C: Harvey Nichols has immortalised you in confectionary with its Perfume Afternoon Tea, what’s so special about this collaboration?
LM: I have a sweet tooth and love anything crumb based, such as cakes and biscuits. It’s also the first time I have trusted a store to work with me to interpret something that comes directly from my passions.

C: It’s inspired by your Vanille Gourmande fragrance, what does ‘vanilla’ remind you of?
LM: I grew up in Provence, which is home to Grasse, the fragrance capital of the world. From an early age I was obsessed with how things smelt and where ingredients came from. It was whilst smelling a brown, unmarked bottle with a specialist fragrance maker that I recognised the smell of the amazing Patisserie on the street where I lived … Vanilla.

C: When you were young what did you aspire to be?
LM: A teacher of literature and language.

C: Who is your style icon?
LM: My mother. She was a colour chameleon long before Linda Evangelista. She once went from being a brunette, to a redhead to blonde in the same year.

C: What are your all-time favourite beauty products?
LM: I’ve used Lotion Nacrée cleanser and Fluide de Beauté 14 dry oil by Carita for decades. And Savon de Marseille is also a favourite – I use it for so many different purposes!

C: How do you take care of your hair?
LM: I love to use Klorane products for my hair because they’re very gentle.

C: What’s your ultimate holiday destination?
LM: Tuscany or the Seychelles – it’s like paradise on earth.

C: Describe your holiday beauty regime
LM: I apply a moisturiser containing an spf, a little kohl pencil inside my lash line and some clear gloss for my lips. If I have a tan, I love to use my Bronzing Gel with a little bronzing powder to highlight where the sun has touched my skin.

C: I relax by …
LM: My pool in the South of France

C: I love …
LM: Peace and harmony in every context of my life. I detest being around conflict or arguments.

C: Any regrets?
LM: I have no regrets. I am a very spiritual person and believe that everything happens for a reason.

By Lara Myall

Sunday, 12 July 2009

---