“My love of skin—and beauty in general—is in my DNA. My mom is a beauty addict with twice the number of products that I have. When I was a young, hyperactive child, she wanted to help me focus and learn to be delicate. So when I was eight years old, I started giving her ‘facials,’ which at that point was just me applying French pharmacy products on her face. She was my guinea pig. [Laughs] By the time I was 15, I had to make a decision: either go to high school or professional school. Being dyslexic I chose to train as an aesthetician, which was not a well-respected job at the time in France. Female-dominated and focused on the ‘superficial,’ it wasn’t considered to be a serious career. But I fell in love with the work after a week of training; it really gave me the sense that I wanted to do it for the rest of my life.
After graduation, I started my own practice in Provence, where I grew up. But at 21, I was too young and immature to run a business. I closed it after a year, moved to London to immerse myself in the language—up until then I didn’t speak English well—and found a job at a local spa. Some time later, I learned about a beautiful Japanese wellness center in Central London that took a more holistic approach to wellness and considered how stress, food, and overall lifestyle can affect the skin. I worked there for about two years before moving to New York for a short while and built up a healthy client base while working in a spa, which, for reasons, I’m not going to name. When I returned to Europe, I began working at a friend’s spa in Aix-en-Provence. It was there that I created my own protocol, which focuses on treating both the skin and the fascia—the connective tissue that surrounds our body—without pain and for maximum results. I started working for myself again in 2019 and have been splitting time in Paris and London, which is great because I get to see clients like Naomi Campbell, Penelope Cruz, Lady Gaga, and Lenny Kravitz, but also Caroline de Maigret, Marion Cotillard, and Camille Cottin.
SKINCARE
Stress really manifests in a physical way for me. When I have anything stressful going on, I get cystic acne; when everything is going well, my skin is fine. The good news is that, as an aesthetician, I now know how to stop the process and only suffer for days instead of weeks. I try to stay consistent with my routine. My body tends to be very dry, so I like to use La Roche-Posay’s Lipikar AP+ cleansing oil as a body wash in my morning shower. For my face, I use the iS Clinical Cleansing Complex or Irene Forte’s almond cleanser. The iS Clinical one is great when I want a deeper clean—gentle yet effective at clearing away any congestion without drying me out—while the Irene Forte one is my go-to when my skin feels extra dry or sensitive. If my skin feels OK out of the shower, I apply my Hadalabo Gokujyun hyaluronic acid milk to instantly plump my skin. But if I have a little bit of inflammation, I reach for the kombucha essence from Fresh. I always layer my S Serum afterward, which has vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, as well as centella asiatica to help calm the skin.
During the day, I love wearing RéVive’s hydrogel water cream, but at night, I switch to the Ultra Vital cream from Cellcosmet, a Swiss brand. The Ultra Vital is much thicker, so it’s perfect during the colder months. Sometimes I pat on a couple of drops of Vintner’s Daughter. For sunscreen, I use one from Lancaster’s because it doesn’t leave a blueish tint on dark skin. I love Lightsaver’s mineral sunscreen, too. Dr. David Kim, the founder, is a brilliant dermatologist.
I get really chapped lips and La Mer’s Lip Volumizer is one of the only products that not only keeps them hydrated but repairs them, too. It has a really pretty finish. I also buy a lot of Rhode’s Peptide Lip Treatment. The team sent me samples before launching in France, and when they finally did, I bought a bunch to put in my bags. Now they’re everywhere, in all of my bags, in all of my pockets, you name it. And I’m working on my own eye cream right now, so I’ve tried at least 50 because I want to make sure that what I create isn’t already out there. Only two have impressed me: one from a Korean brand that no longer exists, and Sisley’s Black Rose Eye Contour Fluid, which is so light and great under makeup.
When I need a facial myself, I go to Joanna Vargas. She’s the kindest person and is always sending her clients to me when they’re in Paris. But what I really love is mesotherapy, which involves getting a cocktail of vitamins, antioxidants, and enzymes via injections. I’ve been doing it two to three times a year since 2019 with Dr. Mihai Gorj. It’s good at keeping—and preventing the loss of—elasticity, and for hydrating and tightening the skin. I’ve even noticed that it’s improved my hyperpigmentation. It’s a game-changer, and I would go as far as to say that it’s a good alternative for people who don’t want to get Botox or fillers and just have good skin quality.
MAKEUP
Since my work is all about helping people feel confident with their skin, I don’t love to wear a lot of makeup myself. I only really wear it on occasion, like if I go out for cocktails. I always start off with my S Serum as a primer. Then I use Charlotte Tilbury’s Hollywood Flawless Filter as a sort of spot corrector, especially on my dark circles. I like to work it in with my fingers to really melt it into my skin. I follow it up with one pump of the Pat McGrath foundation, which has the perfect amount of coverage and lasts all night. To keep my skin looking natural, I take my time blending it with an It Cosmetics #7 brush—it blends everything seamlessly without streaks, and I love that it has a smaller end for concealer, too.
I like to use Charlotte Tilbury’s lip liner in Pillow Talk instead of actual eyeliner on my waterline. The color is super nude and really intensifies my eyes without looking weird. I’m lucky that my lashes are naturally curly, so I just finish off with my Lisa Eldridge mascara. It perfectly separates my lashes and never smudges. And Westman Atelier’s Lit Up Highlight Stick in Brûlée is one of my favorite products ever. It gives such a beautiful glow and is perfect for my cheeks, eyelids, and brow bones. I always carry one in my purse to quickly refresh my makeup throughout the day. I also love putting Chanel’s Lip and Cheek Balm in Lively Rosewood on my cheeks—and the middle of my lips—for a slight flush. At night, I switch to the Charlotte Tilbury Collagen Lip Bath gloss in Pillow Talk Medium because I love a slight gold shimmer on my lips. It’s also slightly plumping. And I always finish off with a quick spritz of Evian. It’s boring but does the job.
HAIR
I don’t play too much with my hair. I either keep my afro or do protective styles—B-Nova in Paris is really good for that. But something happened last year—probably a mix of constant travel, stress, and hormonal changes—and my scalp became extremely dry and I started losing a lot of hair. Luckily, when I was in Los Angeles for the Oscars, Hårklinikken, which is known for its hair growth system, reached out to offer a consultation at their clinic. I didn’t really believe in the line at first; I didn’t believe that a Danish brand would work for my type of hair—but it has. My entire routine is now Hårklinikken. I use the balancing shampoo when I just need a gentle cleanser, but when my scalp feels irritated or if I’ve used a lot of product, I go for the stabilizing shampoo. No matter what, I always follow up with their hair mask to make sure my curls stay hydrated. I also use their Hair Gain Extract daily, which has noticeably improved my hair’s thickness, softness, and overall scalp health.
NAILS
I’m particular about my nails because I touch people all day, and I know that people look at my hands, too. I get Russian manicures at Pur in Paris—my best friend goes there and introduced me to it. I always get Chanel polish in Ballerina because it goes with any outfit. I always have a bottle at home or in my bag when I travel, so even if I can’t go to the salon, I can still apply two coats for the appearance of a full manicure. Then it’s all about keeping my hands moisturized. I love Byredo’s Tulipmania hand lotion after I wash my hands—ideally with the Byredo Tulipmania hand wash. It smells really fresh, though I avoid it when working with clients because I don’t want the scent on them. My hands can get pretty chapped from touching acids and exfoliants all of the time, and I’ve found that the best solution is to use paraffin gloves. Mango butter is also great. It costs nothing, but it’s crumbly since it’s raw, so you have to warm it up to melt it on your skin like a balm. I think it’s helped my nails grow faster, too.
FRAGRANCE
When I was a kid, my mom would spritz orange blossom or lavender on my pillow. I’ve picked up the habit, but I upgraded to Frederic Malle’s Dans Ton Lit linen spray, which has orange blossom in it and reminds me of those childhood nights. I also find it grounding, helping me disconnect from the day and guiding me through my dreams. In general, I love heavy, musky, grounding scents—I don’t like anything too light, which is funny because jasmine is one of my favorite smells. I guess you could say I prefer unisex perfumes—Patchouli Ardent from Guerlain and Bal d’Afrique and Mumbai from Byredo are some of my favorites. And I can’t get enough of Eau de Protection. My friend, Rossy de Palma, collaborated with État Libre d’Orange on it. With Bulgarian rose, patchouli, incense, ginger, and black pepper, it’s perfect.
Honestly, I’m the perfect client for perfume. I wasn’t looking for a new fragrance when I wandered into the Astier de Villatte shop in Paris, but a sales rep introduced me to Le Dieu Bleu. It’s a recreation of the oldest known perfume in the world, used in Egypt more than 3,000 years ago. After hearing that, I wanted it immediately. [Laughs] ”
—As told to Daise Bedolla
Photographed by Joséphine Leddet in New York on March 7, 2025