with Caroline Wachsmuth

Caroline Wachsmuth first launched her own brand ‘Doux Me’ in Paris in 2002, turning her green attitude into a business.
After selling her company in 2012, the beautiful “visionnaire” moved to San Francisco, a city that suits her perfectly and is an ideal location to launch her new projects: writing and designing products free-lance as well as creating her own personal private collection.

We met in S.F. at a lovely café to discuss beauty, wellness and future projects!

You have felt the “green calling” very young I imagine, as your first business ‘Doux Me’, launched in 2002, was already about organic beauty products. When did you get your ‘green attitude’?

I think that it started in my childhood. I am Swiss, and “green” is kind of the way most people think in this country.
I was brought up in a small village and spent a tremendous amount of time at my grandmother’s house in Valais.
They had their own garden, fruit trees, and everything that was cooked mostly came from her own garden.
My mum and grandmother were also really the “DIY” type when it came to beauty, and would create their own potions, then just complain on how “chemical” beauty products were made….so you see, it came early!

I just love the idea of not taking anything for granted once you launch something.

Tell us more about your new projects
a-Your new book

My new book is what I call edition 2 of my previous book SEASONS.
I work with my friend Isabelle Rivoire-Grange on most of my projects and we thought it would be cool to work on a slightly new art direction, new paper and new texture.
I just love the idea of not taking anything for granted once you launch something, and go on playing and having fun creating useful content within an object that is at the same time pleasurable to feel and look at.

Buy Me!

b- Your line ‘Friends Collection’
This is a very special project that is being developed for people close to my heart.
The first one will be launched in the Spring.

I am personally a passionate of yoga, and I find meditation a beautiful way of catching my breath and quieting my mind.

As a green beauty advocate you have found the perfect city to live in, San Francisco. Can you share some of your favorite green places?

There are so many, but if I had to choose, I would say the organic market on Hayes and Divisadero on Sundays, Alamo Park where I love to hang out and admire the view of the city that I cannot get enough of, the addictive freshly squeezed juices at the farmer’s market near my house, the organic day spa Earthbody in Hayes Valley, hiking on Mount Tam, the countless beaches…

A drink that is very helpful for digestion and liver function – as well as help against inflammation – is to mix lemon juice with warm water (not boiled) and a pinch of turmeric.

Can you share with our readers a few ‘wellness tips’ for urban women. Yoga? Meditation? Both? A special drink?

Well, of course, yoga and meditation are beautiful tools not only to cope with stress but also to dig deep inside and discover who we really are, touch the inner strength that we all have but sometimes are not aware of.
Every woman is different and for some, meditation and yoga will be the most boring things ever.
They might find their “thing” in Tai Chi, running, walking, swimming, or other physical and/or spiritual activities.
We just need to explore. I am personally a passionate of yoga, and I find meditation a beautiful way of catching my breath and quieting my mind.
A drink that is very helpful for digestion and liver function – as well as help against inflammation – is to mix lemon juice with warm water (not boiled) and a pinch of turmeric (curcuma), with a tiny little bit of Manuka honey if desired.

These days, what is:
– Your favorite day cream?

I discovered 100% Pure and I like it. I am just using their eye cream at the moment.
Otherwise, I mostly do everything myself.

– Your bedside table book?
I have a pile. But maybe the ones that I come back to quite often are The diary of Anaïs Nin, Love poems by Pablo Neruda and The Coral Sea by Patti Smith.

– Your healthy snack?
Some avocado, a green apple or fennel and farm fresh goat cheese. Sometimes, I add cacao nibs on the goat cheese…I can be totally weird;)

– Your new makeup discovery?
Kjaer Weis. I am in love with everything she does and especially the Wisdom Eye shadow.