Kym Ellery, Ellery

I first met Kym back when we were starting out in magazines and she was working at RUSSH in the fashion department. She always had a certain je ne sais quoi about her – in the way she dressed and an effortlessness in the way she pulled it all together. It was clear even then, that Kym, who had studied at the famous Central Saint Martin College in London, was on the fast track to fashion royalty. Now, running her eponymous brand, she is rated among the country’s best, being only the third Australian designer in the history to be invited to show at Paris Fashion Week.

Kym’s latest show stole the spotlight and brought plenty of well-deserved attention to her visionary collection. Besides being a mistress of the runway, Kym is also a queen-bee of all things beauty, so it made sense that Ella Baché should ask her to design their new therapist ensembles. We caught up with stunning designer in Paris in the amazing Hausmannian style apartment she stays at during fashion week in the First Arrondissement to find out how she keeps up her immaculate glow despite a gruelling schedule.

The show is in two days….

Right now we are in the middle of casting models for the runway and we’ve snuck away to snap these pictures for Beauticate. It’s always waves of stress and then excitement. I was so excited flying over to Paris but as soon as I landed it’s just been pure focus until the show is over. I meditate each day, it keeps me anchored and calm. Keeping my skin hydrated is so important when I travel. I’m always mixing up my products. It’s nice to keep your skin constantly guessing. I use a Clarisonic and a mixture of Cetaphil, Ella Baché and Kiehl’s, I’ll even put on Bio-oil at night. I’m super sensitive. I’ve had bad skin over the years, it comes and goes. I love the new Ella Baché Spirulines Green-lift eye cream. The applicator is so cool it is soothing to apply and I love the way my skin looks when I wake up.

KYM WEARS HER OWN DESIGNS IN THE APARTMENT SHE STAYS AT DURING FASHION WEEK

KYM IS A BEAUTY CONNOISSEUR – WITH A PRODUCT COLLECTION TO MATCH

My beauty cupboard is ridiculous…

I pulled out this other box that was in my laundry and I found honestly like 100 products that I forgot I’d put in there. I’m actually obsessed with this one mascara – ModelCo Fat Lash. For my face I change foundations a lot, from Armani to Chanel to Nars Laguna Bronzing Powder a lot. I use Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector, the pearl one, on my cheek up to my temple, but then I use a smaller brush to just use the same Nars bronzer in my eye socket. For lips I love Tom Ford lipstick or Paw Paw ointment.

I just do my eyebrows myself…

I use Anastasia Brow Gel [to groom them]. I’ve been trying to grow them out since I over plucked them when I was 15 and had two different shaped eyebrows and my mother said, ‘what have you done?’ and I was like, ‘what are you talking about?’ ‘One of your eyebrows is a centimetre shorter than the other!’ If I’d give any advice to young girls I just tell them ‘don’t touch your eyebrows. It’s such a classic mistake! Also cleansing – Ella Bache Eye and Lip Makeup Remover is a must have in my beauty regime. Each night I remove my makeup from the day so I can freshen up before bed. Getting rid of dead skin cells regularly is so important. I massage in Ella Bache Revealing Fruit Enzyme Exfoliate then moisturize to rehydrate my skin.

KYM PREFERS TO GROW OUT HER EYEBROWS AND KEEP THEM NATURAL

KYM BELIEVES IN STAYING POSITIVE, DRINKING LOTS OF WATER AND WEARING SUNSCREEN

Take care of your insides

Choose your mood. Because if you’re in a bad mood, I think it shows on your face. And drinking a lot of water’s really important. My boyfriend is always passing me a bottle of water saying ‘drink this’. It is about wearing sunscreen. Especially being in Australia and under such a massive hole in the ozone layer. You’ve got to be careful. I’m prone to getting pigmentation spots on my face, and they come and go depending on how much sunscreen I’m wearing.

I’ve been avoiding sun…

No matter what, especially through winter, I use the Ella Baché Great Facetan Without Sun on my face, you can put it on in the morning before you put on your make up and it acts as a little bit of a foundation. Or you can apply some the night before and you wake up looking like you’ve been to Bali. It’s a very natural glow, and doesn’t go orange. Sometimes I use tan on my body, but rarely, I’d like to be more tanned, but the reality is I don’t have time.

I like using Aesop Resurrection Hand Soap on my legs, just with a loofah, the smell is really beautiful. And Egyptian Magic is my favourite. My boyfriend puts it on his face.

KYM AND HER BOYFRIEND BOTH USE EGYPTIAN MAGIC AS AN ALL-PURPOSE BALM

KYM ADDS LOTS OF TEXTURE TO HER NATURALLY WAVY HAIR

I just cut my hair off recently…

Paloma from Oscar Oscar in Paddington cut it and Michael did a colour. They’re amazing there. With hair products I always use Toni & Guy Hair Meet Wardrobe Dry Shampoo, which is excellent. I always pop it on my roots, especially in the back through here. It just gives a bit of texture and Klorane is also excellent. If I go swimming in the beach and come out quite curly with the salt water, if I let it dry naturally I use the Shu Uemura Volume Maker brush, I love that. And I like it just as the ritual of it as well, even just to go clean up the edges. It just flattens the baby hairs around my hair line, I use it to brush those down and then I pump the powder through the back as well with the dry shampoo. Also my hair often gets dry when I travel on long haul flights so I love to breathe new moisture into my hair with MUK spa Argan Oil Shine Spray. It has a healthy and natural finish which helps me get straight to work when I land in Paris.

Photography by Jake Terrey; Story by Sigourney; Arranged by Ahtra Elnashar; Sponsored by Ella Bache.