That is SOFlien, a concept store for women’s clothing and cosmetics in Essen, at Nieuwstraat 42. Owner Evelien splits the shop roughly half and half between clothing and skincare and make-up. Her goal is easy to explain and harder to practise: help women buy less, and buy better.
SOFlien started with cosmetics and workshops; the clothing came later. Evelien studied geography, trained in facial care and make-up artistry and spent a long time looking for answers for her own skin. She noticed how often products promised more than they delivered. The clothing went the same way: at first she chose brands on looks alone, until she asked where and how the clothes were made and some brands gave no answer. That changed the way she buys. Today she checks every new brand on Good On You and on COSH! before placing an order, and she tests the cosmetics herself. At SOFlien, nothing is ever chosen because of a hype, a label, a margin or a brand name.
Everything in the shop is chosen on three principles: simple, clean and fair. Simple stands for a small collection of women’s clothing with pieces that work together, instead of rails full of options. Evelien prefers natural fibres and only makes an exception where a synthetic fabric does something a natural one cannot, such as in a waterproof coat. Clean means every skincare and make-up product is selected on its full ingredient list. Fair stands for honest advice and products that do what they promise, at a price that matches. Besides clothing, you will find accessories such as bags, socks, tights and jewellery. On the cosmetics side there are cleansers, serums, creams, body care and make-up, and Evelien is happy to explain which ingredients they contain and what they do. In the SOFlien Studio you can book a skin analysis, a facial, make-up advice or a workshop on applying make-up for a natural look.
Looking for women’s clothing and skincare in Essen or elsewhere in the north of the province of Antwerp? Or would you like to learn in a workshop which products suit your skin? Then you will find SOFlien at Nieuwstraat 42 in Essen. During opening hours you can walk in freely and ask for advice. Facials and make-up sessions are by appointment, and outside opening hours you can also book a time to come and shop. Part of the range is available in the webshop. The current opening hours are listed on this page.
