Josephine de la Baume’s Favourite Things

Josephine de la Baume’s Favourite Things

A
decade on from her first appearance in an Agent Provocateur campaign, Josephine de la Baume is once again lending her looks to the lingerie label’s latest spring/summer collection.

Indeed, de la Baume’s is a head that wears many hats. A revered French actress, musician, songwriter, film director, she’s intent on proving that she’s much more than just a pretty face by fronting lingerie campaigns and spending lockdown in London working on a slew of upcoming projects.

Is there anything she can’t do? We caught up with de la Baume to chat all things lockdown, London, and why she will only wear hip hop-inspired loungewear.

How has lockdown been for you?
Lockdown is quite a journey! There are days I feel zen and focused and others where I turn into The Exorcist. I’ve been in London at home. I learned to stay put and domesticated, in that respect it was good. Like 90 per cent of people, I turned my kitchen into Master Chef and tried to create a cosy environment while trying to be creative. Luckily this time around I was working the whole time, so it felt productive but there’s the inevitable anxiety, not just about Covid, but also about politics and society’s behaviours.

What does 2021 look like for you at the moment?
I’ve been filming since October on-and-off and also made a record with my band Film Noir, we’ll probably release the first single in the early days of summer. I have a movie out on Netflix worldwide from April 2 called Madame Claude a biopic about the biggest female pimp in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s in Paris directed by an amazing French director Sylvie Verheyde. I am also developing a movie and a TV show. And hopefully, I can start playing shows soon.

What are some of your goals for this year?
Make a great record, and to get both projects I’m writing financed. The other project I just filmed in London will come out too, so hopefully, be happy with the work I did there - it’s hard to tell when you’re on set.

What is one item you can’t live without?
My notebook.

What have been your five wardrobe staples whilst WFH?
I figured that if I wanted to wear comfy clothes while looking decent, I had to take it to a slightly more 90’s Hip Hop place, which is all I was listening to in the late 90’s so I’m either regressing or going back to where I started, can’t tell just yet.

So I’ve been wearing different kinds of Adidas tracksuits, my favourite is the velvet burgundy one and hoody, a red checkered bob, and white Filas. On a very good day and on a very different note, I’ll also wear those 1930’s style Olatz Schnabel nighties. And then I sometimes pretend I’m gonna exercise and wear a workout outfit, workout bra, leggings etc. and then stay the whole day in it without moving a finger - classic!

How do you incorporate time for yourself in your schedule?
We definitely have a lot of that at the moment, at least I do when I’m not working. I do things I never did before like face masks and apply all sorts of creams on my face, I never usually bother that much. I had to be almost completely alone for a couple of weeks when I wrote the lyrics of the record. I find it hard to have anyone in my space when I enter a tunnel of writing. I’ve been catching up on movies and books, poetry often part of researching for what I’m writing.

What’s your current skincare routine?
I clean my skin with the Shane Cooper Oxygen mask every day - morning and night. I use the Kiehls Ultra Facial Hydrating Mask a few times a week, I use Maison Flamel serum and cream, and at night I use Augustine Bader’s The Rich Cream.

What’s one beauty product you wish more people knew about?
There’s a great product for all of us who tweezed the hell out of our brows as teenagers - the DE MOI bio serum lash+ brows helps them grow back. It’s slightly miraculous.

D
dLong before Kylie, J.Lo, Alicia et al lent their names to skincare lines, supermodel Miranda Kerr launched Kora Organics way back in 2009.

Since its inception, the brand has introduced 17 products into its family, with the latest being the Turmeric Glow Moisturiser which, take it from us, is a serious miracle worker.

Kerr knows her way around organic skincare the way the rest of us know our way around the backs of our hands. Before her modelling career took off, the Australian native sewed the seeds for what would eventually become Kora Organics by spending 18 months studying nutrition and health psychology at the Academy of Natural Living. When she realised a certified organic skincare and wellness line didn’t exist in the way that she wanted to, she established Kora.

Kerr continues to have big dreams for the award-winning brand, too. In a recent interview, she revealed that she envisions Kora Organics becoming the ‘Estée Lauder of Organics.’ Given the success of Kora, it’s hardly out of the realms of possibility. We caught up with Kerr to find out how she’s fared during lockdown, the keys to her glowing skin and what her pandemic wardrobe has consisted of.

How has lockdown been for you?
My husband and I are still working from home and have been since last March, Flynn is still doing online school for the moment and the two little ones are both running around now and very active. It’s definitely a full and very busy home. Never a dull moment but we do our best trying to balance home and work life. We love being together as a family so that’s been a silver lining for sure that we have more time together.

What does 2021 look like for you at the moment?
2021 to me is already moving so quickly.  I can’t believe we’re already in April! It’s an exciting year for my company Kora Organics as we have four launches this year with such exciting, innovative, and powerful products. We recently launched the Milky Mushroom Gentle Cleansing Oil and the Turmeric Glow Moisturiser with two more products debuting this fall. Our customers love our oils so much and had been asking for an oil cleanser, so we developed the Milky Mushroom Cleanser! It’s a lightweight gentle cleansing oil that contains Silver Ear Mushroom which helps bind moisture to your skin without the heaviness of a traditional oil cleanser. The geranium rose and basil essential oils are so soothing for your senses and your skin. It turns into a milky texture that melts away any makeup or pollution and leaves your skin clean, soft and super smooth. I love it so much and use it morning and night. 

The Turmeric Glow Moisturiser is another incredible product that launched 20th April - it is the creme de la creme of face creams. A super nourishing, brightening, and anti-ageing moisturiser all in one for all skin types, even break out prone skin. It’s a luxurious rich face moisturiser for morning and night.  I love how it makes my skin GLOW all day and night and looks beautiful underneath makeup. The packaging is so stunning but also sustainable, featuring refillable pods and a beautiful glass jar. This cream brings radiance into your life and your skin! I’m so excited for these products to be out as I have spent so much time perfecting them with our chemists and I’m so thrilled with the incredible results they are getting for people's skin. While I can’t disclose too much information on the last two products just yet, the formulas are just as amazing and the packaging is divine and continues to build on our sustainability efforts.

What are some of your goals for this year?
Business-wise, definitely continuing to expand Kora Organics internationally and further cement our position as a brand that people turn to for healthy, powerful, and results-driven skincare. It is something I’m very focused on. I also believe every day is an opportunity to do better and be better as a person, a mother, partner, friend, and as a businesswoman, and every day I try to improve so that I can be a better version of myself.

I love learning, growing, and evolving, whether that’s from getting direct feedback from people, reading books or taking courses. I recently completed an online course that Stanford was offering about health and really enjoyed it. Doing things like that brings me so much joy as I love continuing to expand my knowledge especially in health and wellness. I’m also conscious about making sure we spend enough quality time together as a family because life is very busy. I’m seeing my children grow in front of my eyes and it’s important for me to have those moments where I put my phone down, connect with our children, play, and enjoy being in the moment with them.

What is one item you can’t live without?
Celery Juice. Every morning I have 32 ounces of celery juice on an empty stomach. I have been doing this for a couple of years now and love it as part of my morning routine. Celery is amazing, as it’s a powerful anti-inflammatory, supports kidney function, is alkalizing and is also full of electrolytes.

What have been your five wardrobe staples whilst WFH?
For clothes, it’s been my high-waisted Anine Bing jeans, my yellow Ugg Slippers, and a range of cosy t-shirts. For make-up I have been using RMS Concealer mixed with a couple of drops of Kora Organics Noni Glow Face Oil. I’ve enjoyed being a little more relaxed in what I’m wearing and focusing more on healthy, glowing skin.

How do you incorporate time for yourself in your schedule?
I try to do my skincare routine and then meditate for around 20 minutes first thing in the morning before the kids wake up and the last thing at night after they are asleep. I’ve been using meditation as a powerful tool since I was 18. It really helps me stay centered.  Another useful tool is my calendar. I put everything into my schedule. I picked up this tip at a conference in Australia over 10 years ago, where a woman said the most important thing that she learned in her career was to try and plan everything as much as possible, put everything into the calendar but then allow for flexibility around that. So, that’s what I try to do — I even put breastfeeding times in my calendar and carve out 20 minutes for lunch, etc. So, while I do feel very busy, I am pretty good with planning and doing my best to balance it all and fit in a little self-care here and there.

What’s your current skincare routine?
My morning routine consists of using our Milky Mushroom Gentle Cleansing Oil, followed by the Turmeric Brightening & Exfoliating 2-in-1 Mask, then the Noni Bright Vitamin C Serum which contains Kakadu Plum which is the highest source of naturally occurring vitamin C- this product has been a lifesaver for brightening my pigmentation! Then I use our new Turmeric Glow Moisturiser all over my face, neck, and décolletage, it really keeps my skin glowing all day. I then apply the Noni Radiant Eye Oil and Noni Glow Face Oil as needed for a little boost of nourishment that is great for all skin types.

What’s your current skincare routine?
My morning routine consists of using our Milky Mushroom Gentle Cleansing Oil, followed by the Turmeric Brightening & Exfoliating 2-in-1 Mask, then the Noni Bright Vitamin C Serum which contains Kakadu Plum which is the highest source of naturally occurring vitamin C- this product has been a lifesaver for brightening my pigmentation! Then I use our new Turmeric Glow Moisturiser all over my face, neck, and décolletage, it really keeps my skin glowing all day. I then apply the Noni Radiant Eye Oil and Noni G