Where do you live? … Currently in Melbourne, but for the last five years we’ve had no fixed address. When I first started answering these questions, I was in San Sebastian, Spain but now thanks to a certain global pandemic (and a bit of baby baking) I’m back in Oz for the time being.
Who do you live with? My fiancée, Phillip, our 2-year-old son, Yuki and 3 month old baby Miko.
Where do you work? Inside the internet!
I juggle a few different businesses – all based online. I have co-founded a weekly beauty newsletter Gloss Etc with another ex- Marie Claire Beauty Director – more on that new baby in the Work section! I run a boutique digital marketing agency with my partner called Page and Scribe, specialising in digital content and marketing for the beauty and lifestyle industry; I manage the communications for an e-bike company that Phil and I created called Enki Cycles – we design, manufacture and sell e-bikes globally; AND I also write for a bunch of Australian and US publications including Atelier Doré in the USA, Gritty Pretty, Broadsheet, Body & Soul, Mamamia.com.au and more. Oh and I’ve just started an Instagram account documenting our travel adventures over at @us.in.places. I like to have my fingers in just a few pies.
When did you first get the itch to start travelling?
I’ve always loved travelling, but I’ve also always put my career first and I was dedicated to my work as a magazine editor (I was Editor of Girlfriend Mag for five years, and Beauty Director of Marie Claire when we left), which I absolutely loved. My first big trip away was in 2010 – I did a two-month Europe trip on my own – and as fate would have it I actually met Phil on that trip (in Barcelona of all places). I guess you could say we were destined to be on the road.
That said, it was a huge decision to leave my Editorship, not to mention all my friends and all my belongings for a nomadic life! It was Phil’s idea; he wanted the freedom of location and we both had skills that we could take on the road. He planted the seed, and after a year of planning and talking about it we took the leap. It was never meant to be a holiday or a sabbatical. We wanted to work – we just wanted to do it from Italy, or Croatia, or Thailand – or wherever our laptops landed. The first stint was eight months, and then we came back to Oz for a month to recalibrate, repack (oh my god if only I could tell you how much of a packing rookie I was that first time!) and then leave again.
What were peoples reactions when you first told them?
Disbelief, I think. And confusion. Everyone knew I loved my job, so it seemed pretty cray to just sell everything and leave! But also, they didn’t understand how we were doing it, or why. Even after two years our parents were asking when we were coming back from our ‘holiday’. They couldn’t wrap their heads around this being our life now.
What was the most rewarding part?
Realising what I was capable of. I did a lot of purging and letting go when I left, both physically and emotionally. I mean, I had three wardrobes of clothes – three! I’d always been attached to my things, but I donated all but what would fit in a shared wardrobe with Phil. I was also incredibly attached to my work and it was so deeply enmeshed in my identity, so I spent the first three months of travel on an emotional roller coaster ride discovering who I was without these things. But I’m here to tell the
tale, and realizing that those things didn’t define me was a huge moment for me.
Did you learn new things about yourself and your partner?
We’d been together for six years when we started the journey so we knew each other very well. But that said, we went from essentially seeing each other for a few hours each night to living, working, eating, travelling – everything together. It was an adjustment. The biggest thing I think is understanding and respecting what the other person needs – even if those needs are completely different from yours – and being ok with that. So I’ve had to get used to the fact that Phil can’t work with me in the same room and literally builds a barrier on the table if we have to work in that space so he can’t see me. And Phil has gotten used to me needing to be outside experiencing the culture, eating food and immersing myself in that life, even if he’d rather be working. Like all things, it’s a compromise.
Any material things you really missed?
I felt like I was in mourning for my things for a good few months, but after a while, things didn’t matter so much anymore. I kept everything that meant a lot to me, and I love to be reunited with some of my favourite clothes and jewellery when I come home. Don’t get me wrong though, I’m no backpacker. I still travel with full-sized beauty products (including red lipstick and liquid liner), too many shoes, and some beautiful dresses… it’s just very considered.
What it had done is really taught me to shop consciously. Everything I bring has to have a purpose or set my soul alight. If I want to buy anything I have to ask whether it’s literally worth the weight on my back. One of the things I miss the most is heels! I have the most beautiful collection, but they take up too much room, especially because they only get worn a couple of times. I’m such a shoe girl that I really miss wearing them.
What does ‘balance’ look like in your life?
LOL. Like a pipe dream?
Neither babes are in childcare so currently, we alternate the kids a couple of times a week. Yuki is much more active so needs a lot of stimulation (read: park time) and whoever has Miko is able to get more work done because he mostly sleeps (for now). I found having a designated “Mama and Yuki day” each week – even if just for a couple hours – really helped with the big emotions of him adjusting to having a brother. We also make sure we have at least one family day a week, and Yuki goes to his grandparents house each Wednesday (family support = life!)
Each morning we start the day with a big walk, and most days I do at-home yoga while Yuki sleeps (thank god he still naps!). At first, this felt really indulgent but I quickly learned that I need that time for my own sanity, sense of self, balance, and to be a better Mum and partner. It really grounds me and gives me the strength to do the daily juggle.
Anything you wish someone had told you before you had kids?
That it would be the single biggest soul-stretching growth you would ever have in your life. That they would continually teach you about yourself, and push the boundaries of who you are, and that even in the hardest moments it’s still the most rewarding thing you’ve ever done.
That and how much boys eat. Oh lord why did no one tell me how much they eat?! Yuki is two and already eats the same as me. I’m genuinely terrified for our bank account in their teenage years.
What has been the hardest parenting period so far?
There have been a couple. Yuki didn’t sleep through the night until he was 14 months. And by that I mean he consistently woke 3-4 times a night the whole year. I went back to work after two weeks (and then launched a website a month later) so after the blissful baby bubble wore off I was running on empty for a very long time, trying to do everything and simultaneously feeling like I was doing nothing well.
And also, the first six weeks after Miko was born. Yuki had been so excited for his arrival I was genuinely unprepared for the huge (textbook) emotions that played out. He literally clung off my neck any time I tried to do something with Miko (feed, or change him) and my heart broke watching him go through the adjustment. I think part of me was grieving our relationship change and also feeling guilty that there wasn’t more of me to give. Add hormones to the mix and it was a pretty gnarly combo! But after six weeks we found our groove and Yuki has started asking for Miko to come on our mama and Yuki days so I think we’ve turned a BIG corner.
I think after six months people stop asking how you are anymore, especially after a second child, and expect you to have your shit together. But this is when the sleep deprivation kicked up a notch so it was all pretty exhausting. I ended up feeling completely and utterly depleted and feeling like I had nothing left to give.
I had to work on finding my new normal and being OK with saying no, or telling people that this new me wasn’t the same as what it was pre-baby. That was really hard being an A-type overachiever! I just had to reset my limits and my own expectations of myself too (probably the hardest thing of all!). It’s one thing I’m always mindful of now – checking in with Mums after the honeymoon period. It’s when they need it the most.
Any tips for navigating motherhood?
Surrender to it all. It will be tough, it will be beautiful, and you will be capable of so much more than you ever knew possible. And please, please, please take care of yourself. Nourish yourself with whatever soothes you (a book, a bath, a run, a wine, yoga). We can’t be good parents if our soul is empty, but also we can’t be human. So take care of you. And take the help.
When did you first feel like a grown-up?
Ummm I think I’m still waiting for that moment! At every milestone, I think “oh this will be it” and then I get there… and nope! Still feel like I’m perpetually 28. It probably doesn’t help that I don’t actually have a fixed address.
What motivates you the most?
Knowing that the words I write are helping people. I spent nine years at Girlfriend Mag, and to this day I miss the feedback, and the readers we had there. They were the most amazing, inspirational bunch of girls and knowing I was helping them navigate through one of the toughest times of their lives was immensely rewarding.
On a slightly fluffier, but no less true level, beauty editing does that. I love it when I recommend products and they help people in some way, which is exactly where how the idea for gloss etc came about”
Speaking of! Tell us more about how gloss etc was born!
Well, as you know first hand, beauty editors are THE go-to girls, on-call 24/7 for every friend/ sibling/ great aunt/ random chick we meet in a pub toilet that has a beauty crisis, or just wants to know what a good cheap mascara is. Our WhatsApp groups, DMs, and texts are all filled with questions on the daily. So we wanted to create a community that was essentially just an extension of this.
Plus, Sherine (Youssef, another ex-beauty director) and I worked together on the Marie Claire beauty team, and we were looking for an excuse to work together again! It’s essentially a digital beauty news page, like what you’d find in a magazine but with our personal edit of beauty products we love (new and old – and only those we’ve tested), the tips we actually use ourselves, expert advice and the recommendations we give our friends. Plus, we’ll be answering community questions every week too! So it really will be like our WhatsApp groups.
You can sign up here www.glossetc.co or follow us on instagram here.
Why did you decide to do a newsletter?
As a mama, I’m so busy, I often forget to check websites on top of everything else I have going on in my life and social media. So this takes one less thing off the mental load. It comes to your inbox, you read at your leisure, click to buy (of anything interests you), and hopefully, you walk away with a bit of extra beauty knowledge.
What has been the most exciting part?
So far, it’s been watching the community grow, thrive and be genuinely engaged. It’s so rewarding to see that this is something people want in their lives and want to invest in… and it of course makes us work even harder to keep delivering the best kind of content.
We have been so blown away by the amazing support we’ve received from the beauty industry – PRs, influencers, experts, podcasters, and other beauty editors – it really is so humbling. I’ve always loved the beauty industry and the incredible people who are a part of it. It’s a true example of “women supporting women” and it’s been so humbling to be on the receiving end of it.
What has been the hardest part?
Um, time? Launching a business at 7.5m pregnant with a toddler? Juggling my freelance and copywriting work with everything else? Basically #mumlife. But it was the right timing and has also been so rewarding already
Did you need any help, and if so, where did you find it?
We needed the most help with design because both of us are writers. We both have a great eye from working with some of the best art directors in the industry, but can’t actually design ourselves. So we pulled out the big guns (Acacia Stichter, an ex mag creative director, and friend) to help us develop our entire brand look from logo, Instagram, newsletter templates – everything. We wanted it all to be cohesive and aligned and I really felt that that’s where a lot of brands go wrong: not considering the whole brand across every touch point.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far from the experience?
Patience. That seems to be an ongoing theme with me! I want it all done now (or preferably yesterday), but some things work to their own timeline, and there’s no use getting anxious over things you can’t control. I deal with it by channeling that energy into forward planning etc, so I feel like I’m doing something and in control of that which I CAN control.
Have you had any mentor help along the way?
So much. When it was just a bud of an idea, we took it to a trusted inner circle of people to see if they thought it was “something” or just another idea in an already saturated market. We are so lucky to be surrounded by incredible businesswomen through our years in magazines, so we turned to PRs, Advertising execs, and marketing friends who all weighed in about the idea and advised us along the way. This is where I feel truly hashtag blessed.
What are your best travel-friendly beauty products?
I ALWAYS travel with a red lipstick (Nars Audacious in Lana – a delicious orangey red) because when you are wearing the same clothes for six months straight, you need something that makes you feel good! Sunscreen is also a given, because it’s actually hard to get good quality, high SPF sunscreen in a lot of places (and Oz has the best testing and best products on the market). I use Ultra Violette. I also don’t bother with
foundation really when travelling but love Laura Mercier illuminating tinted moisturiser for day, and It Cosmetics CC cream for when I need a little more coverage.
I also travel with my own brow dye kit which may seem extra, but I have invisi-brows that need to have colour every few weeks (otherwise I seriously look browless). I got my Sydney brow maestro to teach me how to do it before I left and have been doing my own ever since. It makes SUCH a difference in photos and overall feeling more groomed.
Also, it’s not travel friendly but I always bring The Beauty Chef Glow powder with me. They come in travel sachets now but that doesn’t work when you’re going for six months at a time. So I just forgo a few pairs of socks and bring the whole tub. That’s how much I live for it.
For the plane I have a whole routine, (face wipe, facial spritz, thick moisturising barrier cream every couple hours), and I also love the Sisley express flower gel mask because it’s compact and suuuuppperrr hydrating.
Which beauty products do you use to the very, VERY last drop?
Skin Ceuticals CE Ferulic
The Beauty Chef Glow Powder
It Cosmetics CC Cream
Ipsum body oil
If you could create a signature scent, which perfumes would inspire it?
Penhaligons Duchess Rose and Byredo’s Super Cedar…I’m all about the woody florals.
