“My first real job was at French Vogue as Carine Roitfeld’s assistant. Working with her was so exciting—she’s amazing. Carine has so much energy and so many ideas. She always wants to give and share—she made me want to be a good boss! I worked with her for 10 years, but now I mostly work on freelance editorials. I also style for Signature International, which I co-founded with my partner Rosalie Miller. It’s a website about couture, about art, about music…it’s like a digital coffee table book. Every two weeks, we come out with a new chapter.
When I was styling full-time, I used to do fashion shows, too—Carven, Elie Saab, Altuzarra. I met Joseph Altuzarra through Carine and work on his shows because we’re best friends. [Laughs] When I was almost 30 I decided I wanted to have a baby, and I started working and traveling less. I thought, ‘OK, I really want to have a baby’—I kind of felt my body talking to me. I had my first daughter when I was almost 31 and she changed my life, and then I had another daughter five years later. They come with me to shows now. This season we were at Shiatzy Chen, which I styled, and they sat front row with me and Carine. I love my job and am very passionate about it, and they just make it better.
HEALTH
When I was pregnant, I was still working out…doing yoga, Pilates or ballet. Not the exact same exercises as before, but I did them up until the end of the pregnancies—my doctor told me to just trust my body. I have to work out every day. Monday and Wednesday is pilates, Tuesday is ballet, Thursday is Crossfit. Then Friday it depends, Saturday is more like stretching, and Sunday is yoga. My work can be very stressful, and working out just makes me feel good in the morning. So I do my thing for one hour and then get ready and go to work. It's my balance, like therapy.
My bedroom is full of books about health. I’m obsessed with it. Every day when I wake up I take a probiotic and then I shower. After my shower, I always use a Prorhinel Nasal Spray to clean my nose. After you do it and blow your nose, you can see all of the stuff that’s come out. It’s a bit disgusting. But my doctor friend told me to do it twice a day so I don’t get sick, and I do it, and it’s really good.
SKINCARE
After I do the nasal spray, I start on skincare. Before I would go into the pharmacy and just buy La Roche-Posay or Avène or whatever, and now I’m trying more things. I started going to Joëlle Ciocco and she would give me routines to follow. I start with Joëlle Ciocco Cerat Aux Fleurs Composées as my moisturizer. It’s very good for night, but for the day it can get greasy, so I also like using this Bioderma Sébium Mattifying Fluid on my T-zone. Then I put on eye cream, Skinceuticals A.g.e. Eye Complex. When I wear SPF, I really like Bioderma Hydrabio SPF 30 Moisturizing Anti-UV Mist, which I discovered when I was on set in Mexico.
I love doing masks…the Sisley Facial Mask with Linden Blossom is a favorite. I really like Tata Harper's Resurfacing Mask—I'm just starting to try her products. Her Moisturizing Mask is also good but the smell is a little strong for me. In the evening, I’ll always do a thorough cleanse. I use La Roche-Posay Toleriane, but I love zinc. I buy the capsules and use them on my face, and it clears out my pores.
MAKEUP
My makeup products are very minimal—I have a few things that I really like. For coverage, I use Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place Makeup in Pebble, just a little bit all over my face. I also use MAC Pro Longwear Blush in Stay Pretty, and a little Guerlain Terracotta Bronzing Powder. On my lips, I really like Chanel Glossimer Lip Gloss in Ocean Shimmer.
HAIR
My hair has always been a bit greasy and dry, at the same time. I’ve always had long hair—I hate short hair on me. I think I was traumatized when I was younger, because whenever I went to the hairdresser they would cut my hair and I would cry. I don’t want to tell my daughters that they have to have a certain haircut—they can choose whatever they’d like.
About once a week, I try to go to the hairdresser to have a blow dry. I hate washing it myself, so I’ll take my products to them. Otherwise I’ll do it myself with Orlando Pita Play Foam Volumizing Shampoo, which is new, and I’ll condition with the Play High Spirited Weightless Leave-In Conditioner. They’re really great for thin hair.
BODY
Because my skin is always dry, I use this 100% Pure Coconut Nourishing Body Cream, which I bought it in America, all the time. When I wear that, my husband wants to lick my skin. He likes the Byredo Bal d’Afrique Crème Pour le Corps, too. My favorite lotion for the shower is this Ren Neroli and Grapefruit Body Cream. It smells like orange blossoms. I also really like the Rodin Crema. When I put that on, my husband runs away. He hates the scent. But it’s rose, and I love it."
—as told to ITG
Melanie Huynh photographed by Tom Newton at her home in Paris on March 9, 2016.
Packaging so good we now sell it separately—Melanie's pink pouch is part of our new collection of official Glossier Merch.
Meet the stylists: Heidi Bivens explains her wash n'go hair philosophy, Jayne Min advocates sheet masks and Crocs for air travel, and Meredith Melling learns how to properly cleanse her face in The Top Shelf.
