Style and grace is the perfect way to describe mother of two beautiful girls, @kateloufowler. As a celebrated fixture in the fashion realm, Sydney-based Kate gives us a glimpse into her daily world, what beauty means to her, and of course as always with our muses, her beauty and skincare routine.⠀
My daughters Alexa (4) and Saachi (3) are not at pre-school every day so it can vary quite a lot. I try to wake ahead of the girls to catch a moment of calm and get ahead of the curve so we can get moving before the morning grows too old. Then it’s cuddles and “fluffies” (still opting for the kiwi term over the aussie “babycino”) and often too many iterations of breakfast. If it’s not pre-school, we let the weather guide our day’s activities or sometimes settle in at home - something that lockdown has reminded us to do more often - we’re lucky they’re such beautiful company for each other. I’m doing pockets of casual work which I can generally schedule for when they're at school or with their Dad, Justin. School will soon begin to dominate our weeks, so our separation and even this current global “humbling” (as Zadie Smith puts it) have made us both extra conscious of savouring this time and of the great privilege of being able to do so.
How do you approach wellness and what does that look like to you?
I think wellness has become quite a cloudy concept. It’s great how accessible tools for wellness have become - our parents didn’t have that and I’ve been so grateful to have them at hand - but there’s a lot of overwhelm and pressure tied up with it all too. With so much virtue signalling going on it is hard not to let that sway our own ideas about wellness - which really should be quite a personal thing. Sometimes wellness is more about completing a task that has been hanging over your head or an early night’s sleep than a meditation session or face mask.
What is your favourite Emma Lewisham product & why?
The SkinReset Serum has become a non-negotiable for me. I have hormonal melasma from my pregnancies which this product has really helped me to break down. I really love the sensory experience of it - it smells heavenly, glides on amazingly and has that slight active tingle which I love - you want to know it’s doing it’s thing. Importantly though, it has the added benefit of helping to prevent pigmentation too - something I really value since sun avoidance isn't really an option for us - we love being outside too much.
What’s your main skincare concerns and how do you combat them?Pigmentation (see above) comes a close second to aging. Since they’ve yet to find a better anti-aging ingredient than sunscreen it’s Emma Lewisham SkinShield every day adding a hat and sunnies if the sun decides to come out - sun protection shouldn’t stop at your SPF.
Any non-conventional skincare tips you have picked up in your lifetime?Roald Dahl has it right - “If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.” Lean in to gratitude, from there comes joy - I can’t think of anything more beautiful to see.
Do you spend time on your skincare routine or do you prefer a quick and easy regimen?
Pretty quick and easy generally. An occasional mask is nice - once a week would be ideal but realistically its every 2-3 weeks. Transitioning the majority of my skincare to Emma Lewisham has simplified things for me - I used to rotate various serums which made it difficult to track results, when you're working within a range there’s more synergy and it’s reassuring to know there wont be any adverse reactions between products. If I have an event, a special treat would be an LED light session to dial up the glow.
What skincare advice would you give to your younger self?
Not to pick! Besides being a bad habit, it releases melanin onto the skin’s surface - which I wasn’t conscious of in younger years. Hormones and sunshine give us enough strife with pigmentation so it is best to resist - as hard as that may be!
What’s your morning beauty routine v.s your night routine?
In the morning I cleanse with Dermaviduals then Emma Lewisham Retinol A face oil which I take up underneath my eyes (an upside of non-synthetic retinol is that it doesn't irritate and you can wear it during the day, an unexpected but happy discovery). I follow that up with EL SkinReset Serum then SkinShield and some lazy girl make-up - RMS concealer, brows and blush (often applied in car).
At night I double cleanse then it’s a little eye gel by Dermaviduals and essentially the same as in the morning minus the SPF - just subbing in the SuperNatural Night Creme if I need a moisture boost.
How important is transitioning to a natural, clean skincare routine for you?
I try to make healthy choices on the whole but because of my hyper-pigmentation I am very results-orientated when it comes to skincare - I didn’t initially believe natural skincare could really deliver until I tried SkinReset. When you see results like that knowing they come at no cost to your health, natural skincare just becomes a no-brainer — you don't have to be super earthy to become a convert. I don’t have a totally natural and clean routine just yet, its taking slightly longer to replace make-up products, namely because I'm not using them as regularly - but it’s such a source of comfort to know the products I'm slathering on morning and night are as safe as they are effective.
What’s a memorable piece of beauty/skincare advice you have been given that you cherish?
Never to hold back a smile. Shoulders back. Sleep on your back. And some eye cream in the fridge for puffy days.