Her Point Of View: Caroline De Saint André

How would you describe yourself?

As a very lucky person that has the talent to surround herself with wonderful people.

Since I am a curious energetic person I am always on the go, ready for new experiences and discoveries.

I am a true “ Bon Vivant”, I love to travel, to eat and visit art exhibitions but most of all I like to laugh and apparently I have a very recognizable one!

Tell us about your day-to-day life?

Every day is very different as I am very fortunate to love my job because of its diversity and challenges. Now with the digital transformation, there is no routine possible … It can be from meeting influencers or artists to introduce them to Darphin and its wonderful world to being in strategic meetings… the only thing that is always consistent in my daily routine is that I drink tons of tea. I almost have a tea shop in my office!

Another consistent factor in my life is that every Friday night is  “Movie Night” with my family. Friday nights are sacred and I refuse any kind of invitation.

Are you the woman you imagined you would become?

Not at all!

I would have never imagined myself leaving NY (lived there 31 years), getting married or having kids… I am now living in Paris, married and I have a son and could not be happier. 

On the professional side, I always knew I would be somehow connected to fashion or beauty (went to FIT in NY for fashion design and my first job out of school was as an assistant to Tom Ford when he was still unknown)

What are the valuable life lessons you have all figured out?

Treat everyone alike!

I remember when I was living in NY, the CEO of a very famous corporation came to the office to meet the designer I was working for at the time for a collaboration and when she came in, she had this incredible positive attitude.  She treated the receptionist, the FedEx man (who just happened to be there) and the famous designer exactly the same way …

I was in awe and immediately said to myself that I want to be like her! I still think of her very often in various situations.

What do you like most about yourself? 

Honesty! Whether in private or at work.

What do you like the least?

I apparently have a superiority complex…When I see myself in a picture I always say “ this is not a good picture … I look much better than this !” and every time the person next to me says “ I do not agree … this looks like you! (It is the same as when you hear yourself and do not recognize your voice!)

What do you like most about getting older?

My life!

I feel more comfortable and feel like I can really be myself.

What do you like the least?

Death…and my retirement plan!

What’s your favourite way to dress? Do you have a signature style?

I love fashion but do not follow trends like a madwoman… 

I guess you could say I have a signature style:

Cape, Hat , Flat Louboutin shoes , Red lipstick

I love capes and hats, especially caps and vintage bags ( I have 8 vintage bags with chickens painted on them by a Swedish artist living in Barcelona … every year I go to Barcelona I buy one… my husband is starting to think I am as obsessed as the artist!).

I am also a big Louboutin fan but especially his flats.  I think I must be one of the few who wears mostly his flats.  I love wearing something classic with fun beautiful shoes.

One of my trademarks, since I was 17 in NY, is red lipstick. I just love it since it dresses you up immediately regardless of what you are wearing.

Do you have a beauty secret to share?

Thanks to my job, I have been fortunate to go to Korea many times and have adopted some of their beauty habits. I therefore now layer 2 Darphin serums before applying my cream in the morning or essential oil and cream at night.  I even call myself a true “Darphinette”!

In the morning I use Intral Redness Relief Soothing Serum ( for sensitive skin and redness ) + Fibrogene Line Response Nourishing Serum ( anti-age for dry skin) and at night I use again the Intral serum + Stimulskin Plus Reshaping Divine serum ( for the ultimate anti-ageing).

I love my routine and it really has made such a difference that I hardly ever use foundation anymore.

What are your 3  “top” can’t live without skin care products?

3 is too little to choose from! I am a skincare girl so I will negotiate for 4 “ top”!

Aromatic Cleansing Balm with Rosewood

Stimulskin Plus Reshaping Divine Serum

8-Flower Nectar Aromatic Care

Fibrogene Line Response Nourishing Cream

I have very sensitive skin so before working for Darphin I tested all of their products and for the first time in my life I have pleasure and performance and now cannot live without it!

What are your 3 “top” can’t live without make-up products?

I hardly put any make-up so I will settle for 2 “can’t live without” to compensate for the 4 skincare above:

CLINIQUE High Impact Mascara

TOM FORD Ruby Rush Lipstick 

What’s on the bucket list?

So many things that I do not know where to start… but already started it this year by getting pretty proud PADI scuba diving license and learned how to drive a scooter a couple of months ago.

Next on the top of my list is:

Go to Bhutan

Do pilates (or any kind of exercise!)

If you could change one thing in the past, what would you do differently?

Nothing or else I would not have the life I have now.

What age do you feel right now?

OMG! Not my age mentally for sure! I would say a young 35.

Who would play you in a movie?

I do not know… but I do know who I would like to play in a movie:

A James Bond girl of course! (Except I always had a problem differentiating “concept from reality”.)

To go back to your original question, my dream would be Audrey Hepburn.