DORÉ

Morning:
With two kids, I have definitely simplified my beauty routine. Now, it takes me 10 minutes, tops! I sleep with my hair up on a silk pillow, so this helps to keep the hair in pretty good shape. If I need to, I can smooth out some fly-aways with my GHD curl wand–and this only takes seconds because it heats up so quickly.

For my skin, I wash with cold water, use Bioderma Eau Micellaire to take off any left over makeup, and then apply Biologique Recherche P50 all over my face and décolleté to take off dead skin cells and prep my skin for absorbing the serums, oils or creams that I use next.
Depending on the season, I tend to layer…first serums, then cream and then oil, but lately I have only been using the Elixir II, because the combination of very light molecular oils with more rich ones makes it a perfect one-stop routine for face and décolleté (very important not to forget about the neck and décolleté!).
Then, I always use MBR sunscreen 30 for the face. I love this sunscreen because it is not drying like a lot of the others.

Next, I apply Clé de peau concealer under my eyes and on any spots. Then, I brush on Clé de peau radiant fluid foundation for super light coverage.
I use Tom Ford liquid eyeliner to make a slight cateye and then I blend with Chantecaille Mermaid eye powder in Starfish. My trick is to clean up the cateye with a Q-tip and then really blend the line so that it looks like a natural extension of my lashes.
Finally, I use Nars Climax mascara and I apply it mostly at the roots of the lashes. I leave my lips natural with just a balm, usually the Biologique Recherche Biokiss.

I wake my kids up at 7am and get dressed and ready while they’re getting dressed. We meet in the kitchen at 7:20, where I make a proper breakfast of pancakes or eggs for them.
I only drink oat milk lattes in the morning, no breakfast for me except on weekends!
There is usually some sort of drama, often having to do with braiding my daughter’s hair. Then, Frederic and I drop the kids at school together (we often take our scooters to get them there on time). I usually come back for a work-out, unless I have an early meeting. I go to the gym 2-3 times a week and yoga once a week.

Day:

Biologique Recherche biokiss lip balm.
Bastide creme intense hand cream.

Evening:

It’s basically an exact repeat of my morning routine, except that I add in a face mask once or twice a week for detoxifying or treating my skin. I never go to bed without taking off my makeup. And I also put the Corps a Corps Body Cream all over my skin before I go to bed, especially my feet so that my heels stay nice and soft. My favorite summer mask is the Beauté d’Argile because it takes out all of the impurities that come from sunscreen and pollution. I especially love this one because the red rice, lemon, and fig extracts make my skin feel moisturized and brightened at the same time. When I am in need of pure moisture, I use the Valmont L’Elixir des Glaciers face mask.

How is the French approach to beauty different than the American approach?

We live part of the year in the South of France, so I really got to see first-hand how French women take care of their skin. Just as French women tend to eat seasonally with produce from the garden or the local farmers market, their skincare is also very minimal and pared down, but extremely effective and potent. They look for the best ingredients, mostly from nature, and they listen to the needs of their skin. And just as French women sit down to eat, they also take the ritual of skincare seriously. They are methodical about their beauty routine and they remember that taking care of the self is the first and most important step of any beauty ritual. French women tend to accept their imperfections and work with them, instead of trying to erase them. And, they are much more gentle with their skin: instead of harsh chemicals, they choose to work with ingredients that soothe and protect the integrity of the skin.

Who inspires your beauty?

Everyone inspires my beauty. I look at my children’s faces and marvel at their pores and the smell of their skin, but I also love the look of my mother’s face and the laugh lines she has and the wrinkles around her eyes that make her face sparkle. For me, the most beautiful women and men are the ones that feel good in their skin and are relaxing into the present moment. I believe that drinking a great glass of rosé and laughing over dinner is as important for being beautiful as the time we take to pause and put on a mask or to take a lazy afternoon nap.