#ForteFemales At Home - Claire Menary

Introducing today's #ForteFemale the talented and chic London-based freelance photographer, Claire Menary. Passionate about interiors, beauty and travel, she has worked for leading fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands including Maison Margiela, Giorgio Armani Beauty, Missoma and Thomas’ at Burberry. She also works as a freelance travel writer and writes for the likes of ELLE Magazine.

Where are you dreaming of travelling to?

I think a trip to the Amalfi Coast would be quite nice right about now, wouldn’t it? Or perhaps somewhere in Greece as I’ve never really explored the country before. Basically, anywhere by the water - you can’t beat the sound of the sea.

What is the first restaurant you will head to post lockdown 3.0?

Le Relais de Venise L'Entrecote in Marylebone is a favourite date night spot for my boyfriend and I. They only offer one dish and it's exceptional.

What is your favourite spa or wellness space?

I don’t have one in particular, but it would be lovely just to be able to go to the spa and have a facial or a massage. It has been so very long!

What is the first beauty treatment you will have post lockdown 3.0?

Highlights. Definitely highlights!

What helps you get to sleep if you are wired but tired?

I like to take some Ashwagandha or CBD drops before bed, spend a little time reading to get my brain tired and then put on one of the Sleep Stories from the Calm app (my favourite readers are Erik Braa and Alan Sklar) - they always do the trick.

What is your skincare regime (morning and evening)?

The products I use change every now and again as I get to test out so many but the routine steps are always the same.

AM - cleanse, tone, eye serum, Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid, moisturiser and SPF.

PM - double cleanse, eye cream, nourishing serum and night cream. The only thing that might change is I add a retinol or glycolic acid in at night every now and again.

Do you have one evening or more a week where you spend time masking/pampering? What do you do?

Every day is a pamper day at the moment. Sundays are always a good day for a proper pamper and I love doing multiple masks- starting with an exfoliating mask, followed by a detox clay-based mask and finishing with a really nourishing hydrating mask. Heaven.

Any skincare advice for our readers?

Get to really know your skin; understand it. Know your skin type, what it likes and doesn’t like and know when it’s lacking in something. That way you’ll know exactly what you need to use to set it right when it’s having a wobble. Skin education is really important and getting well acquainted with the different skin ingredients that are out there to see what can help you is a real must.

What's your favourite:

Book:

I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes is my all-time favourite (I love a thriller) but I’m trying to go beyond that genre, so at the moment I’m reading Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and I'm really enjoying it.

Documentary:

I always seem to watch crime documentaries which are all a bit disturbing - I wouldn’t say I have a favourite.

Skincare Product:

I have to say I'm particularly obsessed with Irene Forte Skincare's Hibiscus Night Cream. The smell gets me every time I open the tub.

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