#21 Mid-week Quickie: lusting after the Chanel 25 bag
+ an interview with Cosmetics 27 founder, Michele Evrard
Hi friends!
Can’t quite believe it’s April. I’m thrilled there’s a bit more of a chill in the air and that Easter break is approaching but I’m very rattled by the age old query and inescapable notion of, ‘where does the time go?’ But seriously, where!? It was but a mere second ago, we were ringing in the New Year, embarking on our New Year, New Me identities. But alas, it’s April and I do hope that some of our 2025 intentions/resolutions have stuck. If they haven’t, now’s the time to reflect and reassess - which is what I’ve been doing lately.
This Mid-week Quickie will cover off all the usual topics; fashion, TV/books, beauty but at the end I’m featuring an interview I did with Cosmetics 27 founder, Michele Evrard. She shares some very helpful travel skincare tips, advice on treating acne, as well as how Ozempic use can impact your face and skin.
If you live in Sydney or happen to be visiting the city this week or next, Italian luxury fashion house, Tod’s has an Espresso Bar pop up in collaboration with Bambini Trust. I visited earlier this week and it was just delightful. You can enjoy a cappuccino and a cannoli while you enjoy the Autumnal ambiance of Hyde Park. Note: it’s only on April 3 and April 8, 9 and 10 - 8am to 10am.
Tonight, I’m off to another pop-up. This time it’s in Bondi and it’s for interior stylist Kerrie-Ann Jones celebrating not only her new book, Curated Style but also the collection of European mid-century furniture and contemporary art Kerrie has sourced and curated for the gallery. Each piece is also available to purchase. Kerrie’s pop-up is on now until April 15, located at 17 O'Brien Street, Bondi Beach.
Fashion
The Chanel 25 bag has dropped and I’ve seen it popping up everywhere on the arms of some very cool girls I follow/know.
Chanel have released it in three different sizes and many different colourful leather options, as well as denim. I love love love it. I love the slouchy silhouette and the practical functionality of it - it looks like a great, everyday bag. As someone who needs to sell some bags before I even contemplate purchasing any new ones (also note the small size is nearly $10k lol), the Chanel 25 will be sitting pretty on my wishlist for the foreseeable future.
It’s officially trench season in Sydney (finally) - I received this delightful Emerson Studios jacket. I love the unique leather-like belt and collar details. The main coat material is rain jacket-like so it feels very swishy when it’s on.
One of my TikTok favourites, Tess Madalyn has an incredible selection of great knits and cute tops and in one of her recent videos she was wearing a piece from Sonderhaus. I subsequently went down a rabbithole on their Instagram and website, adding many items to my wishlist. Here are some highlights:
I bit the bullet on these Sezane loafers when I got an alert they’d come back in stock. Of course as soon as they arrived, Sydney went through days and days of torrential rain. But the sunshine today meant they could have their first outing.
TV + Books
I’m sure I’m not alone and a lot of you also spent last week or the weekend, watching the new Netflix show, Adolescence. If you’re yet to watch it, I won’t go into detail about what the show is about but I will say that it’s a completely horrifying, emotional, harrowing and deeply important show. The way the 4 part series is shot is also worth mentioning - each episode occurs in one shot. The execution from the actors and the team behind the scenes is flawless. Each episode will take your breath away.
Of course, we’ve also been watching and loving the third season of The White Lotus. While there’s been mixed feelings over this current season, with some people complaining about the show’s pace and that “nothing has happened,” I vehemently disagree. Everything that happens in the show, be it small and quiet, is important and integral to pushing the narrative forward. I find it all builds tension toward the inevitable crescendo of the final few episodes and we are ultimately rewarded in the end. All of the actions within each episode is piercing, accurate commentary on society at large. Bravo, Mike White.
I’ve had a really slow reading month but I did buy some new books I’m excited about, including Graydon Carter’s When The Going Was Good. Graydon was previously the editor of Vanity Fair and more recently, founded Air Mail - I’m a paying subscriber for this; it’s great. As a former mag gal myself, I love an insider tell-all and this one is sure to have incredible stories aplenty.
Beauty + an interview with Cosmetics 27 founder, Michele Evrard
I’ve been spraying the new Kit Good Night Pillow Mist on my pillows and bedding every night before I get into bed and it’s such a lovely ritual to add into my nighttime routine. Kit make some of my favourite smelling things - their body wash, functional fragrance roller balls, hand cream and body cream are completely perfect. So it’s no surprise to me, how much I love their Pillow Mist. It’s a gorgy combination of Tasmanian lavender oil, steam-distilled cedarwood, cardamon & spearmint, patchouli, sandalwood, vanilla & amyris.
Speaking of perfect smelling things, Malin&Goetz have released this limited edition Otto Supercandle. The vessel alone sold me, but if you love floral scents, this is a rose fragrance created to mimic the experience of walking through a green and dewy garden filled with the freshness of spring.
Interview:
I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Cosmetics 27 (stocked at Mecca) founder, pharmacist, Michele Evrard while she was in Sydney recently.
Residing in Paris, Michele built her cult brand around her pharmaceutical expertise and philosophies focusing predominantly on skin regeneration and restoration. This is made possible from the brand’s use of ingredient Centella Asiatica.
From the subtle, chic packaging to the incomparable texture of the brand’s famous Baume, to the powerful results each product gives; every single detail has been meticulously thought out and aligns with Michele’s ethos of less is more, “All your skin needs, is less. But the right things.”
Here we discuss Michele’s skincare non-negotiables, her best tips for acne prone skin, where she sees the future of skincare going and what Ozempic is doing to users skin. Plus she shares her Paris shopping and eating tips!
Ali: What do you think it is about Cosmetics 27 that makes it stand out?
Michele: I think it’s everything in the formula. It’s the ingredient complex. I’m so concerned about high concentrations. Just because a product has a high concentration doesn’t mean it’s going to be better for you. That can lead to mis-use or over-use of product. That can be the case with vitamin a, b3.
What I wanted from the start with the Baume, it was the most horrendous process to finalise the formula and make it industrialisable. We had to throw out a lot of batches and I lost a lot of product but I was focused on getting the product I wanted. I wanted to make a line of products that isn’t about over doing it. One product (the baume) does it all. I have a very simple routine myself. All your skin needs, is less. But the right things. An edit. I like to keep it edited. It’s the same with food.
A: Tell me: One hero product from Cosmetics 27 and 1 product you think deserves more attention?
M: The Hero is the Baume. But my little hero these days is the Baume 27 serum. It’s a totally different formula the original Baume as it’s a resurfacing and restructuring [product]. But it’s very complimentary to the Baume. So it regenerates the surface of the skin for younger skin – so skin with imperfections and scars you don’t see, it helps to smooth out that. It will avoid, over time, the imperfections becoming dark spots, for example. It regenerates at a deeper level, at a different level to the Baume.
A: Top 3 skincare non-negotiables?
M: Cleansing. This is a very important step - cleansing but not stripping the microbiota and overdoing it. Whatever skin type you have, you have to cleanse your skin. The second non-negotiable, is hydrating. If there’s one thing your skin needs in an ideal world it’s water. Drink water, food can be water. 2 litres of water should be minimum. Feel bloated, doesn’t matter. Just get water in. And of course, SPF.
And if we’re really getting into it, sleep! Rest is so important to skin. Sleeping is fundamental. It’s when you regenerate.
Three products that I started with – and thought I’d end my line with – was Cleanser 27, the Essence – it’s a glass of water for your skin and then the Baume. For me, that does it all. I have very dry skin so I also use the oil.
A: Best tips for acne prone skin?
M: I never had acne. I’m not an acne expert - my expertise is on regeneration - but it’s all connected. Acne is about infection, inflammation. You have to get rid of the infection and the inflammation and then repair and be patient along the way.
I would start with my diet and what I’m eating. Today we know, what’s in your stomach can help your skin through the microbiota. Probiotics are fundamental for any skin, but definitely for acne prone skin. Then cleansing your skin, without stripping or drying out your skin.
In terms of strong actives, the way we over strip to remove the oils/the shine over time is not going to help. You have to be gentle to your skin.
A: Do you have any travel beauty hacks? Rituals for the plane?
M: It’s about hydrating! Before I land, I use Lift 27 – it’s our hydrating and soothing sheet mask. The plane is the worst thing for your skin with the air conditioning. I always feel for the stewardesses. I give them products when I fly. I use a lot of the Baume and the oil. I do not wear any makeup. And I drink a lot of water, as much as you can get in your body. I try to sleep. When you land, walk. I have poor blood circulation. So I walk, try to get some air and then sleep and recover.
A: Given that you live in Paris, I’d love to hear any Paris recommendations you have.
M: Le Bon Marche is the place to go for shopping. In one realm, you’ll find everything or at least, get lots of ideas and inspiration. Le Marais is the best place to find new little brands and shops, things you won’t find anywhere else.
Walking around Montmarte and the 9th arrondisement, is a great place to hang out.
Restaurants, I tend to go to the same cafés or bistros. There’s one that I love, that’s in Chaillot by the Palais de Tokyo, it’s an old bistro with red and white check tablecloths and it’s very basic.
But if I had to take you to one very nice place, Le Giraf which is another one in Palais de Chaillot. You sit outside and you are in front of the Eiffel tower. That’s the heart of Paris for me.
A: What new exciting scientific skincare advancements are you looking forward
M: I think research on the skin and understanding things better; [For example] in conjunction to things like Ozempic. I was reading an article this morning about the damages of Ozempic by Galderma, which is a big pharmaceutical group in Europe. They have findings about the results on the skin, the terrible loss of collagen, elasticity [after Ozempic use]. I’m not going to mention anyone but you’ve seen some faces, they look pretty because they are skinny, but behind, there’s really major, severe damage and how do you recover this?
A: A facelift?
M: No. No. You cannot rebuild (what’s been lost). I’d say to them, use the Baume (laughs). You need to regenerate your own collagen. Of course, eat proper proteins – that’s fundamental but the damage is severe. They [Ozempic users can] get to depletion and destruction of their adipocytes – which is the fat cells – that also help fuel the regeneration of some of their cells. It’s a whole process and I’m making it sound very simple but it’s much more scientific than this.
But they are now, developing concurrent treatments to avoid those Ozempic side effects because [the use of the drug] is becoming such a way of life – which I find totally ridiculous and dangerous for your health. But now they’re going to develop treatments to repair the damages of that.
But you have to think, it’s because of that they’ve discovered ways and find ways to also work on the regeneration of the cell. The name of the game is regeneration. The whole world is focusing on one thing, whether it’s the Google money, the Bezos money, Elon money; all they want is to live forever and be richer.
A: I know. Have you seen that Netflix documentary, Don’t Die?
M: Oh yes, Brian Johnson. (laughs) I think Brian is interesting in one way.
A: He definitely provides food for thought…
M: He’s a test for everyone. He’s the guinea pig. He’s paying a lot of money to be in that position. I track him, I follow him. I don’t listen to everything he says. All of what’s happening in that arena is about regeneration and longevity. When we talk about longevity, you want to treat diseases, problems, symptoms. So for the skin, that’s where I think a lot of progress is going to be made. I think it’s fascinating. I don’t want to live forever but if I’m going to live – I’m 63 – I want to live well. Not without wrinkles and not being what I’m not, I don’t care about surgery. But living well is very important to me. It’s not only for my skin, it’s for my health as well. So I think that is an area that’s endless, with AI, the progresses that are being made in surgery, the research is tremendous and in the ingredients as well. So I think we’ll see a lot more in the longevity arena - with extremes of course.
More Smooth Brain Thoughts soon,
Ali xx
Great read Ali! Tod espresso pop up - finally starting to see the fashion x hospitality movement in Sydney! Wonder what else will be popping up 👀