The Icon Edit

What happens when AI knows your style, your budget and maybe even what you want before you do? In this episode, I sit down with Emilia Ojasalo, founder of AI-powered shopping platform SIMBLY, to talk about how artificial intelligence could change the way we shop for fashion and beauty.

We discuss AI personal stylists, hyper-personalised recommendations, privacy, AI influencers, whether algorithms could eventually shop on our behalf, and what the future of retail might look like five years from now. Emilia also shares what it’s like building an AI startup in Dubai and why human creativity and critical thinking still matter in an increasingly automated world.

Why does everyone seem to hate influencers now, while so many people still want to become one?

In this episode, Iwona and Saima unpack influencer fatigue, fake relatability, constant selling, entitlement, overconsumption, parasocial relationships and the increasingly blurry line between creator and salesperson. They also ask whether authenticity can survive once it becomes a business model, what actually makes an influencer trustworthy, and whether AI could change the industry altogether.

From “you guys have been asking me” to filming yourself crying, sponsored weddings and influencers taking over public spaces, this one gets very unfiltered, very opinionated and occasionally a little unhinged.

What actually makes makeup look good in real life and not just on Instagram?

In this episode of The Icon Edit, I sit down with professional makeup artist Bhagyashree Rangwani to talk about the biggest makeup mistakes women make, how to find the right foundation shade and undertone, and why great makeup should enhance your features rather than cover them up.

We also discuss makeup for mature skin, Indian vs. Western bridal beauty, making makeup last in Dubai’s heat, the impact of filters on our expectations of beauty, and why real skin will always have texture.

From concealer and contouring to blush, skin prep and the products you actually need, this is a practical conversation about better technique, smarter choices and makeup that still looks like you.

In this episode of The Icon Edit, Iwona sits down with Selene, founder of Global Quantum Healing Sanctuary, to explore alternative wellness, longevity, stress, nutrition and the evolving wellness culture in Dubai.

The conversation looks at how lifestyle, mindset and recovery can shape the way we feel — while also asking where curiosity, personal belief and skepticism meet. From the future of wellness to the importance of asking questions and doing your own research, this is an open-minded conversation about the ideas that exist beyond the conventional.

This episode is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice.

What makes someone truly iconic, and why do some famous people never quite earn the title?

In Episode 25 of The Icon Edit, Iwona sits down with fellow podcaster Saima, host of Tub Time, for a funny and unfiltered conversation about fame, originality, confidence, controversy, and cultural impact. From Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, and Kanye West to Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, and Justin Bieber, they debate who genuinely passes The Icon Test and who may simply be overrated.

They also explore whether icons are born or created, why trying too hard is never iconic, whether personal branding can manufacture charisma, and why female icons are often judged more harshly than men. Playful, opinionated, and occasionally unhinged, this episode is a celebration of reinvention, individuality, and having the confidence to be misunderstood.

In this episode of The Icon Edit, Iwona sits down with entrepreneur Anastasia Gomzova for an honest conversation about generosity, Dubai dating, and twin sisterhood. Anastasia shares why she gives up to 20% of her income to charity, the biggest red flags she has encountered in dating, and what it is really like to live and work with an identical twin.

How much of the way we think about money is truly our own?

In this episode, Iwona speaks with relationship and divorce coach and financial wellbeing mentor Natasha Mahtani about how culture, family and relationships shape the way women earn, spend, save and invest.

Drawing on her experience of living in eight countries, Natasha explores financial dependence, money conversations in multicultural relationships, status and appearances, parenting, investing and why financial freedom is ultimately about having options and choice.

What does it take to leave your comfort zone and build a new life from scratch?

In this episode, I sit down with Colombian DJ Oriana Suarez to talk about moving to Dubai, building confidence in a foreign country, and turning passion into a career. We explore the power of music, female empowerment, cultural differences, and why there is never a perfect time to start. A conversation about courage, purpose, and creating your own opportunities, wherever you are in the world.

In this episode of The Icon Edit, I sit down with Marina, a Dubai-based cosmetologist, for an honest conversation about beauty, ageing, confidence, and the pressure women feel to look perfect.

We talk about skin health, beauty treatments, fillers, Botox, SPF, pigmentation, social media beauty standards, and why so many women are moving away from looking “done” and towards looking fresh, natural, and like themselves.

But this conversation goes deeper than skincare. Marina also opens up about vulnerability, therapy, confidence, dating, femininity, and why women need to stop putting men at the center of their lives.

In this episode of The Icon Edit, Iwona speaks with love and relationship coach Sanaiyah Gurnamal about modern love, dating fatigue, emotional availability, self-worth, and the patterns that keep us attracting the same kind of partner. Together, they explore what healthy love really feels like and why it may have less to do with finding someone who completes you, and more to do with feeling free to be yourself.