“The PF profile is a curated edit where we interview your favourite beauty enthusiasts along with key industry professionals that are seasoned on all things health, beauty and wellness related. We speak to key women who we believe have valuable knowledge to offer to a wider audience, whilst shedding light on their beauty journey.”
We introduce New Zealand born, beauty content creator and entrepreneur Mandy Madden. With her immaculate poreless complexion, Mandy is hard to avoid in the beauty hemisphere, leaving anybody feeling intrigued on how to obtain such a glow. Mandy provides her followers with beauty tips on a daily basis through her blog, and through instagram content to her e-book that guides you with precise steps to a ‘healthy complexion’. Mandy’s online presence has been effortless, which has lead her to her new venture Paigerie, a luxury fashion brand for pets. We speak to Mandy on her beauty routine, her approach to wellness and more.
All photographs by Mandy Madden Kelley.
What age did you begin taking your beauty routine seriously?
For as long as I remember, beauty routines have been a priority in my family. I remember watching my grandmother with admiration as she balanced career and family life, while also maintaining her stunning appearance. I specifically recall her putting Amla oil in her hair. It was a really great lesson to see her make herself a priority, and it stuck with me. It is definitely something I hope to pass down to my daughter, Kaia. Additionally, when I moved to Los Angeles, my skin reacted poorly to the change in climate and increase in pollution. It was at this time that I really embraced a disciplined approach to my skincare and made it a form of self-care.
How do you find yourself navigating your mental health during these uncertain times?
I am very grateful that I have already put many mental health and self-care practices in place before the challenges of 2020 came to be. With launching my new company, Pagerie, there were definitely added stressors (mostly exciting) and the normal “balance” my life has was definitely thrown off. Fortunately, for me, skin care is a form of self-care, so I have trained my brain to use my beauty routines as a meditative and rejuvenating experience as opposed to another chore on the to-do list.
What does your skincare routine look like through the day?
Something that I think is so important in skincare is listening to our skin as different things change, whether that is seasons, air quality (we had many issues from the recent wildfires in Southern California), stress, etc. I make sure to alter my skincare so that my skin gets what it truly needs at any given time. That being said, my go-to products change on a weekly or even daily basis. In the morning, I always do a dual cleanse, followed by a cocktail of serums with AHAs and acne-fighting ingredients. The next step is sun protection. I love a dewy look, so I generally use an oil to moisturize. The products I most frequently use for day wear are Ranavat Botanics Luminous Cleanser, Furtuna Biphase Moisturizing Oil, and Sonrei Mineral Sunscreen.
And night?
Again, this varies depending on what I feel will be best for my skin. I do a dual cleanse to make sure that I have removed anything from the day. I don’t usually wear makeup, but when I do wear a minimal amount, I need to make sure it comes off. I also exfoliate in the evenings, before I apply serums or sleeping masks. And similarly to morning, I love using oils to keep my skin hydrated and glowing. Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 1970, Furtuna Face and Eye Serum and Sisley Black Rose Eye Cream are some of my most frequently-used products for evening.
What is your favourite skincare ingredient?
My current favorite skincare ingredient is CBD. I am blown away by how powerful it is, and how many different ways it can positively impact someone’s skin. I love that it is natural, and that there are both internal and external applications for its use. It is great at reducing inflammation and redness, soothing the skin, and so much more. I have never seen a single ingredient that is so effective.
When have you felt the most confident in your beauty?
My confidence in my beauty has continued to increase over time. As a child, I was the only one I knew who had dark skin, and I was bullied for it to the point that my skin was a very sad subject for me. Over the years, I learned to embrace it, and through discipline, my skin has become one of my favorite attributes. I’ve been able to turn it to a big part of my life and career, helping others to embrace their skin and skincare as self care. It is a highlight for me when I get messages of gratitude from people who’ve followed my advice and fallen in love with their skin with my help.
What kind of beauty advice would you like to pass along to your daughter?
It is my hope that she learns by my example to take time to value herself and show herself love, and to embrace her skin. She takes part in my daily and weekly skincare rituals, and I hope that she remembers them fondly like I do watching my grandmother, and that she continues to give herself the time she truly deserves to care for herself. It may seem superficial, but can be so profoundly impactful to our physical and mental health.
What are you reading right now?
I am currently reading Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if your life depended on it by Chris Voss. It was recommended to me by our Pagerie marketing director and it’s incredible. My educational background is in law, but most everything I’ve learned about business has come through practice! I have been trying to educate myself as much as possible. This book is interesting and teaches the art of negotiation through the lens of a FBI agent. While I’ve grown up with strong female role models, I am still a Black female business owner in a largely male-dominated industry (yes, fashion and beauty are still mostly run by white men). It is incredibly important for me to gain as much knowledge as I can and apply what I learn to what I practice.
Which women are you inspired by right now?
This is likely an off-beat answer, but I am currently inspired by the woman my new ultra-luxury pet brand is named after – Empress Josephine Bonaparte, born Marie Josèphe Rose Tascher de La Pagerie. She was known for her style, her beautiful rose garden, and her devotion to her dog, Fortune. It is rumored that she argued with Napoleon about whether Fortune would sleep in their bed! As a dog-owner and dog-lover, I appreciate that very much, and am impressed that she would stand up to the most powerful man in the world at the time in order to give her dog the respect we agree he deserved.
Additionally, with so many social and civil movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter, everyone who has the courage to live their truth, embrace their unique characteristics and traits and to be themselves unapologetically inspires me greatly.
What do you hope for the future?
It is my hope that we can truly come together and respect and value each other. Division among people is so rampant at this time, which makes quarantine and handling a crisis so much more difficult. I would love to see us as a people united by the wonderful things we have in common, while embracing all of the differences we have that make us unique.
