Hi Louisa, tell us a bit about yourself and what you do in life?
I am 33 years old, working as a lawyer. There were quite a few stages in my career where I almost didn’t have enough confidence to follow something I was super excited about, just because I didn’t know anyone else who’d done it. But now I’m focusing on helping women-founded startups tackle their business problems and approach unconventional ways.
Are you a city girl, or do you prefer to unwind in the countryside?
I’m a total city girl, and live in the heart of Berlin; it's such a big city, but it feels more like a cluster of small towns once you’ve lived here for a while. During the week I’m spending a lot of time at the office, but weekends are a whole different story. I love to travel or just stay in the city, and go out with friends. The 24-hour life in Berlin is brimming with character and culture - it has something for everyone. There's no other city on the planet with an energy that can compete with Berlin’s.
Do you have any healthy habits that boost your energy levels on a regular basis?
I started building some healthy habits during quarantine time: Every morning I drink a cup of warm water with lemon and do some yoga to help clear my mind, center myself and set my intention for the day. Sipping warm water with lemon helps kickstarting the digestion process and cleanses your system. It’s so soothing when I can start a day with 20 minutes to myself. My diet is centered around vegetables, fruit, and grains, as I’m mostly vegan. When I first excluded animal products from my diet, I heard from so many people that I had a new glow to me.
How would you describe your skin?
I have a very complicated relationship with my skin - it can occasionally get oily and dry at the same time. Staying wide awake late at night can often leave my combination skin to appear lackluster and stressed, but it’s nothing compared to how it reacts to all the weather and water changes as I travel. To deal with my skin’s inconsistency, I tend to change my AVE & YOU creams’ formulations every month or so to keep it optimally luminous and healthy.
How did your personal skin journey look like across all these years?
I have to confess, drugstores were like candy stores for me for as long as I can remember. I used to love putting on makeup and trying out new products. Sometimes I ended up with very irritated skin, other times it was just too much of a blush. However, as I got older, I stopped experimenting with makeup that much, and became more invested in effective skincare, specifically in creating a solid, easy to follow routine. I now prefer a minimal, natural look which requires healthy-looking skin. And I finally worked out what my skin does and doesn't like.
Tell us about your beauty routine in the morning?
I spend a lot more time in bed than I care to admit, and I can safely say that my AVE & YOU cream is what saves my 3-minute morning glow-up routine. It’s rich in antioxidants, and collagen-boosting ingredients which help my skin stay supple and smooth. I always wake up with a feeling of baby-soft skin. I like to quickly rinse my face with rose water, as it smells like a fresh garden and calms my skin.
Which AVE & YOU hero ingredients are you most fond of?
As I made my way into my thirties, the biggest revelation has been discovering the holy grail of Bakuchiol. Since I've started using the AVE & YOU creams that incorporate this ingredient, my skin’s tightness improved significantly, allowing me to use less makeup.
Is there anyone whose skin or skincare routine you particularly admire?
My love for jet-set life can be tough on my skin, so I always seek inspiration from supermodels. Let’s face it - from changing time zones 3 times each week to 4 am shoots, beautiful Emily Ratajkowski masters the ultimate California glow to a “T”. Her skin always looks like it has been gently kissed by the sun, leaving her with a flawless look. One of the skincare tips I picked up from her was to always wash your face on the airplane, and apply a generous layer of face cream. It changed my traveling skin-game forever!