MIA FREEDMAN: "Pigmentation on my face is shocking. These products fixed it."

This wonderful nugget of beauty wisdom comes courtesy of Mamamia’s shiny new beauty podcast, You Beauty. For this week’s In Her Bag, Leigh Campbell rummaged through her boss Mia Freedman’s beauty bag to find out what products she loves.

Mia Freedman is the co-founder and creative director the the Mamamia Media Group, after starting Mamamia as a blog on her lap in her living room over 10 years ago. She also founded Lady Startup, a community that supports, collaborates with and educates women starting or wanting to start their own businesses.

Listen to Mia’s full interview on You Beauty below. You can also subscribe to You Beauty here so you never miss a thing. It’s a blast.

Stay with us here, but Mia Freedman is a tiny bit like a magpie.

Not an actual magpie that swoops on people, to our knowledge, but in the sense that she has a passion for seeking out the sparkly things in life.

From new and quirky products to almost anything with a hint (or bucket load) of glitter in it, the 46-year-old enjoys putting fun, shiny things on her face.

Behind the glitter – so much glitter – is also a mum-of-three who runs her own business and spent way too much time in the sun without sun protection in her twenties.

Like many women, pigmentation is her greatest skincare concern and she favours beauty, skincare and hair care products that can do a lot in the shortest amount of time possible.

 

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Pigmentation. No filter. Who cares. I might do something about it but right now I’m going to think of my blotches as souvenirs from an incredibly happy holiday break. #mamamiasummer #mamamia4women

A post shared by Mia Freedman (@miafreedman) on Jan 12, 2018 at 2:10pm PST

You could almost call it a selfless quest, because when Mamamia’s Leigh Campbell went rummaging through her boss’ beauty bag, she found some bloody helpful products that also just make you smile.

Standouts include the hair towel that can save you heaps of time getting ready in the morning and the natural deodorant that Mia legit wants to rub on her temples like a perfume. Oh, and the dry shampoo that has glitter in it.

Enough chat, here’s what Leigh found in Mia’s beauty bag.

 Mia Freedman’s go-to beauty products.

Ultraceuticals Ultra Brightening Foaming Cleanser, $65.

Why she loves it: "My skin is always better in winter, because at the end of summer, my pigmentation is a shocker. I look like someone's thrown a latte in my face. I think the combination of having had three pregnancies... and I only started wearing sunscreen everyday in the last few years because I'm an idiot. I've been using this product since January and have noticed a difference."

Cinch Face Cheat(er) Cream Moisturiser + Glow, $39.95.

A post shared by Cinch Skin (@cinchskin) on Mar 29, 2018 at 3:12pm PDT

Why she loves it: "I love Face Cheat(er) Cream Moisture + Glow, you know what I'm like with anything that's got a little bit of sparkle in it. It's a combination moisturiser with a bit of illuminator in it, and I love a product that does double duty."

Side note - Cinch is also an Aussie Lady Startup, bonus!

O Cosmedics Mineral Pro SPF 30+ Sunscreen, $47.

A post shared by Leigh Campbell (@leighacampbell) on Jul 28, 2018 at 11:57pm PDT

Clinique Super City Block SPF 30+, $40.

Invisible Zinc Tinted Daywear Light SPF 30+, $27.99.

Why she loves them: "I use sunscreen every morning (now) without fail, on my face, and my neck and chest because I'm at the stage where those areas are starting to make me feel a little bit sad. I wanted to use a physical sunscreen - O Cosmedics smells like vanilla and coconut, it's got a great texture, it's not sticky, thick or greasy. I also use Clinique City Block, it's a great reminder that just because something's been around forever, doesn't mean it's not great. Around my eyes as a concealer, I use the Invisible Zinc in light."

Verso Super Eye Serum, $124, and Verso Night Cream, $161.

Why she loves them: Mia wasn't sure how to explain why she loves these products, so the all-knowing Leigh stepped in...

"Retinol is an active ingredient that promotes cell turnover. So it's making your skin cells turn over, it's great for fine lines, pigmentation and acne scarring. They help fight several signs of ageing at once. Some retinols are pregnancy safe, but always check with your obstetrician first."

Mia added, "I've gone through phases where I've thought I want to go all natural [with beauty], but it's time to ramp it up. When it comes to my face, vanity has won out. I need active ingredients."

It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream SPF 50+, $61.

Why she loves it: "I've tried a few different foundations, but I don't like wearing too much of it. At first, I felt like this product pulls a bit because of the texture, but it's like a miracle. I don't find that it's greasy and cloggy at all."

Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer in Fenty Glow, $30.

Fenty Beauty Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipstick in Freckle Fiesta, $28.

Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Amplifying Eye Primer, $33.

Why she loves them: "I thought Fenty Beauty would be a vanity line like a lot of celebrities who do makeup lines, I was cynical. The lip gloss is phenomenal, it's a universal pinky honey shade. The lipstick is fantastic and long-wearing. I also really love the eye primer because I find my eyelids are dropping as I get older so I have a lot of trouble keeping eye-anything on."

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Mushroom, $33.

Why she loves it: "When I first started doing TV on the Today Show, I got a makeup lesson. [The makeup artist] said to me, with my colouring, I shouldn't use any colours that are similar to the colour of a bruise - no purples or plums - because I've got yellow skin. Black is too harsh, brown feels meh, I just really like grey."

Sukin Hydrating Body Lotion Lime and Coconut, $20.99.

EcoTan Winter Skin, $29.95.

Why she loves them: "I put a lot of moisturiser on my body and also combine it with my tan for a natural tan all year round. It's a really gradual colour, you'd never know [it was fake]."

Le Labo Santal 33, $270.

Why she loves it: "I stole this perfume off Lisa Wilkinson... she came into the office wearing it! I found a good cheapie that smells exactly the same as Lisa's perfume, Diptyque Philosykos, it's a $68 roll-on perfume oil... I wear it when I'm travelling."

Sportsgirl Powder Pop Glitter Dry Shampoo, $3.98.

Why she loves it: "I love a good cheap product. This glitter dry shampoo comes in a pump, and you can work the glitter through your hair."

Side note - if you love glittery, sparkly beauty products like Mia, she also loves the Cover FX Glitter Drops ($72) and Stila's Glitter and Glow highlighter (N/A in Australia at the moment).

Aquis Lisse Luxe Hair Turban, $44.

Why she loves it: "It feels a bit ridiculous when you're wearing it. It's made from microfibre towel material, has a hook and button so you can put it on after showering and get ready with it on. It saves you hair drying time and it makes me so happy."

Mia's Spendy: Kai Deodorant, $35.

Why she loves it: "It's a stick deodorant but it's not creamy, it's clear, like a jelly wax. Its natural, doesn't get on my clothes, and it smells so good I want it as a fragrance."

Mia's Savey: L'Oreal Infallible Eye Paint, $16.49.

Why she loves it: "It's a cream eye shadow with a pointy wand, I've got it in brown and navy. I've tried liquid eyeliner a million times and I can't master it, but I quite like to use a creamy shadow products on my lash line then blend it in instead."

Do you use any of Mia's favourite beauty products? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

Love all things beauty? Come join our You Beauty Facebook group for more chit chat about things to put on your face. And body. And hair.

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