With more than two decades of experience leading marketing strategies for top beauty brands, Michele Snyder, chief marketing and innovation officer for Image Skincare is a seasoned beauty executive. She has held prominent leadership positions at Dr. Dennis Gross, Clarisonic, and Skinceuticals. Her passion for building global brands and developing talent has helped her climb to the top, specializing in brand strategy, product innovation, multi-channel marketing, advertising, and more. Here, she shares how she maintains her personal wellbeing.
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness to me is holistic. It involves thinking about spirit, mind, and how that is reflected on the outside as well. It’s about what you eat, how you project your energy, and it starts inside. Taking the time to be mindful of everything you do and what you’re doing to your skin and body. It’s about what you’re putting into it, and how you’re taking care of it.
What are your favorite things to do to maintain your personal wellbeing?
I love to take hikes and go to destination spas that have an outdoor feature. I love that everything is dedicated to centering your wellness. Additionally, I really enjoy my alone time, including taking a bath and reading a book.
What is your favorite self-care routine?
I always make time for my morning and nighttime skincare routines. I’ve worked in the skincare industry for more than two decades, so I take my skincare seriously. For my morning routine, I use the Biome + Cleanser and Ageless Cleanser for a double cleanse to help soothe and calm my skin. Then, I apply the IMAGE MD Power C Serum as well the Max Cream with peptides for extra hydration and anti-aging properties. For my daily sun protection, I use IMAGE Skincare’s new Daily Prevention Advanced Smartblend Mineral Moisturizer SPF 75 and SPF 40 Protect + Refresh Mist for reapplication. which is a new launch I’m excited about. At night, I add the IMAGE MD Retinol Booster to my routine as well.
Is there a specific fitness activity that you love and why?
I really enjoy hiking and walking as my main activity, as well as an occasional yoga practice.
What is your favorite healthy food, and do you have a favorite way of preparing it?
I’ve cut out bread recently and have been loving spaghetti squash and cauliflower as bread alternatives. I also love wood-fired veggies and fish.
What is your favorite healthy beverage (alcoholic or non-alcoholic), and do you have any insider tips for preparing it?
Hot herbal tea with local honey and water. Loose tea is the best with a tea steeper. I love adding turmeric powder to my water to beat inflammation as well.
What is your greatest wellness achievement?
During the pandemic in 2020, I started to incorporate gratitude walks into my morning routine and now I can’t start my morning without one. This addition to my routine has made a huge difference in how I show up for myself every day.
What person in wellness do you most admire and why?
I admire and appreciate pioneers in the wellness space such as Mel and Enid Zuckerman, who founded Canyon Ranch in 1979. Destination spas are a really important partner in our industry. Janna Ronert, our founder, is also a pioneer of the wellness industry who made high-performing self-care and wellness more accessible before anyone else in the early 2000s. Most skincare was bought in department stores, while Janna was partnering with spas to bring wellness and skincare together when few others were this performance-driven in the beauty space.
What do you think is the most exciting wellness innovation you have recently discovered?
I find infrared-sauna blankets super fascinating as well as our new IMAGE Skincare Daily Prevention launch. Our newest sun-care launch is made with a patent-pending technology that is the first in the market, with a product specifically designed to soothe post-procedure skin.
What is your idea of balanced healthy happiness?
The definition of healthy happiness is the continuous happiness of something you already have. It’s about being satisfied with what you have in your life and remembering that what you have is enough to make you happy.
What do you think is the most overused word or words in wellness?
Calling something “clean” In the wellness industry is a very overused term and not well defined. It’s hard to put a definition on what “clean” really means in beauty and wellness products.
What is your favorite place for a healthy vacation or escape?
Miraval in the Berkshires is my favorite. In New York, the Mohonk Mountain House is great. When you go to their spa, you can access their pool and other amenities such as their incredible hiking trails. I also love the Eau Palm Beach Resort + Spa when I go down to Florida for business purposes.
What is your go-to for de-stressing?
Gratitude walks, yoga, and hiking
What aspect of your wellbeing do you struggle with the most or would most like to improve?
Work-life balance and taking time to balance my wellbeing while excelling in the workplace. Excellence is something you can’t do in small spurts, so balancing these two is a challenge.
What wellness-related books or authors do you recommend, and why?
Brené Brown—I love and read all her books. Leadership books by John Gordon are great for healthy interactions with your team and other people. To me, it’s about being the best version of yourself when you show up to work and lead a team. There are some really great wellness books out there, but I’m not reading those just yet.
How do you celebrate small victories?
Sharing victories with others. A part of working on wellness is working on relationships with your team, family, and friends. Sharing a small victory with a loved one is the best way to celebrate.
What brings you joy?
Hiking and cooking with friends and family.
