Selahatin’s luxury range of perfumed oral care products are designed to transform your toothbrushing from daily act to daily art.
The brainchild of Kristoffer Vural, Selahatin was founded following a stroke that heightened the Swedish-Turkish designer’s senses, leading him to develop taste-to-colour synesthesia. “This means that I perceive scent and taste and colours,” he tells enki.
During rehabilitation, the day-to-day monotony of toothbrushing “made a bad day worse.” Thus, he explains, “I see the collection of toothpaste aromas that I’ve created as paintings for your mind.”
Going head to head with the minty formulas that stack the shelves of our supermarkets, Selahatin sets itself apart with unexpected flavours that function as ‘perfume for your mouth’.
We’re talking combos like the heady merging of anise, honey and peppermint (Hypnotist), the somewhat festive trio of cinnamon, orange and peppermint (Escapist) or the rather woody notes of verbena, bergamot, cardamom and pine (Of Course I Still Luv You)…and that’s to name a few.
In a space where large pharmaceutical entities reign, Kristoffer is bringing a boutique touch to the oral care industry in a rather ambitious “attempt to marry art and science.” Speaking to the founder, we find out just why toothpaste is the next designer item you’ll be adding to your wish list…
How does Selahatin stand out from the long-standing competitors in the oral care world?
“Selahatin does ritual-centered mouth care which means that we are emphasising the experience. I believe that everyone should expect three things from mouth care: clinical benefits, compelling aromas and beautiful design. Selahatin is the only brand that ticks all three boxes.”
“Our focus is on craftsmanship. That comes through via the aluminium tubes, the glass bottles and vials, and the rich and long-lasting textures.”
Turning the clinical creative, can you talk us through your design process?
“It really varies because no matter what I do or where I go, ideas find me. For Of Course I Still Luv You it started with a painting – Christina’s World by Andrew Wyeth. It has bright colours and a dark undertone so I tried capturing that with the aromas. Bergamot and verbena represent the light and pine and cardamom the dark.”
“In our Stockholm studio I have a library of around 100 different aromas which are from Robertet, the fragrance house. If I sketch on a scent I’ll usually sit around with sticks and pair aromas, like jamming on a guitar. If I find something interesting – which I always do – the synesthesia is likely to kick in and I know I have something when I see the campaign photos, which makes the prospect of doing the visual direction easier. “
“Hypnotist I made because I’m an insomniac, and I’ve always felt that standard toothpaste wakes me up if I’m heading to sleep – worsening the insomnia. So I wanted to create something that was mellow and would prime you for sleep. To me, Hypnotist is an invitation to a dream and is meant to put you in a state of trance.”
How does oral care contribute to our overall wellness?
“Primarily, I don’t think of the product benefits in terms of anti-cavity or anti-bacterial. Those are hygiene factors that are a given. And although everyone should come to expect those things of a toothpaste, you won’t get it from an organic toothpaste.”
“What we are focusing is the level above the clinical benefits. And I think that the ritual the products are bringing is somewhat of a meditation. An act that aligns you and calms your mind. Like soul food.”
How do you see the industry evolving over the next decade?
“More brands have been entering the industry in the last few years, and I anticipate that to increase at a faster rate in the future. It’s strange that no one else has ever done something like Selahtain before. With enough time, I expect the brands in your local supermarkets to look more like Selahatin in terms of product variety. It’s only a question of when – and not if – we’ll see the industry change.”
“It takes an outsider to force change. And just like Tesla changed the automotive industry, we will change mouth care as people know it.”
Where does the name ‘Selahatin’ come from?
“I wanted to use my story as a platform for the brand because I believe it represents a larger story of who we are today. Selahatin was the name of my grandfather, and apart from it being an hommage to my Turkish ancestry ,I thought it sounded both poetic and clinical.”
“This industry has been just that – an industry, that’s mechanical and static. I want it to be less of an industry and more artful. By incorporating influences from the East, I think you can expand the collection notion of what fresh means.”
What’s next for Selahatin?
“All that I can say is that I genuinely believe that we have the most exciting product roadmap of any beauty brand. And you should get on the Selahatin train if you’re not already on it.”
Discover Selahatin’s full range of luxury oral care products and accessories here.
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