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Welcome to 24 Hours With, the series that takes you inside the daily lives of celebrities, tastemakers, founders, and experts. Read on to learn their daily beauty rituals, go-to meals, and favorite ways to unwind, from the moment they wake up until their head hits the pillow at night.
Amongst the actors, directors, producers, and celebrities who flocked to Venice, Italy, for the film festival was aesthetician Athena Hewett, founder of skincare brand Monastery, who sculpted the faces of stars like Greta Lee, Chloë Sevigny, Gemma Chan, and even director Sofia Coppola, who presented her upcoming film, Marc by Sofia, there. We caught up with Hewett on her busiest day at the festival, where she gave her clients an Italian glow, ate her way through Venice, got a sneak peek at Coppola’s film, and even partied at Diane Von Furstenberg’s lush home.
6:00 a.m. Normally, I get up at 6 a.m. at home, but in Venice I have been waking up to the alarm, which varies every day depending on how early my first client is. Fortunately, my jet lag wasn’t too bad this trip.
7:00 a.m. I get online immediately—typically straight to texting my team, then social-media accounts to read DMs, and then email. I’m used to this routine upon waking up, because my brand director lives in Europe, and when I wake up in California, it’s afternoon for her, and there are always things we need to talk about for the [Monastery Made]. After a quick online check-in, I grab a coffee and a croissant with a team member. The croissants were incredible from this little place so close to [our hotel]. After breakfast, I take my morning vitamin routine of Omi Hair Peptides, NAD, and Vitamin D.
9:00 a.m. When I’m working, I’m a five-minute-face kind of girl—if that. Weirdly, my skincare regimen is not some 10-step routine. It’s more like three steps. Five minutes with our Deep Red LED mask, followed by our soon-to-launch serum. I wait five minutes and then apply Attar, finish with SPF from My Light Saver, and I’m good to go.
Image courtesy of Athena Hewett
9:30 a.m. Every day is different in Venice, but my earliest start time has been 9:30 a.m. I pack my facial kit before bed each night, so I am ready to go the next morning. I don’t have a uniform; cool elegance trumps professionalism any day. As long as I feel myself in my outfit, I have enough room to move my arms, and my shirt is not so fancy that I would stress if it were stained with oil, then I’m good! You can never go wrong with a button-down. I bought one at a menswear shop here called Boggi, which I have been living in all week. I wear white tees a lot, which I get from my friend Kristin Klein. She’s the vintage queen and has the stuff at her store, Vacation SF.
This morning, I went to a salon near us and had them give me a blowout. I don’t usually do this, but to be honest, I thought it might make me feel a little more polished than usual for Sofia Coppola’s premiere tonight, and it did!
10 a.m. My clients are all different. I let my clients lead, and I follow their energy. Greta [Lee] and I chatted about our kids, as they’re similar ages; Rashida [Jones] had a super-fun vibe, with friends popping in and out. Actress Leslie Bibb even came in! Chloë [Sevigny] is as cool as you’d think, with a super-chill vibe. This was my first time meeting Gemma [Chan], so it was so fun to get to know her. She’s such a sweetie. Sofia [Coppola] and I connect on music, so she puts on music and it feels totally natural. Everyone was so happy to be in Venice. It’s such a beautiful city, and you could feel everyone’s energy reflective of that.
11 a.m. I have been obsessed with applying and reapplying a hydrating, moisture-locking serum that we are about to launch. It feels so hydrating and cooling—like a drink of water for my skin. Not only is it hydrating, but the packaging is so chic, so I get so excited to use it!
11:30 a.m. I don’t drink coffee directly before clients. I give myself at least a two-hour window between clients and caffeine. I’m really strict about it because I don’t think I perform as well in treatments with caffeine in my system. I need to be as chill as possible. We would eat a full lunch if we could, but it was usually just a slice of Neapolitan-style pizza, which is luckily very easy to find in Venice.
Image courtesy of Athena Hewett
12:00 p.m. I get back to the room and iron my new silk Jil Sander skirt and top that I purchased in Venice. I’m wearing Prada shoes for the premiere and Martiniano from Carmen Amsterdam for the after party. I then put on a face mask (one we haven’t released yet) and do my LED mask again. I pull out all the makeup I have on hand and give it my best shot. I love Fara Homidi concealer and blush. I’ve been testing a brow gel from Privet that I’m also loving. I finish with a lip gloss from Anfisa. I don’t typically wear fragrance when working unless it’s completely natural. I mix the Coppola Hydrating Essence and spray a little of the Regime de Flores Chloë Sevigny collab for a nice blend and some extra staying power.
Image courtesy of Athena Hewett
1:00 p.m. The premiere was on the island of Lido. We are leaving early for Lido at 12:30, and I’m so happy we did because we get to have a bite at the cutest little hotel and restaurant that was buzzing with film festival excitement.
2:00 p.m. Sofia’s premiere starts at 2:00 p.m. sharp. It was so, so good. After seeing it, I learned a lot about fashion history and Marc [Jacobs]. Sofia obviously did such an incredible job. It is all about Marc, but it still undeniably has that Sofia feeling. I love watching them together—they are so cute. They really love each other, and it’s clear that there’s a lot of mutual respect.
Image courtesy of Athena Hewett
6:00 p.m. We were invited to the intimate after party and Diane Von Fursterburg’s house. Diane is divine. Possibly the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, and just oozing coolness. What an iconic woman. Also, one of the most beautiful homes I’ve ever set foot in.
9:00 p.m. Sofia gave us her dinner reservation at probably the best restaurant in Venice, called Antiche Carampane. It is a very typical Italian trattoria style, down a narrow street in Venice. I have my favorite dish of the trip— a sea bass on eggplant. The vibe is chill; it was off the beaten path, but people in the know know to go here. Sofia gave us a couple of wine recommendations, too. It was a perfect way to end the trip in Venice.
Image courtesy of Athena Hewett
12:00 a.m. We leave a little after midnight—especially because we had an early flight the next day. I am flying back to California tomorrow morning to see my boys for five days, before heading to New York for Fashion Week. We have some events, but most importantly, I am doing the skin prep for the Khaite show, and then heading to L.A. for the Emmys the next day.
2:00 a.m. I do a little work—drafted some emails and Instagram stuff—when I got back. I always end the night with our retinol, Rei. It’s super moisturizing, gentle, and effective.
Rei Gentle Retinol Cream
The Deep Red LED Mask
Attar Floral Repair Concentrate
x Chloe Sevigny Little Flower Eau de Parfum
x Coppola Hideaways Essence
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