Sisterine, here we are finally with a new Blonde Interview!!
I'm very happy to introduce you to this super guest, it's a real pleasure to have her here with us
The presentations are underway, very quickly (I'll try 😅).
Luciana, or rather, Luciana_Elle for those who want to immediately go and take a look at her profile, is a true beauty expert, not least she herself defines herself as "your skincare fairy"... I love it 🧚♂️ ⭐
And with a path as stimulating as hers - a past as an editor for Elle magazine, traveller, creator - wow! I'm really curious to find out what she has to tell us because I'm sure it will be of great inspiration.
So, let's immediately give her a warm welcome to our Blonde Room 🌸
Hi Luciana! In the meantime, thank you for taking part in this interview. Let's start with the first question: how did you start your career in the beauty sector, and what inspired you to enter this world?
I started in parallel with the world of journalism in the early 2000s in Bologna, the home of Cosmoprof, and coming into contact with companies was easy. Then I ended up in Milan, where I gained experience in an editorial office and in 2017 I became a freelancer. They were very formative years in which I interviewed makeup artists, hairstylists and I traveled and met wonderful beauty companies.
Cosmoprof! I know something about it, I was there for the first time last year as an exhibitor and... what a thrill but above all what an opportunity for growth!! Now, since we're very curious, we'd like to get some insights into your experience at Elle. If we have done our homework well, before arriving on social media you worked there right? :P
That's right, I was a beauty editor in the editorial staff of Elle.it for 7 years before leaving in 2017. I met beautiful people, friends that I still carry with me today. Seeing the newspaper born every month was a dream turned into reality. Especially when Elle was truly one of the most read and revered newspapers in Italy. I grew up under the wing of the legendary Danda Santini, whose emails I still keep today like a relic.
Wow, I've always wondered what it would be like to work in the editorial department of a fashion magazine! And, speaking of women's empowerment, how do you see beauty as a tool to increase women's confidence and self-esteem?
We need to identify that thin line between self-care as a means of improving one's self-esteem and... obsession 😅
Cosmetics must be the tool, not the end, but sometimes I see that many people forget this. But many others rediscover themselves even just by approaching a basic skincare routine. The beautiful part of my job, in fact, is certainly when I receive messages from my followers who tell me what it meant for them to go back to taking care of themselves perhaps after a divorce, a bereavement, a difficult period in life.
Have you noticed any changes in the beauty industry in promoting a more inclusive representation of women of different backgrounds and appearances?
Absolutely yes. Gen Z is much more inclusive, it is less a slave to diktats and this has also influenced the expressive and communicative choices of brands. Not only that: today even the big names, the beauty giants, have understood that miracles cannot be promised, that a more authentic representation of reality is the most correct one and that all women need to be represented.
Following you on social media we have seen that you travel often and have lived in different places around the world, what a spectacle! Would you like to tell us some anecdotes? What were the best experiences?
Certainly coming into contact with countries that I would never have known, not even on holiday, such as Pakistan or Ghana, was a very strong and formative experience. The most beautiful experiences were certainly those in Africa: in particular coming into contact with the culture and way of life of women so far from our lives was super interesting. Then I remember a wedding in Pakistan that we attended: the richness of the guests' costumes, the dances, the way they welcomed us, it was beautiful.
Instead, coming to us... your makeup history: did the way you wear makeup and your style change as you grew up? If yes, how?
Over the years I have become a clean girl (even though I haven't been a girl for a long time). I have reduced the base to a minimum, I often only use concealer, gloss and mascara. This is because I believe that the first form of makeup is skincare.
Real. Skincare is fundamental, you must always remember it. And could you tell us the must-haves that can't be missing from your beauty kit?
Definitely retinol to fight the signs of aging and obviously the spf, which I wear rigorously every day, even with the clouds. Skincare is about prevention through small "conservative" gestures.
Any advice for women who want to start an entrepreneurial career in the beauty sector?
To try to have a clear idea of the woman they want to talk to in their heads, to travel a lot because foreign markets are always a source of interesting ideas (especially Korea and Japan) but to also focus on Made in Italy because our contractors are the best in the world in the cosmetics sector.
Last question: how did you find out about us :)
I met you through one of my followers! They are my first source of information!
Well, what can I say. I'm even more fascinated than before. Thank you so much for sharing part of your journey with the community. I'm sure the sisters will appreciate it as much as I do.
Love love love to our readers and see you soon 🌈
Carolina
