Georgiana Huddart

Co-founder of swimwear brand Hunza G, Georgiana Huddart on why she loves a Sunday flower market trip, keeping candles in every room and how slow and meticulous beauty rituals help set her up for a positive start to the new week…

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The Wind Down

I wear a little makeup even on Sundays, but nothing too much and never eye makeup. My aim is always to look glowy so I use a tinted moisturiser like Laura Mercier’s Illuminating Tinted Moisturiser SPF 20, a little dab of Nars The Multiple in South Beach for a hint of bronze and then a light brow gel like Chantecaille’s Full Brow Perfecting Gel to keep my brows in place. Every Sunday always involves a trip to Columbia Road flower market and having a delicious decaf coffee and croissant or homemade peanut butter toast from Pavilion bakery or Broadway market. I always book my exercise classes in for the week ahead, Reformer Pilates is my favourite, and then I check on any big meetings I have coming up. There used to be a big difference between my week and weekends and I’d often find myself feeling anxious on a Sunday night. But now I’m pregnant my regime has changed quite a bit. As I’m not drinking I think my energy levels are more balanced between the week and the weekend and I really cherish my Sundays. I used to race through my routine and squeeze everything down into the minimum amount of time but now I’ve been appreciating taking longer over each step and treating myself to slow and calming rituals. You’ll find me having the longest bath possible or giving myself a mini facial. I start my wind down around 4.30pm when I take my time to arrange my flowers in vases around the house and light a candle – I’m a complete candle freak! And then I’ll settle down to catch up on the Sunday supplements. I have tonnes of candles all over the house, I’m obsessed. I have the Diptyque Santal one and I love a woody scent like Feu de Bois. In my bathroom I have the Diptyque Mimosa Candle, which is totally delicious. I’m a sucker for beautiful packaging too so love anything limited edition like the huge starry Baies version that came out at Christmas. Once I finish a candle I clean out the remnants of the wax and use the glass as holders for my jewellery, coins and those other bits and bobs everyone has in their bedroom.

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The Routine

My skin type is combination which can be difficult to manage, you have to be quite selective about the type of products you use and how you apply them. My day to day routine focuses a lot around natural products, especially now I’m pregnant. I love Oskia’s Renaissance Cleansing Gel, which is great as it doesn’t clog up my skin or leave me feeling dry. I use the Micro Exfoliating Balm twice a week too and I’ve just been recommended Tata Harper so recently have been trying the Regenerating Cleanser. For my serum, Dr Barbara Sturm’s Calming Serum is great as it’s gentle enough to use every day and Sisley’s Black Rose Skin Infusion Nourishing Cream delivers intense moisturisation. One tip I’ve picked up from friends is to always massage products in an upwards motion to help prevent sagging and you don’t tug on skin. For my eyes I look for something rich like Sisley’s Sisleya L’Integral Anti-Age Eye and Lip Cream. I wear SPF every day, at the moment I’m using Sisley’s Sunleya G.E. SPF 30. Then once a week I do the Dr Sebagh Exfoliating Mask or the Dr Sturm Face Mask. I think it’s good to switch up your products so your skin doesn’t become too used to any.

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Sloughing off your dead skin in the bath, shedding the old skin and revealing the new helps me mentally prepare for the week ahead. It’s my me-time that I use to think and I’ll listen to something calming like Joni Mitchell while I do it and pop a few drops of REN’s Moroccan Rose Oil into my bath.  I love Aesop’s Hand Wash and the Geranium Leaf Body Scrub, which I use a couple of times per week. My Godmother gave me a Diptyque Satin Oil as a present and it’s such a treat, I love using it. To nourish my skin, Votary’s Hydrating Body Oil feels like a real luxury and gently moisturises. I’ve also recently discovered Frank Body’s Coconut Body Balm, which smells divine and feels creamy and silky. The one thing that always gives me a confidence is fake tan, I use Oskia’s Tanning Drops that you can apply on your own or mix into your favourite moisturiser. Because they’re gradual it stops the fear of you looking too orange. My hair is prone to knotting and is quite fine so I use a gentle hydrating shampoo like Oribe’s Gold Lust range. The packaging is brilliant too, it’s very glamorous and quite kitsch – like the Versace of haircare – so I love having it next to my bath. When my hair feels dry I apply the O&M 7-Day Miracle Moisturise Masque. Then I blast it dry at the roots and plait it or tie it into a low bun to stop it tangling and also to add a bit of movement.

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Bedtime

I’ve always needed at least six to eight hours sleep so I get into bed around 8.30 or 9.00pm. When I’m preparing for bed I get cosy in my pyjamas and then light a candle and slather on some hand cream like Jo Loves Pomelo A Hand & Body Lotion. Luckily, I can usually get to sleep quite easily, but to help me drift off I spritz on This Works Pillow Spray which smells like lavender heaven.  I’ve been using the Talika Lipocils Expert Eye Lash Serum before bed for about three weeks and have had so many compliments on my lashes. I always drink herbal teas or lemon and hot water before bed. I also have a nifty trick to make a delicious ginger tea – it’s such a gamechanger. If you whizz up big piece of ginger in a blender and then put the pieces into an ice cube tray and freeze them overnight, then when you fancy a ginger tea all you need to do is pour hot water over your ice cubes and you have delicious piping hot ginger tea. It’s really good for your digestion and for your skin as it’s an anti-inflammatory.

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Monday Morning

My boyfriend has this clever alarm that gently wakes you with a lamp that mimics daylight, I usually wake up around 7am. Before I was pregnant I was a bit of a coffee fiend, but now I have a green juice first thing in the morning, then I’ll have a decaf coffee. Next, it’s time to shower, I love the Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser because the refreshing scent stays with you throughout the day. When I was younger I definitely used to snooze and try and stay in bed as long as possible in the mornings, but now I’ve realised I feel calmer and more prepared for the week if I allow myself a little more time to get ready. It’s great to have the freedom of being your own boss but it can be stressful; thankfully I’ve got an amazing partner who originally founded Hunza in the 80s. I always start the working week by making a to-do list and tackling the trickiest or most niggling little tasks first to get them ticked off. No matter how busy we are I try to keep things in perspective, you don’t want anything to be detrimental to the most important things in life; friends and family.