Outspoken Beauty

If skincare is your thing then this episode is 100% for you. I'm joined by award-winning skin lecturer, multi-award winning dermal facialist/aesthetician, founder of online skin consultancy/community The Skin Nerd and creator of skincare brand Skingredients (wow she's achieved a lot) Jennifer Rock.Jenn shares her incredible career story, talks and guides us through her skin ethos and then answers a load of your questions covering everything from hormonal acne to rosacea to retinol.Jennifer is up there with the very best skin experts (her knowledge and education is mind blowing) and has also got the most wonderful, positive personality. It was an absolute pleasure to learn from her and to get to know her.On a personal level, I'm a huge fan of her Skingredients range and also recommend that you connect with Skin Nerds if you need guidance on your own skin journey.Enjoy this episode. It's a good one :0)

In this episode of #MyBeautyHabits I get to know the brilliant Jane Cunningham aka British Beauty Blogger.Jane launched British Beauty Blogger in order to talk about beauty products in a way that wasn't possible as a journalist. She is renowned for her honest, no BS approach and has a huge and very loyal following. Jane is also fiercely pro-ageing and only ever works with brands that she is passionate about. She is my kind of woman in so many ways!In this episode we talk about Jane's views on the beauty industry, her approach to her work, what it takes to be a successful beauty writer and we get to know about the products and rituals that she loves.If you've never read britishbeautyblogger.com then please do check it out. Jane's a brilliant writer and her honesty is just so refreshing.

#TheOutspoken is the only podcast where you, the listener takes charge of the conversation and in Episode 7 we're tackling our toughest topic yet....Coercive Control.When a listener got in touch to say that she wanted to tell the story of the abuse she suffered in her marriage, she was incredibly nervous yet certain that is felt like the right thing to do. In this episode she tells us what it felt like to be caught in a relationship where her husband gradually reduced and controlled her in practically every way. She wanted to tell her story, in her words, "not out of revenge to my ex, but because if I can help one person in a similar situation to the one I was in, I will have done my job".Later on I interview Dr Emma Katz who is a Senior Lecturer in Childhood and Youth at Liverpool Hope University as well as being an expert on Coercive Control. Dr Emma talks us through all the warning signs to look out for and how to get help when you're in a relationship like this.If you listen to this episode and need help or advice, Dr Emma has kindly provided these links for us:Surviving Economic Abuse: https://survivingeconomicabuse.org/Freephone 24 hr National Domestic Violence Helpline - 0808 2000 247Get support from Women's Aid over live chat: https://chat.womensaid.org.uk/Refuge: https://www.refuge.org.uk/get-involved/contact-us/The Men’s Advice Line for male domestic abuse survivors - 0808 801 0327National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans+ Domestic Abuse Helpline - 0800 999 5428Helpful books: ⦁ Invisible Chains: Overcoming Coercive Control in Your Intimate Relationship⦁ Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling MenDr Emma Katz's work, which focuses on impacts of coercive control on children and mothersWhen Coercive Control Continues to Harm Children: Post-Separation Fathering, Stalking, and Domestic Violence Coercive Control: Five Factors that Influence Closeness, Distance and Strain in Mother-Child RelationshipsHow Children Living with Domestic Violence are Harmed By and Resist Regimes of Coercive ControlRecovery-Promoters: Ways that Mothers and Children Support One Another’s Recoveries from Domestic ViolenceIf you have something that you would like to talk about on #TheOutspoken email me nicola@outspokenbeauty.co.uk

In this episode I get to know a vivacious entrepreneur with a wonderfully dirty laugh. It's the brilliant Winnie Awa who is on a mission to revolutionise the hair industry.Winnie was struck by how many women with textured hair were struggling to find the right products and advice so she went about setting up Antidote Street which is an online destination where you can get advice and direction on how to do the best for your hair. They work with clever algorithms, do online consultations with hair experts and have the ability to direct women from all around the world to stockists of hair products that will work for their individual needs. (She is taking personalisation to a whole new level).During the episode I get to know Winnie's personal story (I love hearing about her family), the reason why her company is going to change the hair industry and she makes me even more certain that with energy, ambition and hard graft, anything is possible.

In this episode of #MyBeautyHabits I get to know the gorgeous Lisa Armstrong.Lisa is not only the head of makeup design for Strictly Come Dancing but she has also just developed her own (incredible) makeup line.Lisa and I have a good old gossip and giggle about disco dancing, life after being in a pop group, her makeup artist journey, working on Strictly and about how she has named her lipstick collection after her closest girl friends.We also chat about the beauty products that Lisa loves and the fragrance that she can't be without.I honestly felt like I was chatting to an old friend even though this was the first time I've met Lisa. You're going to love her xx

If you're on the approach to a big birthday and like me you're feeling a little over-whelmed/in denial/potentially but not definitely in the category of mid-life-crisis then this episode is for you.Tova Leigh (one of the most talented and hilarious content creators out there) was getting on with life as a mother in her 40's when she realised that she just wasn't fulfilled. To everyone else she had the perfect life but inside she felt trapped, empty and redundant as a woman. So she decided to change things up and do things she never dreamt were possible. In this episode we talk about changing our lives and re-discovering ourselves as women. From climbing Everest to going to sex parties, Tova has done things her way but I hope that whatever stage of life you find yourself at, if you're feeling the need to be you again, that this incredible episode will inspire you to make that change.I can't recommend Tova's book enough by the way. You can get F*cked At 40 here:https://www.amazon.co.uk/cked-40-Suburbia-Monogamy-Stretch/dp/1786782693/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1601151390&refinements=p_27%3ATova+Leigh&s=books&sr=1-1

Joining me for this episode of #MyBeautyHabits is the wonderful SJ Thomson. SJ is the Digital Manager for Covent Garden London and when I first met her I was totally bowled over by her energy, passion, bright red hair and absolute love/addiction for all things beauty.Since meeting SJ a year or so ago we've gone for many a meal/cocktail and amongst the laughter, work and life chat we always end up having a good old gossip about beauty. I always leave our catch ups feeling so excited and uplifted so I thought I better share her with you. You're going to love getting to know SJ and her beauty habits.

Welcome to Episode 6 of #TheOutspoken, the podcast where you the listener takes charge and decides the things that we really need to talk about.In this episode it's all about body positivity (or lack of it).Outspoken Community member Jennifer Brown got in touch to talk about the way that she is judged both for putting on weight and wanting to lose it and that she is tired of having to worry about how others will judge her every time that she makes a decision about her body. We talk this through together on the podcast.I'm also joined by the amazing Brie Read who is the founder of Snag Tights, a company that makes tights for all shapes and sizes. She voices her opinions on what an unhealthy space the high street can be with its size systems and lack of choice for all bodies. We also chat through how we can feel confident just the way we are and why the whole narrative around our bodies needs to change.I also go through the results from our poll where you told me that almost 70% of you aren't happy with your bodies.This is an eye opening episode and I think is just the start of the conversation!If you'd like to join the Outspoken Community, try products for free and get your voice heard, please email me nicola@outspokenbeauty.co.uk or DM me @outspokenbeautynicola

In this special episode in partnership with Dermalogica, the amazing Sally Penford joins me to reassure us about how safe it is to have beauty treatments right now.The people at Dermalogica became so frustrated at the beauty industry not being able to reopen that they got to work and formulated the Clean Touch Certification to allow beauty therapists to learn exactly how to run their businesses in a way that is Covid safe. Since then more than 30,000 aestheticians world wide (the certification is open to everyone) have completed it and the government are using it as the gold standard for safe practice in the beauty industry.After a good old chin wag about her pet hen Barbara that has me in stitches, Sally talks us through the lengths that therapists are going to to keep us safe and we also chat about how vital the power of touch can be for our mental health. Later on one of the members of the Outspoken Community Trialling Panel talks honestly about her experience of a Clean Touch Facial. (If you'd like to join the panel and trial and review products and treatments for free please email me nicola@outspokenbeauty.co.uk)If you’d like to find your local Dermalogica aesthetician either for a treatment or a free skin consultation in house or via Zoom then you can find them by following this link: https://www.dermalogica.co.uk/on/demandware.store/Sites-dermalogica-uk-Site/en_GB/Stores-FindI really recommend their free face mapping service If you’re confused about what your skin needs right now and need some direction. I hope you enjoy this episode and that if you've been feeling a bit anxious about getting a treatment that it puts your mind at ease xx

In this episode of #MyBeautyHabits I'm joined by presenter and now author extraordinaire Cat Deeley.Cat and I catch up about her recent move back to the UK, being near her family, her kids and how they've changed her and her brand new book which is called The Joy In You and is her love letter to her two boys in the form of a fun, beautifully illustrated and inspiring book featuring some very cute koalas.Later we get down to beauty and Cat tells me what makes her feel great, name drops a few of the people she relies on for beauty treatments and chats about her feelings about ageing.Cat is so down to earth and it was a total joy getting to know her xx