‘The crow of a local rooster and beaming golden sun wakes me early at our hired villa in St. Barthélemy. My husband strolls down to the local boulangerie while my mother and I set out fresh fruit and yoghurt on the terrace, we brew tea and then rouse my little girl, Delphina. We eat sitting watching the beautiful turquoise sea. I grew up coming to this tropical isle in the French West Indies, and even got married here, so the sun-drenched locale evokes some of my happiest memories.

‘My wardrobe here is completely different. Bright bikinis, light summery sundresses in a rainbow assortment and sandals are a refreshing breath from my usual neutral city attire. My skincare changes too. The weather is humid, so I leave my richer face creams at home, using instead our Jasmine and Lily Healing Mask as a cream, which creates a soothing barrier on my skin. I also use our Vital Essence serum, which is loaded with tons of antioxidants and vitamins to protect from free radicals. I give my face a break from makeup in the day, and just apply liberal amounts of our Ultra Sun Protection SPF50.

‘The beach is best early in the morning, before the sun gets too hot, and so after breakfast we head over to one of my favourites, Gouverneur, Saline or Flamands. Having my feet in the sand seems to pull all the stress out of my body, and the warm ocean waters relax tired muscles while the salt heals stressed-out skin. I emerge feeling really invigorated.

‘My parents could stay at the beach all day, but when the sun gets too intense I head to the charming port town of Gustavia, where there are some wonderful boutiques. I dip into the original Calypso store or Vanita Rosa for fashion finds or Human Steps for accessories. I also can’t resist the Liberty print dresses at Poppy for my daughter.

‘For lunch we’ll all meet up at the Eden Rock for a light seafood lunch or pizza at Jean-Georges’ Sand Bar or to La Gloriette on the Grand Cul de Sac, where you can sit with your feet in the sand. In the afternoon, we might head to the bay of St. Jean to paddle board or snorkel in the large reef, or stop by Clic gallery, which shows photography and has a large bookstore.

‘I always bring a great selection of books and magazines with me and in the early evenings I relax in a chaise, listening to the birds cooing around me as I flip the pages. Occasionally, I’ll even spot a hummingbird. Then as dusk falls, I brush on a bold lip colour and St. Barth’s bronzer, which was inspired by our time here, and head out to dinner.

‘We always enjoy trying new places. Our favourites are L’Esprit and local institution Maya’s – the proprietor Maya cooks like a dream and is a dear friend – but there are always new places popping up. After eating, we join the crowds of visitors admiring the glamorous yachts in the port. Over the years we have gotten to know a few of the families with houses here. You never quite know who you’ll run in to but there will always be a familiar face or two smiling back.’