Empowering Women

Dolce Vita by Charlotte Tilbury

Sometimes life can be overwhelming. The pressure to achieve, both in the workplace and at home is relentless. The demand on us to deliver at work seems higher than ever (gone are the days of a job well done, now it’s all about budgets and targets), and there’s an expectation for us to keep a beautiful home and run it efficiently, to raise families and look after elderly relatives, to maintain friendships as well as business acquaintances. To top it off, society (online and in the real world) expects us to be gorgeous and stylish while we frantically manage all of the above. It’s an unfair amount of pressure and it’s unlikely that we can do it all, all of the time.

Over the past couple of years I’ve discovered that trying to meet all of these demands simply doesn’t work – it’s exhausting, and rarely do we reach our best potential in anything when we’re trying to do everything. So, it’s important to prioritise and decide what’s most important. These priorities aren’t set in stone; they can and will change over time, but what matters is that we know where our time and energy is best spent.

For instance, three years ago my idea of what was important was very different to what it is now, mostly due to my age and change in circumstances (such as getting married, wanting a family, and valuing time with loved ones over extra hours in the office). I expect that in another three years, my priorities will have changed again. The key is to remember to always evaluate your life, choose the people and things in it, and discover what makes you happiest.

A small but significant priority for me is taking some time each week for myself. This time can be spent on anything from watching The Good Wife (my current Netflix obsession) to walking the dog, but the point is that I’ve chosen how to spend it. Likewise, I enjoy wearing a face mask and Snapchatting my best friend silly selfies while baking a banana loaf. Messy, maybe, but fun nonetheless. And, as superficial as it sounds, I enjoy the pretty things such as fresh roses every week, coffee and pasties on a Sunday, and gorgeous beauty products that make me feel good when I wear them, with minimal effort.

Which is why I decided to accept an invitation to the launch of Charlotte Tilbury at House of Fraser in Glasgow. I’ve always wanted to try Charlotte’s collection (she’s a leading make up artist who counts Kate Moss as her bestie), mostly because of her expertise in the business but also because her packaging and products are gorgeous and would look super pretty in my quilted handbag (sorry, that’s the dreamer in me).

However, until recently the collection hasn’t been available in Scotland and, being a premium brand, I didn’t want to risk an online purchase. Of course, when I got to House of Fraser, I was wowed (but not surprised) by how beautiful the counter is, but it was once my make up artist, Julia, explained Charlotte’s mission that I really fell in love. Charlotte Tilbury wants to empower women.

As much as I loved the products (Wonder Glow, Light Wonder foundation, The Retoucher and Beach Sticks in particular) it was this statement that sold Charlotte Tilbury to me. Whenever I watch her YouTube tutorials, I’m mesmerised by the gorgeous, flame-haired woman who treats everyone like her best friend but seems equally as strong and determined (well, she has been a leading MUA in fashion for over 20 years). Julia explained to me that Charlotte’s intention isn’t to plaster make up on women to give them false confidence but, rather, to enhance what they already have, whether it’s great skin, beautiful brows, plump lips or sparkling eyes, in a bid to make them feel a better version of themselves. I love this idea, that such a driving force of a woman is a champion of making women feel their very best.

This is what we need to remember: that we can only do our best. If we want a great hair day, we might not get the dishes done before we leave for work – and that’s okay. More of us should take this attitude, to ourselves and to the women around us. And if a bit of make up helps us to deal with the shit going on at work, then grab your friends, schedule some ‘you time’, and head straight to House of Fraser to treat yourself to some of Charlotte’s Magic Cream.