Monday, April 16, 2018

Natural Beauty Series - Meet Fiona from The Beauty Shortlist




Hi Lovelies,


Welcome back! And welcome, if you are new here 💕💕💕


Natural Beauty Series - meet Fiona Klonarides

How are all of You? I hope You are well? Continuing my Natural Beauty Series I am so excited to present my interview with fabulous beauty journalist Fiona Klonarides, who has years of experience in this business under her belt, and she hosts the The Beauty Shortlist Awards and The Beauty Shortlist Mama & Baby Awards - I am sure You all know about them and I don't need to explain any further. If You've been living under a rock (for the lack of the better expression), her website with all the info on the awards (green beauty ones, no less!) and a fabulous blog portion as well, is linked here. So without further ado, let's get down to business?


💕 I know exactly who You are, and I am a big fan, but would You mind introducing Yourself to those who might not know you? 

Firstly, thanks for inviting me, Renata! The Beauty Shortlist kicked off in 2009, purely as a way for me to recommend genuinely good products to friends – everyone – and after our first Beauty Shortlist Awards in 2012, things got really busy and it grew pretty fast, simply and organically. We now do Baby Awards, as well, as you know! My background is music (industry) and communications (beauty). I'm very pro-green – life, beauty, food, everything. We live on a delicate planet, it’s our job to look after ourselves - and it.


💕 How has going natural and non toxic in your beauty regimen changed your overall health and beauty? 

I never “went” natural, I’ve always been into organics, it wasn’t a decision. We eat our lipsticks and drink our skincare – I gave up meat when I was 13. It’s just healthier.


💕 Three things that make You happy?

 Dogs – and dog-sitting when I get more time to write in beautiful homes with big organic gardens! – then travel keeps you interested, interesting and young, I think. Every day we wake up is a gift, so I’m grateful for that. And music.


💕 What is the best advice You've been given?

 “It’ll be grand”, even if it isn’t sometimes. And my mum always says “just keep going”. I had a terrible year last year, personally, a lot of bad news, and I just kept going, it’s the only thing to do.


💕 What people inspire You? 

Beauty: Jane Seymour and Susan Sarandon have the “ageing” thing nailed. People who I can learn from, who are wise, non-judgemental, who are immensely kind. 


💕 What are Your three (or five) can't-live-without-it green beauty products?  

This is an impossible question for someone who runs Awards!! Brands I particularly love are Neal’s Yard Remedies, Dr Hauschka, Weleda, Omorovicza, and MV Skincare (Australia) and ISUN (USA).


💕 Your best DIY recipe?

I don’t do DIY much but if you have nothing else around, a messy avocado mask or the ultimate multi-tasker, virgin coconut oil.


💕 What do You like and dislike about yourself?

Where do you start?!! Like: my honesty. I find it very hard to lie. I’m open, generous and very empathetic (which is a poisoned chalice!) Dislike: I absorb people’s energy all the time and it can be tiring, likewise I find big cities draining. I dread the arrival of 5G, it’s not good news for us. I’m terrible at admin.


💕 Your proudest achievement? 

Travelling. Travel is the best education. More than my university degree, more than the fact that I speak a few languages. Getting out of a corporate, do-as-we-say office. That’s probably the second proudest. It took a while but it’s worth it.


💕 What are You currently reading? 

I read about 4 books at the same time, dipping in and out – Super Brain by Deepak Chopra and Dr Rudi Tanzi is a must-read, and I’m re-reading The Olive Route by Carol Drinkwater. I’m loving Yogi Cameron’s The Yogi Code.  

   
💕 What food do You like to cook/eat? 

Huge Californian style salads with everything in them and a fantastic salad dressing…or grilled marinated fish with delicious baby veg on the side. Greek, Indian, Spanish, Chinese and Thai. I’m a Mediterranean diet eater, really. 


💕 Tell us a secret! 

“It’ll be grand” It’s a life-changer.


💕 Your guilty pleasure? 

Popping bubble wrap with my feet when nobody’s around.


💕 Your top tips for being healthy and happy? 

Have a passion. Keep learning, stay interested. Do what your GPS tells you to. Follow your heart with a bit of steering from your head. Eat well, sleep well, walk a lot and take in the greenery and colours of the flowers around you.


💕 What scents excite You? 

I’m a citrus addict – all the grapefruits, mandarins, bergamots then on the other end of the scale, the deep velvety rose/oud blends, woody, grounding scents.


💕 What is Your mantra in life? 

The Beauty Shortlist’s mantra is READ THE LABEL. I don’t really have an official mantra but it’s helpful to remember that even when things are s…t, life never stays the same and often the bad stuff is leading you to a better way of being. Keep going!!


💕 Favorite affirmation if You have one? 

This is going to be ringing in my head by the time we’re done: It’ll be grand! (I love how the Irish say “grand”, it’s one of my favourite words).


💕 What's Your favorite beauty trend at the moment? 

Hemp and CBD oil. Watch that space. Nobody’s really done much since The Body Shop launched the Hemp range about 20 years ago (products were seized by French police from one of their south of France stores, back then!) I like the “rebel/alternative” attitude of this trend.


💕 3 resources every girl needs.. 

Genuine friend(s), an illuminating foundation or tinted moisturiser and unwavering belief in yourself. Everything else will follow…


💕 Once a week for my health... 

I don’t do this – but I’m starting this weekend! – a water fast.


💕 Crazy health idea that actually works? 

Apple Cider Vinegar is one of my mainstays, it’s almost a cure-all. Coconut-pulling is brilliant. It removes bacteria and whitens teeth.


💕 What do You do to de-stress? 

Take magnesium and meditate. I love Jason Stephenson’s guided sleep meditations, he’s brilliant for hotel rooms when the pillow’s too high or the neighbours are too loud.


💕 Last thing you do at night? 

As above!



💕 A few words to Green Life In Dublin readers? 

If you’re reading this in Dublin, I love your city! Some of my happiest days were spent in Co. Dublin…Ireland’s hogged a big chunk of my heart. 



The Beauty Shortlist Mama & Baby Awards 2018

I have been keeping a little secret from You guys, even though my heart was bursting with gratitude and I wanted to shout about it from the rooftops - Fiona has asked me to join the Mama & Baby judging panel this year! Needless to say I haven't stopped happy dancing since 😊 Thank You for making one of my dreams come true, Fiona! 


See the announcement of it here 

So that is it for the day, I hope You enjoyed it as much as I did?


Then please make my day and share this or any of my blog posts on social media - it helps to get the green beauty word out and for that I Thank You!

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You can check out fourteen more Natural Beauty interviews with the green beauty movers and shakers in my Facebook album here. Feels so good to share the love 💕

(want to make my day? hit that "follow" button while you are there, thanking you!)



That's all for today. See you here very shortly!

Lots of Love,

Renata.

Green Life In Dublin
P.s. The two things, my interview with Fiona, and the Mama & Baby awards are totally unrelated, I have asked her for interview way before, and I had no idea I'd be selected to join her team at that time. Just thought I'd include this clarification.

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