Eve Lom's 7 wellbeing secrets
Czech-born Eve Lom was the original ‘superfacialist’, with an A-list clientele. Today, her name is emblazoned on a range of skincare products loved by celebrities, beauty editors (and the countless women who can’t get onto her clinic’s ‘waiting list’). Anti-Botox, chemical peels and harsh treatments, Eve is a walking advertisement for taking life a little more s-l-o-w-l-y and thoughtfully – and here are her secrets. My motto is ‘easy-breathe-y’. To me, the most priceless commodity in human life isn’t the Stock Market, but our breath. Closely regulated and observed breath helps to eliminate tension, physical restrictions, and softens a toxic mind and heart. I constantly remind myself to breathe, slowly and rhythmically. (I’m actually working on an easy-breathe-y guide, because I know how much we all hold our breath in daily life.)
Everything in moderation. I love rosé Champagne. ‘Darling, you can have it every evening if you want,’ said my husband at that time. ‘And what will I then drink on special occasions?’, I asked inquisitively. So: I love rosé champagne, and fine foods, but they’re all be better for not having them every day of my life.
I always, always eat breakfast. I always follow the old saying, ‘Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper'. As a result, I hardly ever gain weight. (Notwithstanding the occasional treats, see above!)
Naturally, skincare is incredibly important to me – but I like to keep it simple. The skin is the largest organ of the body, but it requires a two-way approach: what you put in your body comes out, and what you put on comes off. So Eve Lom Cleanser, £55 for 100 ml - which I created originally for my facial clients - is a must for me. Cleansing really is the most important part of a skincare ritual, yet it’s often skimped. (But cosmetics-wise, I also swear by Max Factor mascaras – essential for blondes.)
Facial massage makes a huge difference. There’s really nothing like deep facial massage for draining facial puffiness and putting back a radiant glow. So my secret is not just to cleanse the face at night, but to massage the face deeply – which is also amazing for eliminating tension, particularly in the jaw area where a lot of stress can be stored.
I’m a big believer in cranio-sacral therapy. This is a form of very, very gentle manipulation of the head and neck which I have found helpful, not just physically but emotionally, for rebalancing my life. I became such a convert that I trained in this therapy and now actually offer it myself at The Sanderson Hotel, as well as continuing to have treatments.
I tune into my body. The body is the most complex and intriguing creation on earth. When we’re rushing through life, it’s easy to miss the messages it’s sending us, so I like to be still and just ‘let go’, to listen to what it’s telling me – perhaps to get more rest, to eat a particular food, or to get up and move around a bit more. The trouble with a world in which we spend so long glued to screens is that we live in our heads, rather than listening to our amazing bodies.