This month, we’re delighted to catch up with Annabel Langbein and her daughter Rose, who’ve shared the traditions and rituals that have been passed down between mother and daughter and what traits in each other inspire them the most.

What skincare rituals and traditions have been passed down from mother to daughter? 

Rose — Annabel has taught me the value of a good nights sleep, drinking lots of water, and eating as many fresh vegetables as you can. 

A philosophy we share is of creating little rituals and moments in your day that you can look forward to — whether that’s a cup of tea in bed in the morning, a few pages of a book in the sun, or a skincare routine before bed. Like eating well, looking after your skin is a really good way to nourish yourself, feel grounded, and take some quality time for yourself in the busyness of life.

AnnabelI have always been mindful of the food we eat — when the kids were growing up we had a ‘no barcodes’ rule — food was to be as minimally processed, and fruit and vegetables should be free from pesticides and chemicals whenever possible. This extends to skincare too — whatever goes on your skin goes into your body as well. I hope I have taught Rose to be as considerate towards your body and the planet as possible when it comes to skincare.

When do you feel most connected to one another?

Rose — For me, it’s definitely when we are cooking together. Wherever we are, when we are cooking, it always feels like home. We have a shared language when it comes to food and can finish each other's dishes without so much as a word. It’s a very special thing that I feel immensely grateful for.

We both travel a lot — spending time cooking is a great way to feel at home wherever you are. When we share our travel stories with each other, we always talk about the food we cooked — what we found at the market, what was growing locally, and what we created with it. It gives us both so much stimulation and joy. The kitchen really is the heart of the home — a place you can all come together to break bread, hang out, and spend quality time together. 

Annabel At our home in Wānaka is where I feel most connected to Rose. My husband Ted and I have built an incredible garden that we can live out of. We’ve spent so much time here as a family, and in recent years I’ve been teaching Rose more about gardening and growing food. 

My favourite thing to do with Rose is to head up to the garden, see what is growing, and decide what we are going to cook together. We are guided by the seasons. We will often riff ideas off each other until we have a menu that we both can’t wait to make and eat, and then we head back down the hill to the kitchen to create! It’s so much fun, and a very simple rhythm of life. 

Can you recall any memories from childhood of your mother’s skincare routine that give you a sense of nostalgia?

Rose - There was this one moisturiser that Ted, my dad, would buy for Annabel at Christmas. It smelled of quinces. That’s a very nostalgic smell for me — we also have a big quince tree in the garden in Wānaka, and often use the fruit and leaves to decorate our dining table. 

Is there a piece of skincare advice that your mother has instilled in you that’s really stuck with you over the years?

Rose - Sunscreen!! Annabel has drilled into me the importance of wearing sunscreen on my face every day, especially in NZ as our sun is so strong here. Whilst it definitely frustrated me as a child — “muuumm I’m fine, leave me alone!”. I’m grateful for that now. We’re also big on hats — another childhood grievance.

What’s something you have learnt from your daughter?

Annabel  Rose has taught me to take time and think deeply about things before you react. Rose is incredibly patient, gracious and thoughtful, which I greatly appreciate. I’m really proud that Rose has taught me about the importance of making ethical decisions. You really do vote with your purse, and even if it’s all you can do, you have a responsibility, if you can, to be thoughtful.

What’s been your biggest ‘proud mum’ moment?

Annabel  I’ve been incredibly proud of Rose’s courage and curiosity. Rose has a fantastic spirit of adventure and she is tenacious — once she has decided she’s going to do something, she does it. I was so proud of when Rose was in New York and the world crumbled around her — she was in the midst of a pandemic, lost her job, there was so much social change and upheaval around her, and uncertainty of what was to come. Rose decided to stay in New York and ride it out — she got a new job, bore witness to so much social change, learnt a lot, picked herself up, and made it work. 

What’s been your biggest ‘proud daughter’ moment?

Rose - There are so many! I think as I’ve gotten older I’ve gained more and more respect for Annabel and all that she has achieved. After publishing a couple of books together I have a lot more understanding of what it takes and the production process. I have so much respect for the amount of work Annabel has done over the years — especially producing TV, which I wasn’t really around for as I had left home — so much hard work went into that and it was so successful, it’s incredible. I am so proud! I also know there will be many more moments in the future that I’m excited for, as new chapters announce themselves, and Annabel continues to charge ahead with creativity and bravery.

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