Cosmetics guru Gucci Westman on probiotic skincare, transcendental meditation – and the joy of Guinness

My personal style signifier is the way I pair things – my look is part menswear-inspired and part French-girl chic. I value quiet elegance. I don’t like anything too complicated or trippy. I also love it when things fit well but are efficient too, like Deborah Pagani’s hair pins – both beautiful and solid.

The last thing I bought and loved was a jasmine plant that sits in my bedroom, which I love for its soothing scent at night. I bought it from a nursery in Bedford, New York, called Perennial Gardens.

And on my wishlist is a pair of Tucci riding boots. Horse riding has been my passion since I was about 10. When my family moved to Sweden, I started looking for something to do during the summer and found a local stables. We couldn’t really afford riding lessons, so I would groom the horses and muck out to pay for them. That’s where it started. I used to jump but switched to dressage because I’ve become a bit of a scaredy-cat in my older days.

The best souvenir I’ve brought home is a hot-chocolate pot from Les Fermes de Marie in Megève, where we once spent the Christmas holidays skiing. The hotel is like something out of a fairytale, and they serve hot chocolate in beautiful white pots with long wooden handles. The pour is precise and functional.

My beauty and wellbeing gurus are Anthony Deliperi and Lionel Atzas at David Mallett for my hair colour. I also love a strong, powerful, sculpting facial. I used to get one once a month, but now I’m all about home techniques to keep myself together. Anastasia Achilleos taught me some massaging movements, and I also use Joanna Czech’s facial massager and Georgia Louise’s GLOLite LED mask.

My style icon is Gabriela Hearst. I love how she views women, and her clothes fit me really well. She takes every aspect into consideration. Her dedication to sustainability is also inspiring – she’s been plastic-free since 2019. When you see her garments, you can feel the integrity of them. The Erella and Jane shirt dresses from the new collection are particularly elegant. Erella, $3,990; Jane, from $1,750

In my fridge you’ll always find homemade almond milk, blueberries, avocados and probiotics from SEED, Moon Juice and The Nue Co – I like to add them to my morning smoothie, which is a simple way to make sure I’m giving my body what it needs.

The last music I downloaded was [the EP] Nimble Minds by Central Plains, which is my brother Nik’s band. His music makes me feel his soulful personality. Seeing him live is amazing – he’s such a maker of happiness. He and my dad sang at my wedding.

The best gift I’ve received recently was four hydrangea plants for Mother’s Day. For the past few years, my husband David has planted my favourite flowers in the garden. One year it was a weeping cherry-blossom tree, last year he planted lilacs, and this year it was hydrangeas.

The beauty staple I’m never without is my entire make-up wardrobe from Westman Atelier. It’s a system so everything is designed to work together, but if I could only use one product it would be the Vital Skin Foundation Stick, which soothes, calms and balances my rosacea. And for someone new to the range I’d suggest starting with the Super Loaded Tinted Highlight – it’s an all-in-one product for warmth, definition and luminosity. It’s fun to play around with make-up – I’m wearing more than I ever have. It can make people feel better, and I’m very happy if I can be a part of that. Vital Skin Foundation Stick, £62, Super Loaded Tinted Highlight, £69, at Cult Beauty

With time on my hands, I meditate. I like doing Transcendental Meditation (TM) because it’s very easy to incorporate into a busy schedule. I grew up with parents who were always meditating – my dad worked with the Maharishi to spread the practice of TM.

The last item of clothing I added to my wardrobe was a silk Mariano dress by Gabriela Hearst in a butterfly print, which I wear with simple white trainers from Rag & Bone. It makes me feel confident and beautiful.  

The one artist whose work I would collect if I could is the Swedish abstract painter Hilma af Klint, who produced work in the early 1900s. My daughter and I went to a mindblowing show of her work in New York last year. She was a mystic and her art feels so free and uninhibited. It was empowering to see the pictures – it must have felt incredible for women to see that at that time. 

I’ve recently discovered paddleboarding. I love it. When I’m in the Hamptons, I do something called Beach Bootcamp, then I do Taryn Toomey’s cult body-and-mind workout The Class, and then I go paddleboarding.

The best book I’ve read in the past year is Freedom Is an Inside Job by Zainab Salbi. I attended a panel with Salbi and was struck by her resilience and strength. It’s a complete head-turner of a book. I love how open and honest she is about facing her own darkness within. Next on my list is Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House, about a pair of siblings over the course of half a century who live in the shadow of their childhood home.

I have a collection of skincare products that is constantly evolving. I’m always on the lookout for anything that can help my rosacea. I love Aurelia, particularly the Probiotic Skincare Revitalise & Glow Serum, as well as d’Alchémy and Kat Burki, as I tend to alternate products when I feel like my skin is getting tired of reacting to them. Probiotics help to restore and balance your skin from within – it’s important for anyone suffering with redness or inflammation, like myself.  

The blog I’ve been reading is Bill Gates’s Gates Notes. He sheds light on global current affairs and what could happen next, but there’s always some sort of positive message. It’s important to feel there might be silver linings out there – it’s not all doom and gloom.

A recent “find” is my Instant Pot Vortex 4-in-1 Air Fryer. Oh, it’s so good. You can make really delicious French fries or falafel and they don’t have to be deep-fried. 

If I had to limit my shopping to one neighbourhood in one city, I’d choose Ginza in Tokyo. Everything is so special and unusual – it’s unlike any other shopping destination in the world. My favourite places to visit are Dover Street Market, Itoya – which has 12 floors dedicated to writing and craft materials – Kyukyodo for calligraphy supplies, and Kohgen Ginza for incense sticks. Dover Street Market Ginza, 6-9-5 Ginza; Itoya, 2-7-15 Ginza; Kyukyodo, 5-7-4 Ginza, Kohgen Ginza, 4-14-15 Ginza; all in Chuo City, 104-0061 Tokyo

If I didn’t live in Bedford, New York, I would live in County Clare on the west coast of Ireland, where my brother got married. The people are so warm and genuine – not to mention that it’s one of the most beautiful places on Earth. My grandparents were Irish, so I’ve always felt a connection there. When we visit, I like to drink Guinness, eat soda bread with cheddar and cucumber, and watch rugby in the pub. Adare Manor in Limerick is also beautiful.

My favourite apps are PictureThis, which I use to identify and learn about different plants and flowers, and Vivino for buying wine.