Not too long ago, I received an email from one of the biggest skincare brands in Malaysia on flying me across the ocean to interview a Hollywood A-lister. Although this was not my first time on such trips, I was still overwhelmed with excitement and feel blessed to be flown to Shanghai to meet the Queen 'B' of the hit series Gossip Girls, Leighton Meester. I packed some warm clothing and my Biotherm skincare kit to Waldorf Astoria on The Bund in Shanghai. Our first day was free and easy, so I decided to rest at the beautiful hotel they placed us in. The next day, our schedule consisted of interview slots and the launch event to reveal Leighton as the new face of Biotherm skincare.
We managed to have a little chat with Patrick Kullenberg, the International General Manager of Biotherm before lunch. He has such an amazing personality, in-depth knowledge of the world market and a pleasant man to have a conversation with! Here's what he had to say to us probing him with questions -
Us: What you think about the Asian women and their skincare lifestyle?
We managed to have a little chat with Patrick Kullenberg, the International General Manager of Biotherm before lunch. He has such an amazing personality, in-depth knowledge of the world market and a pleasant man to have a conversation with! Here's what he had to say to us probing him with questions -
Us: What you think about the Asian women and their skincare lifestyle?
Patrick: Asian consumers are the most demanding and the most expert, even Asian men! Mens skincare market is much bigger in Asia than in the West. By just looking at the sheer amount of product that Asian women use in their skincare routine, they are experts at finding what works for them as everyone is different. I met a woman here in China and she said "There is no such thing as an ugly woman, only a lazy woman".
Us: Nowadays with such busy lifestyles, there are markets for those who wants multi-functional products and less time spent on having an elaborate routine. What are your thoughts on this?
Patrick: Women today are expected to be at the top of everything, so product that help save time by combining things are helpful but it doesn't take away from the belief of having a ritual - detoxifying, cleansing, each has a role so I don't believe that there would be one product that could do everything.
Us: What's the ideal Biotherm women to you?
Patrick: Leighton (cheeky smile). Well, the ideal Biotherm women would be healthy, have a natural efficacy but at the same time are demanding - want products that save time but is a pleasure to use. It's not just about functionality, she also wants to enjoy life. She's also optimistic, lively and also believe that it's not just duty (to take care of self).
Us: So what is it about a woman that catches a man's eye.
Patrick: I would say it's the eyes. That's one of the things I love about Leighton - you can tell a lot from her eyes. There's charm, wit and depth. Healthy skin is also something that is important, as Biotherm concentrates on skincare.
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There were many more questions that we asked and Patrick, with his extensive knowledge on the skincare industry answered them with ease. We only had 20 minutes so we wrapped up and headed out for lunch before having the chance to interview Leighton in her suite.
It was about 5pm when we were finally ushered into her private suite living room in Waldorf Astoria. It was a tiny room with a couch, and a few chairs for a group of media from various publications. There weren't enough chairs as the rest were occupied and Leighton offered for her couch to be shared. No one seemed to got up from their seats so I immediately plopped myself right next to her and the first thing I noticed about Leighton, other than her lack of thick makeup was her beautiful skin. I doubt she was wearing concealer and it showed as her skin glows when she smiled and greeted us. This girl is real natural beauty. I was so close to her face, admiring her skin that it might look like I was practically scanning every little pore she had!
Questions after questions were asked on her beauty regime, her favourite Biotherm product and so on, and it was pretty obvious that her answers were very down-to-earth and unscripted. She was very honest and told us how she piled on makeup when she was much younger, thinking that she would look more beautiful. Only when she grew older, she finally found her confidence in looking au naturel whenever she can. She believes that she only tries her best to keep a good skincare routine, with great products such as Biotherm help her maintain her beauty and I couldn't agree more - the results are amazing. However, being beautiful isn't solely based on her exterior, her personality showed through with an amazingly positive aura and you can really tell how mature she is as a woman in a very demanding industry. A jack of all trades, Leighton is dabbling in all sorts of field - acting, singing, brand ambassador and recently found that she loves surfing.
I left the room in awe, not only by her beauty but also by her personality and the way she carries herself as a modern woman. Biotherm made the right choice to choose Leighton as their new face of the brand. The photos below were taken during the interview and also the launch event to reveal Leighton Meester as the new face of Biotherm.
