Outspoken Beauty

In this episode I'm chatting to entrepreneur and all round lovely woman Helen Snook.

Last year I had a coffee with Helen's husband Chris and we ended up chatting for ages about how many of us eat a diet that leads to bad health but how difficult it is to actually get nutrition right....life is busy and it's so much easier to grab something quick and easy. Chris explained how he and his wife Helen were on a mission to make getting great nutrition and namely fibre easy and accessible and told me all about their brand Indi. I was fascinated and wanted to learn more. (I was also really excited because the brilliant Dr Federica Amati was one of the scientists working on the brand).

A few months later I was lucky enough to also get to know Indi's co-founder and Chris' wife Helen. We instantly clicked and I knew I had to get her on the podcast. Like me she hates BS and definitely has issues with the current state of affairs in the world of supplements and nutrition.

During the episode we chat about how we eat, how we can help our future health, why we need to be wary of certain supplements and how they are sold to us and how Helen and Chris have worked to make something truly extraordinary with trust at the forefront of what they do.

If you're confused about supplements I hope this helps you to feel more informed.

It's time for my Minipod and this week I'm talking about :

Memories of the Body Shop (this week we found out that it's going into administration).
Scamp and Dude and what might happen when I go to their sample sale
The budget makeup brand that I adore and some products that I recommend
The beautiful smelling, comforting new range from Selena Gomez
An affordable and stunning illuminating product

and lots more.

Let me know what you're loving. I'd love to hear from you on Instagram @outspokenbeautynicola.

I'm so excited about this, my second episode of Outspoken Women. In it I'm joined by the incredibly inspiring and kind entrepreneur, businesswoman, Dragon and TV personality, Sara Davies MBE.

I first met Sara when she was giving the most uplifting and motivating talk to a room of 700 Avon representatives. She covered so many topics from how to make your business a success to how to juggle all the demands that life makes on us as women. As I scribbled copious notes I KNEW I had to get her on the podcast. Well the rest is history and she's here to I hope motivate you in the same way as she has done me.

During the episode we chat about Sara's love for beauty and how her Mum started her skincare journey. Sara also tells us about how she navigates Mum guilt, how she built her hugely successful business Crafter's Companion from scratch and made it a success when she was a student, why we need to fake it til we make it and how we need to own the decisions that we make and never look back.

What a woman and I feel SO lucky that I can share her wisdom with you here.

Enjoy this Outspoken Beauties x

In this episode (and following lots of amazing feedback after her last podcast) my wonderfully outspoken and funny Mum Francesca comes back for another chat.
This time we're talking HRT, Reformer Pilartes, the 10,000 step challenge, gynaecologists and there are of course some beauty recommendations in there too.
If you're after some fun, warmth and good company then you'll love this episode with the woman who made me outspoken and sparked my passion for beauty.

This week's Minipod definitely isn't the one I had planned. During it I talk about what has happened in the last 24 hours and why I couldn't bring myself to get on the plane for the trip of a lifetime.
I chat about some of the things I tried to put in place to get me on the plane but why ultimately I just couldn't do it.
I also have some hair recommendations and the perfect pink lipstick to tell you about.
xx

Oh my goodness I loved doing this episode with Bryony Blake. She honestly makes me laugh so much that I snort.
This week we're talking:
Bryony's message from a man who has taken a massive interest in her feet (and why part of her is secretly quite proud).
Why Louis interviews me each night when the lights go off
My awful welcome home after time away
My mission to get Charlotte Tilbury on the podcast
Grumpiness towards Diary of a CEO
Cinema fun and SO much more.
We have some fantastic beauty recommendations for you too, inlcuding the body cream with a scent that lasts all day and smells of summer and the best eyeliner. Bryony also has some good makeup artist tips for us.

*The episode is a must listen! *My guest is broadcaster, author and incredibly popular pro-ageing content creator, Suzi Grant.

Suzi inspires her more than 100,000 Instagram followers with vivacious fashion (including her utterly fabulous headscarves), wonderful energy and her brilliant attitude to ageing. She truly found herself when she was 50 and changed her life. She has written about how she ran away to Brighton and created her perfect life. Now in her early 70's, she has been quoted as saying that old age is better than middle age and there's no doubt that she's living her best life.

During the episode we talk about what gives Suzi energy and happiness and why we mustn't be scared of getting older. She shares her tips on makeup, exercise and diet plus why joining a member's club gives her joy and energy. There's so much more and I know that whatever age you are Suzi will inspire you.

I love Suzi because she stands for all the older women who have so much to give and don't want to feel invisible. She proves that we can still be confident, relevant and utterly fabulous in our 70's plus and she also gives us hope and inspiration as we age. (It's no surprise that many of Suzi's Instagram followers are younger women who want to learn from her).

You're going to love this positive, vibrant woman and as Suzi says, "It can only ger better".

Welcome to the first episode of my brilliant new series Outspoken Women.

I have the most amazing set of guests lined up for you including Bryony Gordon, Sara Davies MBE and Emma Sayle (the founder of Killing Kittens).

In today's episode I welcome the truly brilliant Natasha Devon MBE. Natasha is a writer, broadcaster & activist. She tours schools, universities and events throughout the world, delivering talks as well as conducting research on mental health, body image, gender and equality. She campaigns both on and offline to make the world a fairer place. She is also a founder of the Mental Health Media Charter, which scrutinises the way the media report on mental health and co-founded Where’s Your Head At, which aims to improve mental health in British work places.

During the episode we talk about where she feels we're currently at in the UK when it comes to mental health, particularly that of our sons and daughters. Natasha gets outspoken about why we're in a mental health crisis, what needs to change and also how we can support our children in the right way when it comes to the likes of mobile phones, body image and more.

I got SO much out of this interview and you need to listen to it whether you're a parent or you have a child in your life that matters to you.

I am so excited about today's episode. It's with the model, actress and founder of The Amber Jean Shop, Amber Jean Rowan.

Amber discovered that she had alopecia totalis when she was a teenager and after exploring every medical avenue, her and her family decided that there was no solution and instead she turned to wigs. The only problem was that the whole experience of finding a wig felt depressing, very cold and clinical which was the last thing that she needed.

During the episode you'll hear:
How Amber felt when she was diagnosed
How alopecia affected her blossoming modelling career
How Amber has taken the lacking experience of getting a wig into her own hands and created something really beautiful
Why she is treated differently depending on the kind of wig she's wearing
How she's come to terms with her hair loss
and so much more.

Amber is a fascinating and truly amazing woman and I loved every second of this interview. You can find her shop here and find her on Instagram @amberjeanrowan.