Outspoken Beauty

Latest Episodes:

The Outspoken Review - Too Good To Be True Nail Polish? The Underwear of The Fragrance World & Beautifully Affordable Brows Jan 28, 2025

Show notes

It's time for your weekly Outspoken Review.
In this episode I'm talking about:

Why Tesco Whoosh saved the day
My totally trashy Netflix addiction
Honest thoughts about Dermalogica's new Multi-Vitamin Power Recovery Cream
The E.L.F brow pencil that I can't get enough of
The pros and cons of the NARS Powermatte Lip Pencil
The new Nails INC product that sounds too good to be true
The fragrance that enhances all others in the most irresistible way.

Hope you enjoy it Outspoken Beauties!

Outspoken Mental Health Ep 3 - My Medication Journey Jan 27, 2025

Show notes

In this week's episode of Outspoken Mental Health I'm talking about my journey with medication and some of the things I've learnt along the way. Please bear in mind that medication is not right for everyone but can also be a very helpful aspect of feeling better. We are all different and need to consult a professional for the right advice.

During the episode I'll tell you about:

The medication that helped me for years but that I eventually needed to change
Why we need to stop fearing and stigmatising mental health medication
How to navigate perimenopause and anxiety and why mental health medication may not be the answer
Why I was advised to go on a Benzodiazapene and how I am tapering off it slowly and safely
How Google is a really bad idea if you have anxiety about medication and why you need to put trust in your psychiatrist
Why it's not always easy going on these types of pills but how with the right support you can get through it

I am NOT a professional and am speaking from my own experience and research. If you are wondering whether medication might help you then start with your GP. If you feel that they can't give you the information you need then ask to be referred to a psychiatrist or seek one directly.

Please do join the private Facebook Group Outspoken Mental Health where we're building a supportive community.

Bryony's Back - Thailand Adventures and Breast Milk Misadventures! Jan 25, 2025

Show notes

Bryony is finally back from Thailand and there's so much to catch up on.
During the episode we talk about:

Why Bryony's holiday adventures made Nicola feel very nervous
A weird night involving breast milk
What the neighbours saw that they definitely shouldn't have
Our new "spicy" book addiction
Beauty recommendations
And much more....

It's so nice to have Bryony back and we hope this episode makes you giggle!

10 Minutes of Hair Wisdom With Paul Windle Jan 24, 2025

Show notes

In this little episode I sat down with the iconic celebrity hairdresser Paul Windle in his Covent Garden Salon and picked his brains about some of your most common hair dilemmas.
I love his advice and can't believe how much we fitted into 10 minutes!

The Outspoken Review - The Red Lipstick Episode Jan 21, 2025

Show notes

Red lipsticks mean so many things to me....confidence, power, symbols of resistance (the suffragettes), putting my best foot forward, glamour and yet they also require constant upkeep, can end up the chin or even nose and often rub off leaving behind a line of red around the lips.
This week I discovered a wonderful new red whilst on a trip to Boots (I'll tell you all about it during the episode) and it inspired me to go through my favourite reds of the moment and all time.
Here are the brands that I mention during the episode:
@lisaeldridgemakeup
@emolynecosmetics
@nyxcosmetics_uk
@violette_fr
@trinnylondon
@maccosmeticsuki
@maybelline
@avon_uk
I'll also tell you about a brand new release from Dr Sam Bunting and why if it does what it says it will, it will be a bit of a gamechanger.

Outspoken Mental Health Ep 2 - Navigating Panic Attacks and Feelings of Dread Jan 20, 2025

Show notes

In this week's episode of Outspoken Mental Health I talk about my experience of panic attacks and feelings of doom and dread.

I'll chat about what's happening when we get a panic attack and the long list of horrible (but harmless) things they can make us feel. I'll also go into why it's so important to have an inner voice that reminds us that we are safe and helps us to tolerate the discomfort of this moment so that we can teach are brain that all is good and that we don't need the unnecessary surge of adrenaline that's causing all the problems in the first place.

I'll also go into navigating constant feelings of dread and terror which can actually feel worse than the panic itself.

Please remember that I am not an expert and I am chatting about my own experience and sharing what i have learnt. If you need help then don't be ashamed to ask for it. See your GP or contact a mental health charity like Mind

I have created a Private Facebook Page to go with this series. Please feel free to join this supportive community and remember I'm always here for a chat.

Nicola x

Dr Tiina Meder - The Woman Who Will Make You Question Everything You Thought You Knew About Skincare! Jan 18, 2025

Show notes

In this week's episode I welcome the utterly fascinating dermatologist, cosmetic safety expert and skincare brand founder Dr Tiina Meder.
Tiina originally started her brand Meder with the aim of making skincare that would be safe but truly effective for everyone, including pregnant women. To this day, everything in the Meder line up is pregnancy safe, but it is about so much more than that. Meder is all about getting incredible results but with skin loving ingredients such as peptides and pro-biotics (Tiina is at the forefront of research into the microbiome).
During the episode we talk about the brands that Tiina likes, we have an eye-opening chat about Tiina's views on retinoids and vitamin c and we talk about the changes that she believes we'll be seeing in the skincare industry over the next few years. I definitely left our chat questioning a lot of what I have believed to be true about skincare. (This has excited me rather than worried me....I'm looking forward to looking deeper into the world of pro/pre and all the other biotics that she mentions).
I love Tiina and while I know that some of her views are controversial, I think that she has robust evidence for many of her opinions. I can't wait to hear what you think xx

Outspoken Thoughts - Lily Allen's Mental Health, The Movie "Baby Girl" and The Joy of Real Life Shopping Jan 16, 2025

Show notes

We're at the end of the week and these are some of the (eclectic) things that have been on my mind over the past 7 days.

I'll be talking about Lily Allen checking into rehab, my thoughts about the film Baby Girl, why at 44 I'm finally ready to embrace the gym and why sometimes nothing beats going real life shopping!

DM me any time@outspokenbeautynicola if you have any comments on today's episode.

The Outspoken Review: Honest, Unfiltered Reviews of Beauty Products and More Jan 14, 2025

Show notes

If you're after honest, no holds barred reviews then you've come to the right place.

This week I'm sharing my thoughts on:

Gatineau Age Benefit Cleansing Elixir

Indu (with special mention of their SPF)

K18 AirWash

The Inkey List Ectoin Hydro-Barrier Serum

Meder by Dr Tiina Meder

A bright red scarf from Oliver Bonas!

Let me know what's been impressing you recently xx

Outspoken Mental Health Episode 1- Anxiety Warning Signs and The Mental Health Tool Kit Jan 13, 2025

Show notes

Trigger Warning: I talk about sexual abuse during this episode

During my final session with my brilliant psychologist, she told me that I should share my anxiety and mental health story with as many people as possible. Hearing this from a woman who is truly at the top of her game and who has helped me immeasurably took away all the doubts that I've been having (who am I to talk about anxiety when I'm not a trained professional?) and confirmed to me that I have a responsibility to share my story and everythings I've learnt from it (my lifelong anxiety condition, breakdown and road to recovery) with as many people as possible because when I was at my worst I needed to hear the things that I'll be talking about. They would have helped me so much.

So this is Outspoken Anxiety. Each Monday I'll talk about my anxiety journey and what I've learnt along the way. I'll chat about the professionals who have helped me, the lifestyle changes I've had to make, medication, how to live with an anxiety condition and I'll also try and help you navigate the at times complicated world of seeking help for mental health.

I realise this won't be for everyone but if I can help just one person that's enough!

In episode 1 I give a bit of background about my mental health and then chat about the warning signs that you shouldn't ignore and how to calm your nervous system when things start to bubble up.

Please DM me @outspokenbeautynicola if you have any questions. Also here is the link to the private Facebook Group that goes with the podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1626153351319481

Please only join if you suffer with anxiety or know someone who does and want to help them.

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