire this city with her cosmopolitan spirit and knowledge — founding the Entretempo Kitchen Gallery, amongst other projects. It’s precisely Tainá’s unique blend of Japanese-Brazilian-European influences that make her recipes special. Like that banana peel — it’s fried, by the way. And it’s only one of many delicacies shared in the book, next to “São Paulo-style couscous”, Japanese noodle dishes, napkin dumplings and much more. (Text: Nina Trippel / Photos: Pamina Aichhorn)

Tainá Guedes: “Die Küche der Achtsamkeit. Mottainai: Nichts verschwenden, kreativ kochen, gesund essen” (2017, Kunstmann Verlag)