We’ve previously raved about our love for beauty brand Omorovicza, especially their amazing deep cleaning cleansing mask and gold sugar scrub which have both become firm fixtures in our weekly beauty routine, so naturally we jumped at the chance to interview co-founder of the brand Margaret de Heinrich. Founded in 2006 by Margaret and her husband, Stephen de Heinrich de Omorovicza, the formidable husband and wife team have grown Omorovicza into a successful global company adored by beauty insiders whom can’t get enough of their line of luxury skincare products. Here we get to know more about the woman behind the brand.
What’s a typical working day like for you?
Typically, I wake up at 5:45am and do meditation and work out, trying to get a bit of clarity before the chaos begins of getting 4 young children up and ready for school. After drop off, I head to the office and my work day is filled with meetings ranging from new products, distribution, creative, marketing, PR, HR…. At around 4, I leave to pick up the children and then it is homework, and getting them sorted with dinner and bedtime. I travel a lot for work and there are often lunches or dinner with our clients.
Most enjoyable and challenging aspect of your job?
I absolutely love building Omorovicza – helping to shape and grow our brand from the ground up is exciting especially the variety of things I get to work on, making every day unique. The challenging aspect of this is trying to balance work and family – as an entrepreneur and mother – there are lots of things pulling on my time and heart.
Top tips for maintaining a work/life balance?
This is really difficult and I wish more women spoke up honestly about these challenges. There are sadly no short cuts to replace hard work and focus, (I’ve certainly tried them all) despite how much joy your career and personal life brings you… however, we only have so much time in the day. By no means am I an expert on this and am still finding my way through the challenges however, a couple of things which have worked are:
- Having a healthy mind and body…So I meditate and eat well…it makes a huge difference
- Having a detailed daily schedule for the week written by Sunday afternoon and revised every evening before I go to bed (this includes personal time to read, exercise or just chill)…I appreciate that this sounds a bit nuts but I have found one of the worst demons is anxiety and a great way to reduce or eliminate anxiety is to be in charge of how your time is spent (this is a much bigger conversation)
If you could live in any other decade or century, which would it be and why?
Without giving it too much thought, I’d say Paris in the 1920s. I spent a summer at university in Paris, studying the writers and artists from this time and part of the curriculum was visiting all the places drew on for inspiration which loom large in their now famous works… it was such fun. The fashion from that time was pretty fab as well.
Which beauty item could you absolutely not live without?
So difficult to choose just one but assuming you have amazing skincare and do not need makeup, I would say lipstick is my one ‘musts’.
You’re stuck in a lift for 5 hours. Who would you love to spend your time with?
No question – my husband Stephen.
Favourite holiday destination and why?
The hotel in St Paul de Vence, La Colombe d’or. Stephen and I try to have a weekend there alone once a year…It is not particularly fancy in that the rooms are a bit tatty but honestly, you don’t even think about that as the walls are all covered in the most extraordinary art. Evidently, the hotel is where a lot of famous artists like Leger, Picasso, Calder, Brancusi would stay though when they could not afford to pay for a room or food, they would give their art…There is a fantastic pool and down the road, a great museum. One of the most effortlessly glamourous and hugely relaxing places I know..
You have 5 minutes to pack a weekend holiday bag; what would you take with you?
I am sailing around Ibiza later this summer so will put the following in my carry on bag…
- Iphone for books, music, photos and to stay in touch
- Carnal Flower perfume, Frederick Malle
- Omorovicza’s travel kit – all my favourite products I can pack in my carry on bag..
- Bathing suits – Camp Cove or Rye are brands I am loving now and kaftans I picked up in the Budapest market along with flip flops with a thin, gold leather strap I had handmade for me in Capri for a song.
- Shu Uemura Eye Lash Curler, Dior Show Mascara, Omorovicza BB Cream and Mineral Touch concealer, Tom Ford Highlighter duo, Serge Lutens Water Lip Color, Chanel Tisse Rivoli, Bobbi Brown long wear gel eyeliner
Do you have a fitness routine? If so, what does it entail?
I do a 7 minute workout every morning (or try to)…it is a brilliant app you can download on your phone
Best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Something I was told recently really resonated – it is how much ‘little things’ matter… whether it is doing a 7 minute workout in the morning, or sending an email to a friend just to say you are thinking of them, writing a thank you note, spending an afternoon with your children, having lunch outside on a park bench instead of at your desk, turning off your phone for the weekend…all these things, in isolation don’t seem like much but over time, they make an enormous difference as they not only change your behaviour patterns, they help change your state of mind.
