#ShowUsYourBag

Anna Mother-to-Be + Creative Director

@AnnaPolons
@PolonskyAndFriends
www.polonskyandfriends.com

How important is skincare to you?

It's super important. My mom's a dermatologist in France, so I grew up with that emphasis. But I also feel like it's a French thing, in general, to do the best from the inside, then the rest is just a little bit of embellishment. In terms of routine, I never go to bed without removing my makeup with micellar water beforehand. In the morning, I use Indie Lee COQ-10 Toner because I feel like I need to freshen up my face from the night's sweat and so on. This does a really good job, and it feels refreshing. I have a little bit of a tendency toward acne, and this product has helped a lot with it, actually.

What are some of the best parts about impending motherhood?

When you're pregnant, you get a lot of clarity. I think that's most important. It really helps you to reprioritize things. In the city like New York, you constantly get distracted by new things to do, new places to try and new people to meet. Sometimes you can forget yourself a bit. I like the clarity being pregnant brings, which has gotten me to refocus on myself and what matters. And the transition to motherhood is very exciting, to care for your kids. What my mom taught me about beauty and mental health and what my dad taught me about cooking and culture are all things I can transfer to my child. That’s great.

Was becoming pregnant the catalyst for you to begin looking at ingredient labels?
No, I was before, starting a few years ago, when doctors began to have a lot more studies about endocrine disruptors. My mom, who's never been very alarmist—she was always quite whatever—at that point warned me and said, “You need to choose your battles.” It's hard to go 100 percent natural, but whatever you can replace—whether it's shampoo, nail polish, makeup, your deodorant, whatever you're comfortable with—just try to. I did a real beauty swap. I tried to change as much as I could. I'm not perfect, but I’m doing my best.
How do you take care of your hair?
My hair is naturally curly—it's not crazy curly, but it's on the curlier side. I've never really quite managed to embrace it fully and let it be. Again, it's quite French, in that it's never a real hairdo. I'll just make sure the front is okay, but my hair is always quite wild. When the weather gets warmer, my hair gets more frizzy and unruly. That’s when I start using a moisturizing leave-in mist as a finishing product.
Is it true all French women wear red lipstick?
I rarely put red lipstick on. I'll do it for weddings or really special events. Actually, if I want to look a little more awake or springy, I don’t apply eyeshadow. Instead, I use my finger to put a dot of red lipstick on each eyelid, then blend it out. Putting lipstick on my lips is pretty rare, to be honest.
So what is a ride-or-die makeup product for you?
I wear RMS Beauty Un Cover-Up every day, and I love it because it's not very opaque. I can just use my finger and only put it where I have imperfections. It's not a whole contouring thing.
"It's hard to go 100 percent natural, but whatever you can replace—whether it's shampoo, nail polish, makeup, your deodorant, whatever you're comfortable with—just try to."