Since she gave us so much information during our interview, we thought it only right that we give Lanna Kamilina’s advice in two installments. The first, published in the last issue, dealt mainly with hair. In this week’s, you’ll be the first to know what she considers beauty to be, as well as get to know Kamilina more in-depth.
Beautiful inside and out, Kamilina is the proud owner of two salons that bear her name. The Lanna Kamilina beauty salons, which exude an aura of freshness, are located near the Tretyakov Gallery and at the Moscow Golf Club on Dovghenko Ul. They offer a full array of services that are guaranteed to make you feel and look great.

When asked about women who you admire, you named Coco Chanel and Vivien Westwood. Why?
Maybe because they’re so different, yet both geniuses. These are women who have experienced it all, and came out on top. For me, both symbolize independence and strong personalities. And their zest for life is infectious! I’ve come to the conclusion that we seem to like people who have a lot in common with us, and we don’t like people whose bad habits or nasty traits of character are similar to ours.

Men must have showered thousands of compliments upon you, saying you look like a movie star. Is it flattering to you?
No one wants to be compared with anybody else. We are all so different and unique, like haute-couture items. I’m against copying images, because it sets limits on your imagination and inspiration.

Have you ever felt not-so-beautiful? Say, in childhood or in school…
I don’t think so. I always had many admirers close by, guys who were either seven years my senior or four years younger than me. I received so many love letters that I even felt shy before my school girlfriends. But there was a time when I was into gymnastics. Since I permanently had to diet, I was extremely skinny and had very thin knees and elbows. Other girls at school were womanly shaped, and I was so jealous, thinking there’s something totally wrong with me. Once all our gymnasts had to team up for a group photo. As I wanted to look like a plump girl, I decided that the best variant would be simply to blow up my cheeks. When one of my friends looked at the photo, he asked me why I had decided to pose as a hamster.

You worked in France. What can you say about French women?
French women are well-groomed, and they have impeccable style. They take care of themselves day and night, using special creams and products to keep up their beauty and protect their skin form harmful environmental influences. Although French women are so progressive in beauty matters, I met many elderly women who are proud of their age and wouldn’t hide a single wrinkle on their faces, because, whatever their exact dates of birth are, they’re still anxious to look beautiful. It’s very important to be aware of your beauty, to believe in it. But, unfortunately, French women turned out to be very conservative, that’s why I found it quite boring to work with them. Whenever you suggest that she change the color of her lipstick, she says "no!" Any experiments with colors scare French women to death. They all seem to stick to the traditional style of elegant classics, and wouldn’t betray it for anything. Unlike their French neighbors, Italian women are into experiments with their images and styles.

There’s a unique spa program at your salon. What’s it all about?
We have five different spa programs; each is supposed to last from four-and-a-half to six hours. So you can come in the morning, have a delicious breakfast ordered from the Aldebaran cafe and then treat yourself to our specialty, a unique stone-massage that lasts for two hours, including aromatherapy. Even men find it fantastic! The thing about these stones is that they absorb heat very quickly, but give it back slowly. They’re very expensive: The stones necessary for one treatment cost $500. But, obviously, it’s worth it. A few hours later, you’ll feel as if you’ve spent a couple of weeks at a Swiss resort.

What achievements have you reached recently?
I’m extremely proud of the fact that world-known brand Nina Ricci has agreed to display its famous cosmetics at Lanna Kamilina salons. I consider it an honor. I like to work with Nina Ricci beauty products, because they are simple in use and super in quality. Yesterday, in my joy, I made up all our staff. Making people look beautiful comes naturally to me.