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The perfect skincare regime for those looking for balance, whether they’re making time for self-care or creating memories with family
Balancing priorities such as work commitments, family time and self-care is a juggling act. This often means, for the busiest of women, skincare becomes no more than an afterthought.
For mother-daughter duo Paulene and Antonia Da Cruz, this is something they have learnt together over the years. “My daughter has been very independent since she was young,” Paulene says. “She is very energetic and busy with her work, travels and social life, so any time that we get to spend together—whether it’s just chilling at home or going on short vacations—is very precious to me.”
In turn, Antonia has bonded with her mum over skincare from a young age, doing everything together from buying products to learning how to apply them. “My mum is a beauty aficionado who values the importance of self-care. Ever since my early teens, before I went off to boarding school, she was already instilling in me the values of having a good skincare regime.”
The pair’s partnership with Clarins, then, seems only fitting. The French beauty house’s latest line of products, Clarins Precious, combines skin science with rare natural ingredients to provide the most complete skincare routine within the fewest steps.
An advocate for wellness and health, and head of membership and education at mental health clinic Mindish, Antonia still values her mother’s advice. “My mum has always told me not to work so much. She’s always encouraged me to take time out, reset and look after myself. After all, beauty does shine through when you’re happy and healthy.” Recently, Antonia did just that, making the decision to work part-time and embrace a healthier work-life balance. “I was super stressed out, cramming so many meetings and things into a day. I would be having lunch at four o’clock in the afternoon; it just wasn’t sustainable.”
While she does sometimes have to remind her daughter to take her foot off the pedal, Paulene commends Antonia’s approach to life; “I definitely admire her energy, her independence and her unrelenting determination in whatever she puts her mind to, whether it be work, charities or social events.” Her advice for her daughter extends to taking care of her skin: “Even if it is just taking the time to do a simple mask, it is also taking time out to relax and calm yourself.”
