"Why I started taking better care of myself": Julien explains how the birth of his daughter changed his life
Photos D.R
Words Nolyne Cerda
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He's in his 30s, lives in Paris and works in events management for one of the world's most prestigious luxury brands. A man who moves with the times, he has no problem whatsoever speaking about well-being or paternity leave. And, in fact, it was the birth of his daughter that made him truly realise the importance of taking care of himself. "It’s important to set a good example" he says.
"Although the birth of my daughter last year was a wakeup call, I really started taking care of myself two years ago. At that time, I bought a motorbike for myself. The more I used it, the duller and more blemished my skin became. This bothered me, as I'd never had acne in my life, so I went to see a dermatologist. He asked me the usual questions: "Do you smoke?", "Have you changed anything in your diet?" and the fateful query, "Do you ride a bike or a motorbike?“. I was surprised that this could be the main culprit behind my dull, blemished skin. Of course, I’m well aware that the city is polluted, but I didn’t think that my skin would react so quickly to this pollution. It definitely made me think. Besides, I'm no longer 20, and am starting to see signs of aging on my skin.
The importance of a skincare routine
"My dermatologist told me that I needed to begin using a skincare routine. I was afraid it would be too time-consuming. I nonetheless followed his recommendations, which were to cleanse my skin using a special cleanser, moisturise and occasionally exfoliate. I bought the products he suggested, which were all skincare classics, and very quickly noticed changes. As I like to know exactly what I'm putting on my skin, I did research into the subject and started looking for products that would best suit me. That's how I discovered Horace. I love the facial scrub and moisturising conditioner. So now I stick to my routine: cleanser, aftershave, moisturiser, concealer and the occasional scrub!
Becoming a father
While I understand that once you reach a certain age you have no choice but to take care of your skin, I've always paid attention to what I eat. Well-being, protecting my health and the environment are fully interconnected. Especially since my daughter was born a year ago. My girlfriend and I work as a real team. She signed me up for workshops on how to decipher product formulas as well as understand the different labels, so that we can identify what's best for our daughter. That's how I discovered that even products that have been used generation after generation aren't necessarily the best. Like liniment, for example. There is a great deal of debate around this product, which is often used on babies. I want to know that what we're feeding our daughter and using on her skin is perfectly safe.
Beauty, a genderless subject
I'm not embarrassed at all to talk about beauty care with my mates, who are also open to discussion. Of course, we don't talk about it for hours, but obviously we have no problem discussing it. Thankfully, habits have changed, and the stereotype of a metrosexual is a thing of the past. We're simply individuals who take care of ourselves. I don't really feel that beauty is a question of gender. In fact, it's purely cultural. For me, it is not at all a big deal. For example, I have always had dark circles under my eyes. It's not easy to get rid of them, but I’m not at all self-conscious about it. I just try to do my best, without putting pressure on myself. I've also taken up sports again. In my mind, well-being and beauty are all about feeling good about yourself, paying attention to your needs and not being afraid to ask questions if something doesn’t feel right. It's also about letting go of guilt and being less judgmental."