At the office and studio, ground floor of a beautiful, old Bastion Square building, I meet Melodie to chat a bit about life and style but mostly about a new kind of makeup company. A company based on clean, vegan, cruelty-free and sustainable cosmetics; one that uses inclusivity and positive messages rather than the fear and shame-based marketing that the majority of the beauty industry relies on.
Working in the beauty industry for over 20 years, Melodie has worn many hats, as a makeup artist and for an international cosmetics company. It was during this period that Melodie decided to make some major changes in her life.
鈥淚 got to travel all over the world, it was really really fun but I realized my life wasn鈥檛 very healthy. I started looking around at the impact that I was having on the world and the impact that those things were having on me. I decided to stop using beauty products that were unhealthy, stopped eating processed food, stopped buying clothes in the same way and decided to leave the cosmetics company I was working for as it wasn鈥檛 in line with what I wanted for my life.鈥�
Melodie had always wanted to start her own business and during her healthful transformation she learned to make skincare products and then makeup. About seven years ago she began making her own products, testing them out on people she knew and eventually launched Elate Cosmetics almost four years ago.
What aspect of the business gets her fired up?
鈥淚t鈥檚 always been about the people for me, not just the makeup. I love creating new products and doing our photoshoots but the big thing for me is building community and bringing people into the vision and our mission of trying to make the world a better place. That鈥檚 what gets me out of bed in the morning.鈥�
And what innate quality has led to her success? 鈥淚 never stop. I鈥檒l never stop learning, growing and I鈥檓 incredibly adaptable, whatever happens I just go with it. Over time we鈥檝e had what one might consider a failure or setback but I never look at it that way. I think, 鈥極kay, that sucks, how are we going to get past it and move on?鈥� because you can鈥檛 predict what鈥檚 going to happen and you can鈥檛 dwell on what happened before, you just have to keep moving forward.鈥�
With the company now selling in about 130 stores worldwide and a growing online presence, I ask what鈥檚 on the horizon for Elate?
鈥淥ur goal is to be the world鈥檚 first waste-free cosmetics company, and we鈥檙e about 75 per cent right now. Our mission is to change the beauty industry and if we do this then other companies have to do it too. I don鈥檛 know where we鈥檒l end up but we鈥檙e here at the beginning of a revolution of companies becoming more ethical.鈥�
FASHION
Uniform: Jeans, blouse, my thrift-store-found black Smythe jacket, worn-in boots.
All-time favourite piece: Black linen jumpsuit from .
Currently Coveting: The Quince Tuxedo Jumpsuit by 鈥� 鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing.鈥�
Favourite pair of shoes: Mule.
Favourite Day bag: tote in 鈥淗orizon.鈥�
Favourite jewellery piece or designer: The 鈥淔emme Power鈥� ring by
.
Fashion Obsession: Jeans. 鈥淎lways searching for the perfect pair.鈥�
Accessory you spend the most money on: Rings.
BEAUTY
Necessary indulgence: Facials every four weeks.
Moisturizer: Jojoba oil.
Must-have hair product: by Kevin Murphy.
Three favourite makeup products: Black mascara, 鈥淪uede鈥� brow balm and 鈥淏laze鈥� lipstick, all from , of course.
Beauty secret: Sweat, smile and drink four litres of water a day.
STYLE INSPIRATIONS
Style Icon: 鈥� 鈥淚 adore her!鈥�
Favourite Artist: Van Gogh, or my sister-in-law, . 鈥淪he is fab!鈥�
Piece of art: I love his painting The Potato Eaters and her Columbia 2.(鈥淚t鈥檚 hanging over my fireplace鈥�).
Favourite Fashion Designer: Stella McCartney. Favourite Musician: David Bowie.
Era of Time that inspires your style: The 鈥�70s.
LIFE
Favourite local restaurant: .
Favourite Cocktail/Wine: Old Fashioned.
Album on current rotation: High as Hope, Florence and the Machine.
Favourite Flower: Tiger lilies.
Favourite city to visit: Bordeaux, France.
Favourite App: Asana project management.
Favourite place in the whole world: The top of Mt. Finlayson.
READING MATERIAL
What do you read Online for style: Vogue online.
Fave Print magazine: Darling Magazine.
Fave style Blog: and .
Current favourite coffee table Book: Kindred Home.
Book currently reading: Truth: How the Many Sides to Every Story Shape Our Reality by Hector MacDonald and The Stand by Stephen King.
Favourite book of all time: A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway.
-Story and Photography by Lia Crowe
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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