WELLBEING
Mélanie Huynh, formerly a stylist at Vogue Paris, has been dubbed France’s answer to Gwyneth Paltrow. We catch up with her to find out more about her holistic lifestyle brand
Growing up in Paris during the 1990s, with a French mother and Chinese father, Mélanie Huynh idolised supermodels for their energy and physiques.
“My parents were always into wellness and healthy eating,” the mother of two tells hello!. “And when I started at Vogue,, I was working on lots of skincare and beauty shoots. I had the opportunity to speak to lots of experts and they would share amazing tips.”
From there, the seed was planted for what would become Holidermie, a product range and online platform promoting a more ritualistic approach to self-care.
“For me, it’s about longevity and holistic beauty,” Mélanie says. “I wanted to align beauty with supplements to nourish the body from the inside out, as well as provide effective tools.” Here, she discusses the importance of breathwork, intimate wellness and the female founders we should all be following.
Mélanie, you recently returned from a wellness retreat. What was the highlight?
“I was in Sardinia with friends. It’s part of the Blue Zone [a region where inhabitants have a longer life expectancy than average], so it’s interesting to learn about what they eat and see how close they are to nature.
“We did yoga, but it was much more than that. I learnt different breathing methods; as you get older, you realise how controlling your breath can regulate your day-to-day.”
What does your morning routine look like?
“I use my tongue scraper and do some oil pulling [a mouthwash with oil]. Then I do some dry brushing before my shower – it’s an Ayurvedic ritual. And I’m addicted to cold showers! After that, I’ll do some face yoga for two or three minutes to get the lymphatic system working and then apply my skincare.”
How do you approach your diet?
“I’ve always loved herbal teas and Ayurvedic and Chinese medicines. I don’t eat meat, although sometimes I’ll eat fish. But I don’t eat gluten or dairy, and try to consume the smallest amount of sugar possible.”
How do you keep fit?
“I do boxing every Sunday and I really love it. I also love Lagree, which is like Pilates, but it’s much deeper and works your core.”
Do you have any wellbeing rituals for when you travel?
“I always try to eat right for my skin, and I use cryo tools to work on my lymphatic system.
“Getting outside to do some yoga is important. I do a lot of breathing exercises to help me. And I love the Calm app. I download it on my phone to use when I’m travelling.”
What can we learn from French women when it comes to wellness?
“French women are more focused on sk
