Outspoken Beauty

In this week's mini mini pod I'm so excited to tell you about the brand that has finally allowed me to wear lovely heels without being in pain all day. I also have the perfect suit all coral liptstick that costs the same as a couple of coffees. Let me know about the products you're loving at the moment and about any beauty bargains that we all need to hear about.If you want to join our private Facebook Community here's the link.

In this episode my guest is a woman who has a deep understanding of how the beauty industry works and feeds into modern culture. Ellen Atlanta is a writer and brand consultant specialising in Gen-Z and Millennial culture and  has worked with beauty giants including Estee Lauder, Boots, FeelUnique, Milk Makeup, Flannels Beauty and The Unseen Beauty.Her latest project has seen her become the author of one of the most important books that I've read in a long time. Pixel Flesh is an honest, scary and at times shocking observation of the toxic side of beauty and the online world:"We are living in a new age of beauty. With advancements in cosmetic surgery, augmented reality face filters, photo editing apps, and exposure to more images than ever, we have the ability to craft a version of ourselves that we want everyone to see. We pinch, pull, squeeze, tweeze, smooth and slice ourselves beyond recognition. But is our beauty culture truly empowering? Are we really in control?In Pixel Flesh, Ellen Atlanta holds a mirror up to our modern beauty ideal and the harm it is doing to women all around the world. Weaving in her own personal story with those of other women, she reconfigures our obsession with the cult of beauty and explores the realities of living in a digitally obsessed world where the pressure to present yourself both virtually and in person is all-consuming."During the episode we explore many of the themes in Ellen's book and have a really honest chat about the challenges that so many of us face when it comes to how we perceive and present ourselves to the world. We also look at the empowering and positive side of beauty and how when used in the right way it can build communities and make us feel increible.I hope you enjoy this thought provoking episode and that it sparks a debate about the highs and lows of being a woman in 2024.

In this week's minipod I'm chatting about two clumsy moments this week that left me very red faced.I also have some truly excellent products to tell you about including an incredibly gentle hair brush if hair loss is an issue, an affordable but boujie fragrance and a really great brow product that I NEED to buy.Enjoy!

Bryony is back and this week we're catching up about:Bryony's Bridgerton experience and why it was very nearly ruined by a duckHilarious smear testsWhy Bryony can never look her chemist in the eye againAI and deep fakesAnd we also have some excellent makeup products to share with you with lots of great advice from Bryony thrown in for good measure xx

It's my brief start of the week catch up where I'm talking about how I've shifted my PMT related low mood, the mascara that looks amazing and stays put event throuh tears and the fragrance Bleu Nour Neon Violet which is currently my biggest addiction and costs £36.

In this episode I get to chat to the wonderful content creator Helin Doski.Helin, who recently moved to Dubai, is followed by hundreds of thousands of people on TikTok and Instagram and on paper lives a dream life with incredible press trips, luxurious events and a wardrobe to die for, not forgetting her ability to influence more people than most politicians.During the episode Helin talks honestly about the ups and downs of influencer life and why it isn't always as perfect as it looks. She shares her father's reaction to her career choise (she gave up a future in medicine to create content), the reality of influencer events in Dubai and why people don't always get how much work goes into what she does. She also talks about her own insecurities.Helin also talks about what she loves about her career and we do get to talking about beauty and some of the products that she has discovered and adores since entering this world.I loved getting to know Helin and am so grateful to her for painting a rounded picture of a job that many people covet but don't always fully understand.

In this week's Minipod I have two summer scents that are both fabulous but couldn't be more different.I'll also be telling you about an overnight mask that provides fantastic hydration, a lip balm that doubles as a gloss and I'll be reading a section of the book Pixel Flesh that has really resonated with me.

It's half term and all is a little bit bonkers in the Outspoken Beauty household so for your midweek episode I'm chatting through five books that I think are bloody brilliant and have all taught me so much in different ways. I also have a bit of a wild card for you. I'm currently reading it and it's about a woman who gets to a bit of a impass in her life and decides that the answer is to make her marriage polyamorous. (I'm absolutely hooked).Enjoy Outspoken Beauties xx

Over the years I've had the honour of interviewing some strong, inspiring and at times life changing women and one of the very best has got to be Jane Wurwand, founder of Dermalogica.I wanted to revisit this episode as it was meeting Jane that propelled me to leave the security of radio and start my podcast fulltime.I believe that we all have the power to make change in our lives. It can be so bloody hard but when you do it, a lot of other things fall into place. If anyone can help you harness that power, it's Jane. xx

In this week's minipod I have some really beautiful products to tell you about including a cleanser that will truly look afer sensitive skin, a fragrance that is reminiscent of a spring walk by the sea in Capri and my fav hair oil of all time. I'll also  bediscussing some great things I learnt from my therapist this week and why getting my crazy periods properly checked out was the best choice I could have made.Enjoy xx