Margherita Soldati is a conceptual designer who focuses her work on biomaterials. Her work explores the relationships between objects, materials and our bodies. By focusing on the senses she hopes to allow people to truly experience her work, and not just “see” it. 

The Beauty Dinner explores the relationship between skin and gastronomy. It is held in Amsterdam and was created through a collaboration of people from different sectors. Margherita worked with Alice Héron, who is both an artist and a chef. Her food and work focuses on growth, through plants and fungi. The events are also hosted by Rens Pörtzgen and Neo Futurist Dinners. While the experience is designed by artist Zsofia Kollar, who created a mirror which is located in the waiting room to question our views of beauty through distortion.

All of the dishes created are plant based/vegan. They are not only made to be eaten, but to also be worn.  The aim of the event is to allow people to interact with their skin through play and learning. As the cosmetics industry becomes possibly harder to understand through the use of confusing ingredients and suggested routines. The Beauty Dinner strips skincare back to basics by using ingredients that are even safe to eat. The ingredients are also natural, meaning that they have little impact on the environment. Not to mention they are eaten after use so contain no waste. 

Here is the layout of the course offered – 

Course 1: Scrubbing

Ingredients:

• Ground Coffee
• Olive oil 

The ground coffee is mixed with half a cup of olive oil until it becomes a homogenous paste which is used to exfoliate.

Course 2: Steaming

Ingredients:

• Ginger
• Water

Ginger has amazing antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties and helps promote circulation. The face is steamed using the soup before it cools and can be eaten.

Course 3 : Exfoliating

Ingredients:

• Charcoal powder
• Almond milk (or oat milk)

A cream which is rubbed on your face to calm and clarify using charcoal.

Course 4: Moisturising

Ingredients:

• Thyme leaves
• Olive oil
• Sesame oil
• Focaccia

Using a beauty blender shaped pieces of bread to apply a moisturising oil.

Course 5: Nourishing

Ingredients:

• Spinach (or basil) leaves 
• Olive oil
• Pasta

A cream that sits under a mask made of pasta.

Course 6: Detoxing

Ingredients:

• 3 plums
• 3 kiwis
• 3 tangerines
• 1 big pear
• 4 tablespoons of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of lime juice

Fruit leather with kvass which are cut into shapes to fit the face.

Course 7: Refreshing

Ingredients:

• Cucumber

Frozen pureed cucumber cubes to cool and refresh the face.

Course 8: Smoothing

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of white sugar
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 1/4 cup of lime juice
• 1/4 cup of water

A light wax using sugar wax which is manipulated onto the face when it is still warm. 

Margherita’s other work

Margherita has also completed a number of projects focusing on sustainability in relation to our skin. ‘Uncomfortable’ explores the presence of microplastics hidden under our skin. The process and pieces created aim to raise awareness of plastic pollution through tactile pieces which highlight the uncomfortableness of plastic. We can ingest microplastic by eating animals that had previously ingested plastic themselves, or our food can be contaminated by its plastic packaging. We also drink microplastic from polluted water sources and breathe microplastic from the fibers of our clothes.