Christmas countdown: words of wisdom from Lorraine Downes

Ex-Miss Universe and generally wonderful presence around town Lorraine Downes was announced as the official ambassador for all-good New Zealand brand Living Nature some months back, and is the epitome of a beautiful woman who has lived life well. She’s passionate about keeping beauty as pure as possible, and was a fantastic fit for the brand’s recent Authentic Beauty tour of New Zealand that saw women all over the country come to hear her and other Living Nature representatives speak. I went to the Auckland event and found the most inspirational aspect to be how knowledgeable the audience were about the hows and whys of caring for your skin naturally – there’s some smart women out there spreading the word!
But back to Lorraine, who recently travelled to the exquisitely gorgeous Hokianga to shoot some new images for Living Nature’s lipstick line – exclusive behind-the-scenes shot above – and took the time to answer some questions for me about how she’s keeping cool over this silliest of seasons. She’s also debuting her natural curl in this shot – coiffed with nothing but Sea Water as applied by Aimee Fiebig with a little help from Living Nature Hydrating Mist to keep those tendrils hydrated. And her lipstick shade? Summer Rain.

How are you surviving the lead up to Christmas, are there any products giving your skin - and mind - a helping hand?
Yes it is such a hectic time work wise, both socially and being a mother! The most important thing for me is to start the day with a drink consisting of a squeezed lemon in warm water, which is the kindest thing you can do to your liver. Something I do to not get too stressed is to make myself stay present in each day and concentrate on just what needs to be done that day, rather than jumping ahead worrying about what I need to do in the coming days! Otherwise I find myself getting anxious and suddenly stressed.

What is a tip for staying looking and feeling good when the bubbles are flowing and the canapes are simply too delicious to turn down?
Okay so drinking the lemon in warm water each morning for starters! Also drinking lots of water during the day, and making sure I still get to my spin class twice a week.

What is the one Living Nature product that you simply cannot live without?
Vitalising Cleanser.

And what's your pick from the range for a beautiful Christmas gift?
Radiance Night Oil.

At the end of your Authentic Beauty Tour what was the one thing that stuck in your mind about the Living Nature fans that you met?
I met a lot of women who had a beautiful inner spirit and that beauty shone out. I also loved the way they were concerned about only using safe products on their skin and how much they cared about our environment and their desire to look after that, too.

And lastly, how will you be spending the holidays?
Resting, relaxing, beaching, reading, taking long walks, eating delicious food, drinking, laughing, taking afternoon naps (yes please!) and just spending lazy days with my loved ones and not being governed by the clock! Yay!