SQUEAKY CLEAN

Five years ago, New York-based Matthew Malin and Andrew Goetz set out to create a modern interpretation of an old-world apothecary, harking back to a time when skin care meant simply washing and moisturizing.

"Skin care should be easy," Malin says. "We've just taken that to the most luxurious level."

Most of their face, body, and hair products are for both women and men, and there are special products to nurture sensitive skin and those complexions that are more resilient. Their beauty ethos is all about balance and duality. "Everything throughout the brand is about this synergy," says Goetz.

Malin & Goetz debuted in 2004 with 11 original products and has since expanded its line to more than 50, including two new unisex eaux de toilette, two shampoos, and a hair mask, all of which come out this fall.

And, because theirs is a problem-solution brand, bottles are labeled in green for body, red for hair, and blue for face, lest you find your skin-care options luxuriously overwhelming. —JESSICA FLINT

JESSICA FLINT