Outspoken Beauty

Welcome to the first episode of a brand news series, celebrating and helping you discover small, independent beauty brands. The series is in partnership with amazing Indie Beauty Wholesale Marketplace Curate (curate-beauty.com). Founders Sam Freedman, Margot Vitale and I are really excited to take you on a voyage of discovery, introducing you to some exceptional brands, founders and products. There is so much happening on the Indie beauty scene but sadly these small businesses don't always have the budget for PR and Marketing so let's give them a platform to shout about what they're doing.In this episode we get to know Joanna Ryglewicz, the founder of the most incredible skincare brand called Oio Lab. Her journey from lawyer to skincare founder is so inspiring and her passion for combining botanicals with hardcore science is fascinating. Having tried her products I can tell you that they are utterly beautiful and super effective. If you'd like to try them after the episode, Joanna would like to give you 20% off. Just use code OUTSPOKEN for all products on oiolab.com (my personal fav is the 7 Wonders Facial Oil)Next we meet Minal Bhanshali, founder of one of the most extraordinary candle brands I have come across. 7 Over 7 candles are not only beautiful in the usual sense, but Minal has created them to represent our 7 chakras and wants us to use them to aid us with relaxation, inspiration and more mindful living. Minal tells us the story of why she left the PR world for a more purposeful life and how the inspiration for 7 Over 7 came about.Minal has offered us 25% off all 7 Over 7 purchases, valid until 31st December 2020. Just use code OUTSPOKEN77. (I adore the Grounding Woods Candle but you can find one to suit your needs and character on the website)Look out for meditation and flow state workshops that Minal will be hosting in partnership with floral engineers Blooming Haus, throughout the festive seasonYou can also sign up to the 7 Over 7 newsletter and follow the brand on Instagram @live7over7 for a regular dose of wellbeing and meditation advice and support.I hope you enjoy this month's episode and make some incredible discoveries. If you'd like to join the Outspoken Community Trialling Panel and give your honest thoughts on products then drop me an email nicola@outspokenbeauty.co.uk.

In this episode of #MyBeautyHabits I'm joined by Sonia Haria who is the Beauty Director at The Telegraph.After a chat about Sonia's career and how she rose through the ranks to finally land her dream role we get into the nitty gritty and discover the products that she adores.Sonia loves her makeup and has some incredible recommendations and also has some fab perfumes that she tells me about. (I was so taken with her descriptions of them that I bought two of them afer the recording - woops!) Sonia is one of the most important beauty voices in the UK and it was such a pleasure to get to know her and the products that mean the most to her.

In this episode of #TheOutspoken I reveal that almost 70% of the 603 of you that I polled on my Instagram feel trapped in a career that you don't enjoy any more and want to get out of a rut. This seems linked in particular to Covid and having a chance to reflect on what really matters to you.I take the poll as a starting point to get some great tips from two women who really know their stuff when it comes to owning and enjoying your career.My first chat is with Emma Louise Boynton who is the co-founder of Her Hustle - an online community that features interviews and loads of advice and inspiration from women with a wide variety of careers plus great networking opportunities and loads of career hints and tips.Later I catch up with Sarah Townsend who is the author of Survival Skills for Freelancers and shares her tips not only for freelance life (if that's a route you want to take) but also for working from home effectively and happily.I hope that this episode helps you start to make the changes that you want to take and also connects you with some people who might be able to help.

**This is a special episode is in partnership with Deodoc **A few months ago I was introduced to Hasti and Hedieh Asadi who are the brains behind Deodoc. When they told me about their brand (all products are aimed at our vulvas and vaginas and have been formulated SO brilliantly) and also their aim to ignite open conversations and educate us about our intimate areas, I was fascinated. Once I had actually tried their products, fascination turned to excitement...they were incredible.In this episode Hedieh and Hasti tell me about their story and reasons for starting the brand as well as answering all the questions you sent in about your own vaginas and vulvas.I hope you enjoy and get loads out of this intimate and outspoken episode.If you do fancy buying something from Deodoc (the intimate wash is AMAZING and I love their shaving kit) then head to their website deodoc.com and use the code Nicola20 for 20% off everything. This is valid from 6th September until 19th September 2020.

In this episode of #MyBeautyHabits I'm joined by author, actress and internet darling extraordinaire Carrie Hope Fletcher.Carrie is one of those women who has a dream and makes it happen. She's written a load of super successful books and played just about every dream role in the West End. During the episode we talk about life on and off stage, Carrie's stunning new book which is called "Into The Spotlight" and has totally enchanted and mesmerised my daughter. (It's out on 17th September) and the part that beauty plays in Carrie's life. We also have a fascinating conversation about the way that Carrie buys a new perfume for every pert that she plays.There's lots of laughter, a few poignant moments and all in all this is one of my favourite ever interviews. Download wherever you get your podcasts xx

In this episode I'm joined by incredible aesthetician, entrepreneur and busy mum, Dija Ayodele.Dija is not only one of the most sought after and knowledgable skin experts around, but she is the CEO of Westroom Aesthetics, which is a beauty destination that specialises in treatments for darker skin as well as the founder of the Black Skin Directory, a place that links women and men of colour with beauty experts who understand the needs of their skin.Dija and I talk about gaps in beauty training that mean that many aestheticians don't have the knowledge and therefore the confidence to treat darker skin tones. We discuss why this is the case and how Dija is leading the way in helping to educate her fellow skin therapists.We also discuss hyperpigmentation and how to treat it, supporting black-owned business in the right way and what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.Dija is one of the most knowledgable aestheticians around and is constantly seeking to educate herself and others. I can't wait for you to get to know her.

In this episode of #MyBeautyHabits I'm joined by the utterly brilliant Lauren Mahon.Lauren who is the creator of Girl vs Cancer and host of award winning podcast You, Me and The Big C, has made it her mission to change perceptions that cancer is just an illness that affects older people and the stigma that is attached to it. Since being diagnosed she has helped guide thousands of people and has used her own experiences to make change.In the episode we talk about her personal journey, the Lauren before diagnosis and how cancer has changed her. We talk about the ups and the downs, her drive and of course about the products that she adores, including the empowering fragrance that she treated herself to to celebrate 3 years of being free from cancer.Lauren is a true inspiration as is this episode!

In this episode of #TheOutspoken we're talking about visible and invisible disabilities and how there seems to be a real lack of inclusivity in society when it comes to representing disabled people.Listener Ali May Redmond is the one who sparked off the inspiration for this episode when she wrote to me about her stammer and how it affects her life. We discuss how she feels and the action she thinks that needs taking in order to challenge the stigma around stammers.I then chat to deputy leader of the Women's Equality Party and doctor, Dr Hannah Barham-Brown. Hannah chats to me about her experience of using a wheelchair, how she wants to be treated by others and why the beauty industry has a long way to go in truly representing those of us with disabilities.If you have something to say and want to be featured in a future episode of #TheOutspoken then email me nicola@outspokenbeauty.co.uk, DM me via Insta @outspokenbeautynicola or join the private FB group - The Outspoken. Let's build a community of outspoken changemakers together!

In this episode I'm joined by feisty and 100% BS free nutritionist Pixie Turner.Having started her journey as a clean eating food influencer, Pixie soon came to realise that the advice that she was sharing and totally believed in at the time was actually harmful and had no scientific backing. People were blindly following the advice of her and other influencers who had no training in nutrition and were recommending unachievable and sometimes harmful diets and food fads.Pixie turned her back on the influencer world and took it upon herself to train as a nutritionist and the rest is history. She now guides people to have healthy relationships with their food and cuts through much of the(often well-meaning) bullshit that is to be found online.Pixie is so refreshing and outspoken and I know you're going to get a lot out of this interview. I also really recommend her book The Insta-Food Diet.xx

In this episode of #MyBeautyHabits I'm joined by former beauty editor of Grazia and award winning journalist Sam Freedman. Sam is also the co- founder of Curate Beauty which is a digital wholesale beauty buying platform that has totally turned the traditional beauty marketplace on its head.Sam is a super talented entrepreneur who goes out of her way to champion and help people discover independent beauty brands and in this episode she tells her story and shares the most wonderful recommendations and tips. You're going to love her!