EVE LOM: more than just a – fabulous – cleanser

News of the availability of Eve Lom’s range of killer, high performance skincare products Down Under last year was definitely a cause for celebration. One of the newest brands to land at Mecca Cosmetica of late, the collection is the creation of one of the most respected and sought-after beauty professionals alive today, Eve Lom. Born in Czechoslovakia, Eve met the renowned skin specialist Georgette Klinger in Hollywood in the early 1980s and began her career as a facialist. She subsequently relocated to London where she studied anatomy, nutrition and massage techniques, expanding her repertoire to also include acupuncture after time training with the masters in China. In 1984, the first Eve Lom salon opened in London, and not longer after her range began to evolve following the media frenzy that surrounded the release of her cult Cleanser, which Vogue called "probably the best cleanser in the world". Fast-forward to 2011 and the products that make up the pared-down regime Eve recommends are now available here, which is dreadfully exciting news for beauty fans the length and breadth of New Zealand.
My first foray into the world of Eve Lom was via a pot of her Kiss Mix, a richly moisturising pot of goodness that tends to chapped and dry lips, and also includes the natural sunscreen Zinc Oxide to protect lips from UV rays, and tingling menthol for an added pick-me-up. With its moisturising and healing ingredients it is a year-round product as it keeps lips moisturised and protected from UV rays in summer and biting winds in winter. It’s is great to use with lipstick to add shine to your lips or on its own as a moisturising base, and is a certified handbag essential in my universe.
I was lucky enough recently to meet New York-based Eve Lom educator Melissa Ouellette, who was in town to talk about the brand’s newest release, Eye Lift (pictured). A hydrating cream infused with the proven wrinkle-reducer retinol, it is the first dedicated anti-ageing product in the Eve Lom collection. The cream also boasts in its formula Vitamin C (radiance boosting), Oat Kernel Extract (helps reduce the depth of wrinkles) and Sodium Hyaluronate (increases moisture retention for lasting hydration) making for one powerful punch. Melissa points out to me the extremely clever – and hygienic – applicator attached to the top of the tube, which dispenses exactly the right amount of product required for both eyes and helps apply it with minimal drag to the super delicate skin around that area.
Melissa explains to me that the philosophy behind the Eve Lom brand is a “a simple regime that you can base around your needs with minimal fuss. The cleanser itself is so rich and transformative that often you don’t even need a moisturiser at night, but if you do we have the perfect no-fuss formula to suit your skin”. She shows me exactly how to use the miraculous Cleanser, the ritual beginning with a macadamia nut-sized dollop of the rich creamy goodness applied all over a dry face. Massage well so that the oils penetrate the skin and then take the accompanying muslin cloth and rinse it under hot water, laying it loosely across the face to help the oils melt and work in that little more. Repeat this cloth application three times. Next rinse the cloth under cooler water and gently exfoliate the face by rubbing it over the skin until all of the product is removed. Rinse once more in super cool water and place it over your super clean face to soothe. Voila! Truly radiant, gorgeously clean skin that is softer than an infant’s proverbial. “The best cleanser in the world” it just may be.