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INSIDER PICKS IN HASSELT
by Kim Maes, co-founder of Le Rub.
“Frankly, it was about time suncare looked sexy.”
Blending scientific expertise with artistic vision, Belgian brand Le Rub creates skin-nourishing suncare using locally sourced Mediterranean ingredients. “Life is better in the sun,” laughs founder Kim Maes. Together with her brother, co-founder of trendy eyewear brand Komono and experienced brand builder Raf Maes, she set out to build a skincare brand that sees the sun not as the enemy, but as inspiration. “Sustainable, healthy, and honest. And frankly, it was about time suncare looked sexy.”
→ @blos_shop
Already sold in the best department stores in Europe, the brother-sister duo are now setting their sights on the American market. A chat on changing rituals, favourite haunts in Hasselt and doing better than Pharrell.
“I’VE BEEN USING SUNSCREEN DAILY FOR YEARS,” NOTES KIM. “LONG BEFORE WE STARTED LE RUB. AND SO HAVE MANY OF MY CLIENTS. FROM DAY ONE, I’VE TOLD CUSTOMERS THERE’S NO POINT IN SPENDING €130 ON A NOURISHING CREAM IF YOU’RE NOT APPLYING SUNSCREEN EVERY DAY. MOST BRANDS THAT MAKE SUN PRODUCTS PLAY THE SHORT GAME. YOU APPLY SUNSCREEN, YOU PROTECT YOURSELF FOR A BIT, WASH IT OFF — DONE. WE THINK IN TERMS OF LONGEVITY, SKIN HEALTH, AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS."
When it comes to favorites at Blos, Kim Maes doesn’t hesitate: Le Rub. “Of course,” she laughs. “But it’s also true. Le Rub came about because I couldn’t find good sun care for my clients.” Kim has been running the niche beauty shop Blos in Hasselt for ten years. With over fifty brands spanning beauty, skincare, makeup, and fragrance, it has become a reference well beyond the provincial borders. “Every year there’s new sunscreens popping up that just as quickly disappear. Either the cream isn’t stable or the formulation is off. The whole process is very complex. A lot can go wrong. You can work with a good lab, but later you discover things like calcification. Some issues you can’t even notice immediately; sometimes they only appear after two years. Really white chunks — it doesn’t exactly spread pleasantly.” “Ask Pharrell,” Raf laughs.“He launched his own sunscreen line under Humanrace in July 2022, with a multimillion budget, of course, and yet it still went wrong.”“Probably a coincidence, but four days after I filed a complaint with customer service, Humanrace sun care suddenly disappeared from sale,” smiles Kim.Are sunglasses simpler, then?“Definitely,” Raf nods. “I should have learned my lesson. Though they’re seasonal too, of course.”
"APART FROM THE COMPLEXITY OF FORMULATION, LOGISTICS, REGULATION, AND A ‘MAFIA’ OF MULTINATIONALS PROTECTING A GIGANTIC MARKET, SEASONALITY ALSO POSES A CHALLENGE THAT SHOULDN’T BE UNDERESTIMATED. “ESPECIALLY IN EUROPE. IN THE WINTER MONTHS, WE DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT APPLYING SUNSCREEN,” SAYS RAF. “IN AUSTRALIA, THEY DON’T SEE IT AS SUNCARE, BUT AS SKINCARE — SOMETHING YOU USE YEAR-ROUND. OUTDOOR LIFE IS SECOND NATURE THERE, ALL YEAR ROUND. WE TEND TO SPEND THE WINTER MONTHS INDOORS.”
"This mindset shift — from sunscreen as a quick fix to daily care — might be the biggest challenge. Consumers have been accustomed for years to that instant gratification of slapping it on when the sun comes out. Social media, of course, only reinforces this desire for immediate results instead of a long-term plan. With the introduction of the new Glow Drops SPF50, we partially address this need for instant effect. The name says it all: designed to give you a glow while keeping your skin protected."
THE TIMING FOR A MINERAL SUN CARE BRAND, ALSO DESIGNED AS A LIFESTYLE BRAND, COULDN’T BE BETTER.
TOP RETAILERS SUCH AS LUISA VIA ROMA, CORSO COMO, AND LE BON MARCHÉ ARE ON BOARD, AND AS WE SPEAK, A LAUNCH AT SELFRIDGES IS BEING PREPARED.
The balance between a younger audience driven by Korean TikTok trends and a more mature clientele seeking sustainable solutions for very tangible concerns like skin cancer and aging is where the market lies. “It’s a transgenerational group,” notes Raf. “Just as a new audience has emerged for concepts like high-end health food supermarkets such as Erewhon, where people look for healthy products in a cool, sexy context. That’s also our target. Traditionally, this is around 80% women aged 25 to 45, though of course there are exceptions at both ends of the age spectrum.”
“At Blos, it’s very different,” says Kim. “Here, it’s actually women over 45 who are the main buyers of Le Rub. They’re far more focused on skin health and have the means to invest in it. It naturally costs more than off-the-shelf chemical products. But I also have clients as young as 18 who save up to buy their sunscreen. That often has to do with upbringing — parents who are already conscious of these things — and also a certain TikTok fatigue, a weariness of constantly chasing the next trend.”
"With Blos, we’re just a bit off the main shopping street, so people who come here aren’t in a rush. They take their time, and that changes the pace. I couldn’t point to one single reason, but I think it comes down to the fact that we genuinely enjoy what we do. There’s an eye for detail, real attention for people, and simply a sincere smile. That’s what keeps a neighbourhood alive."
"My direct neighbors are a must. Jade for strong, timeless pieces that don’t grow old. Oui if you’re looking for a mix of design and fashion. And Souad Ferrani is a great talent you absolutely have to visit."
"Fiori Il Mazzolino’s selection of flowers is always on point. I trust their taste completely. For the best selection of international mags, there’s IMS Store. Moka tales for great design pieces, and for a dose of culture, I make my way to Z33 or the Fashion Museum."
→ 04. Il Mazzolino Di Fiori - Ridder Portmansstraat 10→ 05. international magazine store - Demerstraat 76→ 06. moka tales - Aldestraat 45→ 07. Z33 - Bonnefantenstraat 1→ 08. modemuseum hasselt - Gasthuisstraat 11
You can spend an afternoon wandering from one place to the next, each with its own character. Grimm is my go-to for books I didn’t know I wanted. I go in for a glance, and somehow leave carrying more than ever planned.
→ 09. Grimm - Maastrichterstraat 83