One of the things that makes me truly happy is seeing other people do what they love from surfing in Hawaii to working with animals, people who live their lives doing what makes them happy are inspiring and beautiful. I first heard about Kate Somerville and her medi-skin Clinic when I worked as an on-camera entertainment host in Los Angeles. Before awards shows, every reporter and actress I knew had appointments at The Clinic to help get their skin glowing. I recently met up with Kate, to talk about her newest products in her eponymous line.
The Happygirl: Hi Kate. I am a big fan of your products. I religiously use ExfoliKate and your Somerville360 Tanning Towelettes. There’s a new product out though that beauty editors, Kate Somerville fans and your celebrity clientele are excited about.
Kate Somerville: Well, we have a new product, RetAsphere, that actually gets rid of your wrinkles. It depends, of course, on how deep they are. This is a product with Retinol. A lot of my clients have used Retinol or Retin-A throughout the years and they have had irritation. You can get red and flaky and your skin can look not so good for 3 to 4 weeks. I came out with a Retinol based product that is great for sensitive skin. It is an incredible technology called Smart Release. It is time release. If you look at the cream with a microscope you would see spheres. Around the spheres are lipids which match our skin. Inside the lipid is the Retinol in its purest form. Retinols can oxidize when they hit the air and when you put it directly on the skin you can get what I call flash-burn. It irritates the skin. With this product, however, because this is encapsulated inside the lipid, the lipid melts so it is your moisturizer and as it melts it releases the Retinol. You get those incredible results without the irritation.
Kate Somerville: People ask me what Retinols do. They ask me why they need this. Retinol turns over your skin cells faster. That means that the damage comes off. If you turn over the skin cells faster you get rid of damage and the years of damage that we have done to ourselves. Your skin will look a lot better as you age. If you are sensitive to Retinols, use it twice a week. This is your night cream so it’s two in one -- your Retinol and your night time moisturizer.
The Happygirl: Sitting across from you, your skin is flawless. What products do you use?
Kate Somerville: My favorites are my Gentle Daily Wash. It’s sulfate free and it doesn’t strip my skin. I am a no nonsense girl. It gets my make-up off in one fell swoop. I feel clean and I don’t feel stripped. Then Dermal Quench Liquid Lift, derived off my best and most famous clinic treatment called Dermal Quench. This is Hyaluronic Acid and oxygen. Every morning I get an oxygen blast. It lifts, plumps and keeps my skin really hydrated. I fly a lot and this helps me on airplanes. Then I do a little bit of Quench. This product has been in my line for 11 years. It is full of lipids and Hyaluronic Acid. Then I do Deep Tissue Repair which is my absolute favorite. It has eight different peptides in it. I feel that’s what keeps me looking youthful. Then my SPF 55 sunscreen if I am going to be out in the sun a lot. If I’m not out in the sun, I’ll use Jane Iredale makeup. I love a powder foundation. At night is when I do my Retinols and of course, ExfoliKate twice a week and Clinic-to-go pads once a week. Those are Lactic Acid peeling pads. It keeps my skin fresh. I am in the sun a lot. I live in Santa Barbara and I have an 11 year old. We are out in the ocean a lot!
The Happygirl: I LOVE your Tanning Towelletes. When I fly to the east coast I always fly make-free up free and apply a Tanning Towelette before take off. I land with an incredible glow.
Kate Somerville: I do those once a week. I don’t ever miss doing it. A little healthy color.
The Happygirl: A little healthy color makes me a happygirl. What makes you a happygirl?
Kate Somerville: Oh, my gosh. What makes me a happygirl? Well, first off my family, my little boy. Just waking up with him every day and smelling him and kissing his sweet little face. So, that makes me the happiest. Being in nature. . .I am a nature girl. Really understand that’s so basic, you know. Just bringing you back to earth and enjoying the time we are on the planet and caring for the planet. That REALLY makes me happy.
The Happygirl: Is there anything that makes you happy when you’re not having the greatest day? Music?
Kate Somerville: Definitely music can turn my whole world around in seconds but I’m a foodie. I love--honestly, this is what makes me happy: A bean and cheese burrito with chips and salsa and a really good margarita. Literally if you want a happy girl just put me right there in the sun. (laughs)
