Outspoken Beauty

When I first met Becki she was the beauty editor at Harper's Bazaar and I remember being struck by how down to earth and thoroughly lovely she was. She was also one of my favourite types of journalist, a woman with a thirst for knowledge and who asked all the right questions of the beauty brands at the various press events that we found ourselves at.Fast forward a few years and Becki is a leading cosmetic science journalist who has studied it at length. She gets skin, she certainly gets skincare and I trust her opinion on products and formulations implicitly.In this episode we talk about skincare, ingredients and brands that we trust. Becki cuts through the beauty BS, chats about what works and doesn't and also goes into the future of skincare. It's a fascinating listen for anyone who loves skincare and wants to be more mindful about what they invest in. It's also a great opportunity to find out about the exciting things that are happening in the industry.I love this woman and am so impressed with the way that she's followed her passion for cosmetic science and carved out a career in journalism that fascinates her!

Aesthetician extraordinaire Dr Sophie Shotter is back on the podcast and for good reason. She is one of the beauty industry greats with a huge knowledge of skin, hormones and health and a constant thirst to learn more and be at the forefront of the latest innovations.In this episode we're talking about the benefit of seeing a skin professional, the skincare brands that stand out because of the incredible research they're doing, hormones and how to get more insight into whether you're perimenopausal or not and we also talk about the latest treatments that Sophie is offering.The episode is brimming with amazing information and advice and is definitely for you if skincare is your thing.If you'd like to connect with Sophie then you can find her here

In this week's Minipod I'm pondering on the intimate interview with Sarah Jessica Parker I attended earlier this week. She inspired the entire audience and her conversation about ageing was so incredibly refreshing.I'm also talking about my obsession with having another tattoo now I've had one (apparently this is a thing!), the incredibly uplifting confidence workshop I did with some school children this week and I have the perfect fragrance to tell you about. It layers with everything but also stands on it's own as a thoroughly sexy skin scent with staying power. Oh and if you're after glossy, expensive looking hair, I have just the thing.Enjoy xx

The utterly fabulous Bryony Blake is back and this week we're talking about:My first hangover in ages and how it happenedWhat happened when Louis' friend walked in on me when I was getting dressedBryony's experience of soft playWhy we rarely talk about sex with long term partnersand much morePLUS we have some great beauty, book and fashion recommendations this week, including the most wonderful retinoid that will be available soon.Enjoy!

* This Episode is in Partnership with Forest Essentials *Beauty is no longer just about putting a product on your face and expecting miraculous results the next morning. We're so much more educated about the holistic approach we need to take, with what we put into our bodies being just as important as what we put on our skin. We also know that looking after our stress levels and moving our bodies also contribute greatly to the glow that we covet.It's for this reason that I'm so excited to do an episode with Forest Essentials. This incredible Indian brand has holistic beauty and the ancient traditions of Ayurverda running through everything that it does. When you buy beauty products from them you are also entering a world of health, wellbeing, truly stunning ingredients and guidance, with Ayurverda experts both instore and online to help you understand yourself and your health better and to help you choose the products that are right for you.During the episode I chat to the incredible Dr Shweta who is not only a surgeon but an expert in Ayurverdic Medicine. Dr Shweta explains how Ayurverda works and why it is so important to her to bring it to as many people as possible. She goes on to explain why she has chosen to work with Forest Essentials and what she loves about them.I also chat to Sanya Dawar who is the Head of Communications and Marketing at Forest Essentials. She's been there since the start and is so incredibly passionate about everything that they do and stand for. She gives a great insight into why the brand is so special.Finally, I talk about some of the products that I love and why I think that Forest Essentials is a truly magical brand that is worth a really good exploration.Their incredible Covent Garden Store can be found at 28 James Street, Covent Garden, London.Here's a link to their UK websiteand check them out on Insta too

In this week's episode I'm recounting a really important conversation I had with the amazing nutritionist and my friend Charlotte Faure Green about exercise and why we do it. If, like me, you're finding it hard to get motivated then I have a feeling that this will really help you.I'm also talking about the cosiest candle that I can't get enough of, a foolproof brow product and what I've spent my birthday money on.Finally, I've found the best ever white shirt in River Island. I chat about it during the episode but will ensure that I link to it on Instagram too (@outspokenbeautynicola).

In this week's episode of My Beauty Habits I'm chatting to interior designer, author, entrepreneur and former Dragon Kelly Hoppen CBE.During the episode we chat about Kelly's refreshing and inspiring attitude to ageing, why manicures matter, the fragrance that has everyone asking what she's wearing and why healthy eating and exercise are such a vital part of her life.Kelly is a total breath of fresh air and I found myself feeling invigorated and energised after our chat. Enjoy listening to what makes this brilliant woman tick!* During the episode I mention that Kelly designed George Michael's home. She in fact worked with Boy George.

In this episode I speak to mother, author, speaker and creator of Imaginarium TV, Marina Magdalena.Marina speaks openly about her children who are both neurodiverse and who she has decided to home school as the education system wasn't working for them.Following from her experience with her children, she wrote a book called called About Last Summer which stars a teenage girl with ADHD. This then led to her own diagnosis of ADHD.At a time when more and more women are discovering they have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, in a landscape where historically both girls and women have been chronically underdiagnosed, this episode is honest, enlightening and I hope will open up a conversation that will help lots of us.

In this week's Minipod I'm telling you all about my very last minute decision to have a tattoo to celebrate my 43rd birthday. How did the family react? What after care product has Sali Hughes told me to use and will I get more??!!I also have two AMAZING fragrance recommendations. One is from Zara, is made by one of the best perfumers in the world and is £25 (it smells like it's worth 5 times that) and the other is pricier but just so utterly addictive that I can't get it out of my head.I also have info about gold boots, ask you if Reformer Pilates really is as good as everyone seems to thing it is (better be for the price) and tell you about a French makeup brand that only uses dyes from plants.Enjoy my lovely Outspoken Beauties x

It's officially Bryony Blake time and this week we're talking about:An incredibly embarrassing thing that happened to me in a public place (warning: it's not for the faint-hearted)The fly that made the horror film even scarier.Why Bryony wasn't scared during one of the scariest theatre productions ever because the bad makeup was bugging herSnakes and why they should NEVER be worn as tiesSibling relationshipsand of COURSE we have lots of lovely beauty recommendations for you.Don't miss it Outspoken Beauties xx