Emma Hoareau

Beauty influencer Emma Hoareau has a wealth of products at her fingertips, but which couldn’t she live without and which does she find herself returning to time and again? With her hectic schedule Sundays are preciously guarded and offer a chance to switch off from the online world for a few hours and indulge in a little TLC like a bath laced with oil, a beautifully scented candle or some skin-savvy multi-masking…

 

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The Wind Down

I’m quite protective of my Sundays. They are definitely all about chill time and ‘me time’ which is really precious as the rest of my week is so busy working on my blog Lolita Says So. I usually try to keep Sundays free as a day to decompress but if I do make plans it will be something low-key like meeting friends for pizza, taking a Pilates class or going to the flower market. As my work is mainly focused online it can be hard to switch off. I always begin the day with my ‘Sunday School’ Instagram series where I talk through my routine and the products I’m using and trying that week. Once I’ve done that I try not to go online for the rest of the day and just be present.

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The Routine

My skin can be quite troublesome, and I suffer from hormonal breakouts, so I cherish time spent looking after it. I’m inspired by the Korean skincare trends so my regime is always multiple steps. I usually start with an acid like Ren’s Ready, Steady, Glow to slough off dead skin and an antioxidant serum like Oskia’s Brightlight Serum. Two of my favourite day creams are Sunday Riley’s C.E.O Cream and Drunk Elephant B Hydra Serum, which I use morning and night. When it comes to cleansers the product I always find myself returning to time and again is Emma Hardie’s Moringa Cleanser. It smells totally divine and I love how the texture changes from balm to oil and it comes with a little a muslin cloth to wipe off any dirt and grim. The oil-like texture encourages you to massage your face while applying it. For a second cleanse in the evenings when I’ve been wearing makeup I use a foaming cleanser like Caudalie’s Foaming Cleanser. I taught myself to do facial massage by watching one of Lisa Eldridge’s videos on YouTube years ago and I’ve picked up bits and pieces from pro facialists I’ve seen then too. I either use my fingers for a manual massage or Herbivore’s Jade Roller is really good to encourage drainage if you’re puffy. Since living in Australia I’ve been a total SPF obsessive – I’ll never leave the house without it now, even in the UK winter. Institut Esthederm Bronze Impulse Face & Body Spray is silky and lightweight and works well under makeup. I keep my face out of the sun year-round, so I swear by Tan Luxe Facial Drops to give me a subtle glow whatever the season.

Masks are probably my favourite type of skincare product, I have so many I use every different type including creams, lotions and sheet masks. I actually have a whole shelf of my cupboard that’s packed full of them! I even have a specific routine for my masks. I start with a resurfacing one like Oskia’s Resurfacing Mask, then next I’ll do a treatment mask like a clay based one or May Lindstrom’s Problem Solver if I’m struggling with breakouts or if I need extra nourishment. For sheet masks I love Colbert MD and La Mer and Patchology’s targeted ones for lips and eyes, which I like to layer up.

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Sinking into a deep bath is the best way to wind down and help me relax. Sundays give me that extra time to focus a little more time on body care and hair too. If I remember I’ll dry body brush before bathing to help stimulate circulation and will sprinkle some Mauli Healing Salts into my bath too. I’m obsessed with everything Susanne Kaufmann for the bath, the packaging is so chic, I’ll usually use either a body oil or a bath oil to soothe my skin. I prefer richer oils and creams for my body, two of my favourites are Nuxe Dry Body Oil and Ren’s Moroccan Rose Body Lotion, which smells divine.

I’ve worked out that the less I touch my hair when it’s wet the nicer the curl so now I always brush before washing. When I’m in the bath I’ll put on a hair mask like Leonor Greyl’s Jasmine Mask, which makes my hair feel so soft and then use the Christophe Robin Salt Scrub mask to exfoliate. I think it’s so important to look after your scalp and it’s an area that’s often neglected, which is why I use Oribe’s Serene Scalp Balancing Shampoo and Conditioner too. On Sundays I don’t style my hair, I leave it to air dry but during the week I spritz a bit of Oribe’s Texturising Spray to add a bit of volume and then I’ll rough dry it. I never leave the house without Christophe Robin’s Rose Mist because it smells so delicious.

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Bedtime

I have candles dotted all over the house in all sorts of different scents. Two of my favourites are Byredo Safran and a big Diptyque Feu fe Bois which I keep in my living room. I always light one in my room half an hour before I go to bed. The beauty essentials I keep on my bedside table are a Votary Pillow Mist, an indulgent Jurlique hand cream and a By Terry Baume de Rose Lip Scrub and Balm to keep my lips feeling smooth.

I usually get into bed at least an hour before going to sleep to wind down. Sometimes I use my foam roller on achy limbs if I’m feeling tight or sore after Pilates and my Headspace App if I’m finding it hard to switch off. I’m obsessed with silk pillowcases and use the Slip ones now but before that I taught myself to sleep on my back to avoid waking up with face crinkles! Plus, it keeps your hair looking nice and knot-free too.

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Monday Morning

I never snooze my alarm, I don’t understand how people can do that! I wake up straight away but I’m lucky because my job means I’m not rushing off anywhere so I can ease myself gently into the day. Usually I have a cup of tea in bed; I love making a fresh mint tea or sometimes if I need a pick-me-up I’ll have a Welleco Super Elixir blend. I also take Oskia’s MSM supplements, which have helped me manage hormonal breakouts. I always check the weather first thing to help plan my week and when I’ll be able to shoot for my blog. I try and start every Monday with gratitude and remind myself how lucky I am to be able to work for myself and manage my own schedule.