Skean Talks: Hélène Battaglia

Welcome to the fourth episode of Skean Talks, a safe space where we can talk about our skin. Without shame, without taboos. Our guest today is Hélène Battaglia.

Hi Hélène, thank you so much for accepting our invitation.
Would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?
With pleasure. Thank you for the invitation. My name is Hélène Battaglia. I am Italian-French. Half
Tuscan and half-Breton. I was born and raised in iconic, green Britain. They are very
grateful to have two countries, two cultures and to be bilingual. It was very inspiring and it is
all of them.
However, to be completely honest, sometimes it was also very difficult to never be
considered neither 100 percent Italian in Italy nor 100 percent French in France. I practice the profession
Of journalist, fashion editor and writer. In my spare time for over a decade, I have been
also the author of the unusual artistic shots #ShopArtintheCity , which allowed me to
sign several capsule collections and come out in prestigious publications as a Fotogrartist. I have
began my career in Milan where I moved in 1999 and where I have lived over 12
years, very fulfilling and full of decisive encounters, achievements, satisfactions (personal and private)
And teachings. The Milanese capital is the place of my debut as a journalist and fashion
editor but also of the literary one that happened in July 2012 at the
publication of Rendezvous at the Ritz . my first romantic comedy and bestselling romance by
that summer, After several years on the French Riviera, I am currently working on my own
Personal project of ‘an eco-sustainable prairie cottage’ in the country side
Tuscan…I can’t wait for it to materialize.

I hope it will materialize very soon! You founded Mycreativecupoftea.net to celebrate slow living, a return to basics, an E-Zine and premium media brand where you tell us about stories and discoveries under the banner of sustainability. Where does this desire to live a “slow” life come from?
I was born and raised in a small, human-sized Breton town located only a half-hour from the charming Pink Granite Coast overlooking the English Channel, surrounded by lots of greenery and woods. It was a quiet and peaceful life in harmony with nature. But I also had the good fortune to spend summers in the heart of the Apuan Alps Regional Park, in the small mountain village where my paternal family is from. This is a magical and wild place, still unspoiled, where I still enjoy spending months in a slow and genuine way. A very special place that I regard as my own little safe haven and happy place. Life in Milan, while very pleasant, often weighed on me because of overbuilding, air and noise pollution, city chaos, and lack of greenery. After a while, like everyone else I think, you get the urge to run away and escape. At this point I think slow living has been a natural state of mind of mine for as long as I can remember. I am part of the community of people who do not live particularly well under pressure and stress. The decision to
founding a niche publishing brand that celebrates creative, slower, sustainable living was among the best decisions I’ve ever made, perhaps. In this way, I have the absolute luxury of taking the time to practice my profession as a journalist and storyteller under optimal conditions.
Slowly.

Is this philosophy of yours also reflected in your body and skin care? What are the values you can’t give up when it comes to skincare?
The beauty routine is, in my opinion, indispensable. Since my teenage years, without it ever becoming an obsession, it has always been a priority to take care of myself all-around (playing sports, choosing a healthy and varied diet, drinking lots of water, green tea to daily) and of course making sure that my skin is as healthy and beautiful as possible. I must admit that I value my physical appearance and image, to be understood in the positive way of course. It has also always been a daily ritual synonymous with pleasure. Both in the morning and in the evening. I am a great believer in aromatherapy, and certain scents of creams, oils or serums have the power to make me feel good. I do not follow market trends but gladly accept the advice of experts and insiders, and I always buy only what my skin really needs.

How would you describe your relationship with your skin and especially with skincare?
Since I am a teenager, I would describe myself as very disciplined when it comes to skincare.
I remove my makeup morning and night even though I don’t wear makeup. If I have to be made up for social events, I have always relied on good make-up artists, the only ones, in my opinion, to enhance and sublimate a person’s features at their best. In my daily life, I would say that I am a sophisticated ‘soap and water’ woman.
I moisturize with mineral water spray, avoiding tap water, my atopic-prone skin is very delicate. And then I use serums and creams. Masks and peels every week. I prefer brands that are ambassadors of clean & slow beauty, which mostly use natural and organic ingredients. For the past two and a half years, thanks to our column #MCCOTBeauty , I have been lucky enough to discover young international eco-responsible cosmetics brands and test fabulous products. I am really grateful for that. As a staunch environmentalist and founder and curator of #MCCOT, it is very important to me to support virtuous and eco-responsible beauty. Because the future of cosmetics cannot but be sustainable.
For our health and for our planet.

I know you’ve been using Skean’s products for a while, can I ask you what you like about our line and what is the absolute must-have that you recommend to our readers?
I discovered by chance on IG in late 2023, the products under the brand name SKEAN . A beautiful surprise! I have
immediately contacted its founder, Anna Confalonieri and we decided to dedicate an article to her. What I immediately liked about SKEAN’s beauty routine is the fact that it is minimalist and essential (only three products) , pleasant and that it works. Hydrated, toned, glowing and fragrant skin from the first use. Better than that. Quick testing to believe.

The beauty world has evolved a lot in recent years, the perception of beauty, the care of the
body, the spasmodic search for eternal youth. But what is your conception of beauty?
Like everyone and everyone -I believe-, I absolutely cannot deny that I fear the passage of time and its effects, more or less negative, on one’s body or face. But unlike many (women and men) who have become addicted to so-called ‘cosmetic medicine,’ I am a fervent advocate of aging naturally, gracefully though. To be clear, my kind of eternal beauty is Audrey Hepburn. Elegant and magnificent even with her septuagenarian wrinkles. I believe there is an urgent need to change mindsets and welcome, as serenely as possible, wrinkles of expression and other signs of aging.
Fillers, facelifts and other practices are not the solution. A proper beauty routine
associated, for example, with the constant practice of yoga face can work wonders. It takes commitment as with everything. Of course, it depends a lot on the look one wants to achieve. And from his ideal of beauty. We had the opportunity to interview well-known Italian pro-age model Elisabetta Dessy.
His testimony is indeed a positive message in this regard. Aging gracefully is a beautiful thing.

If you could give one piece of advice to the 20-year-old Hélène, what would it be?
I would not give her any advice. I would just say thank you for the daily commitment and discipline, to love yourself and take care of yourself, that you have shown over these past decades. It was definitely worth it. The results can be seen.

I have one last question for you before I say goodbye and of course thank you for this wonderful interview, what tips (beauty and otherwise) would you like to share with our readers?
What I feel like advising those who will read this interview of mine is not to settle for living a life following only fads, trends and the masses, but to create a ‘tailor-made’ life for themselves that will enable them to achieve their own happiness. Both in the professional sphere and in the private sphere. To go where their heart takes them. To follow your instincts. As for skincare, I would advise them to use only cosmetic products that are good for them and their skin. Of loving each other. So much. Of taking care of oneself. To free themselves from media pressure and the diktats of fashion and society. To find one’s own dimension in this society of ours. Of living a more sustainable and less superficial life. To give up frenzied consumerism. Consuming less but better, with more responsibility. To smile at life and dream big, always. Of simply being oneself. Unfiltered. With dignity and pride. Head held high. Of knowing how to say no. And find the courage to impose your own thinking. Best of luck!

Article written by. Paola De Nicola e Hélène Battaglia