‘I Basically Created My Dream Skincare Routine’: Niomi Smart Discusses The Launch Of Her Very Own Skincare Line

Niomi Smart is the newest need-to-know name in beauty. Niomi is widely considered to be one of the UK's OG influencers. Her global following of over 4.6 million across all her digital platforms certainly attest to that. Niomi is a well respected name in the wellness world already and even has a best-selling cook book to her name. This month she's leaping into the beauty arena too with her debut vegan skincare collection Smart Skin, which is kicking things off with a capsule line-up of five products. Here she talks to Grazia's beauty editor Annie Vischer about her new range, her beauty favourites and Niomi even reveals some of her biggest beauty blunders to date.

On Her Skincare Routine Before Smart Skin

'I was always very conscious about the brands that I was leaving on my skin. Obviously being vegan and cruelty-free was and is very very important to me, and I was also very conscious about the ingredients and where they came from. I’d think about where they were from, what they were about, was there a purpose behind each ingredient? I’d look into the ethos of the brand too. In a way I was very fussy.'

'I would say that my skincare routine before I launched Smart Skin was kind of all over the place. I would get too excited about trying different products and different brands that it was constantly changing. My skin would react because it wasn’t getting used to one particular thing. Then I thought I would love to create a skincare brand that aligns completely with everything that I’m interested in and passionate about and ticks all the boxes. I basically created my dream skincare routine and I’ve been sticking to it for a while now. It’s made such a difference. '

On Thinking Up Smart Skin

'It was about two years ago now, maybe more. Smart Skin goes beyond being just skincare. It’s all about lifting people up. I’ve been completely inspired by my incredible online community and those that have formed the Smart Skin tribe, they’re the ones that have given me the confidence to bring Smart Skin to life. I’ve got this incredible girl gang that’s all about female empowerment and then of course getting into the ingredients it’s so important to me that beauty is animal friendly, so there’s no animal derived ingredients in there. We have been certified by the Vegan Society, they’re obviously never tested on animals. At least 95% of the ingredients within each product are of natural origin so we’ve actually also been certified by Cosmos, which we’re incredibly proud of. Even down to the packaging, we’ve ensured that that’s sustainable too. The tubes are aluminium, it’s one of the most easily recycled materials to use and one of the most expendable materials on the planet.'

On The Hero Products Of The Range

'Every single one is like my child so it’s very hard to pick heroes! I would say that my absolute go-to, though, is the Smart Skin Golden Jelly Cleanser, £24. I’m completely obsessed with it, I use it every morning and evening, the texture is absolutely beautiful, you smooth it all over your skin to remove make-up in the evening. If you use it with our bamboo cloth too it very gently exfoliates and leaves you with bright, glowing skin. The other one I would say is the mask. It’s called the Smart Skin Miracle Meta Mask, £30. It has this gorgeous warming sensation, it’s really stunning. You can leave it on for 20 minutes too so you can really take your time with it and make a ritual of it.'

On The Importance Of 'Me Time'

'We’re all guilty of going a million miles an hour and it can be dangerously easy to forget to look after yourself. One thing that I’m really focusing on now is self-love and learning to love and respect yourself as well as the people around you and the planet. Even having just 10 minutes a day for yourself, whether that involves your skincare or doing something that you love, it’s so important. It’s really hard nowadays to find an hour a day to focus on yourself. We’re told we need to meditate, there are so many things we’re told we have to do. But I think even having just five minutes or 10 minutes of really focusing on you whilst you do your skincare routine is so powerful. Every evening now, when I’m working through my skincare routine, I try and be as mindful as I possibly can. Positive affirmations are incredible to do whilst you’re applying skincare, and it’s a great way to build confidence and give yourself a mental boost.'

On The Products We'll Always Find In Her Make-Up Bag

'Number one is the Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturiser SPF15, £68. It’s got SPF15 in there which is so important year round of course. I love using it during the day because it doesn’t feel heavy on my skin at all. You don’t see any cakeyness, I absolutely love it. I’ve also recently discovered Code8. The brand is completely vegan and cruelty free and I’ve been using their Seamless Cover Concealer, £27. It really melts in. You can’t go wrong with the Hourglass Arch Brow Shaping Gel, £27, either. It’s my go-to every single day. I have brows that like to wander off in all directions so it’s great for keeping them in place. It’s an absolute must for me.'

On How 2020 Has Changed Her Approach To Beauty

'One thing lockdown taught me is that skincare is one of the most important parts of your beauty routine because if you look after your skin you actually end up not feeling like you need to wear as much make-up as you were before anyway. Nourishing your skin, getting it to a place that you’re happy and confident with, means that you don’t end up layering on as much make-up. I learned during lockdown to wear less make-up and I’ve carried that on. I’m not wearing make-up right now and I’ll go through a few days of not wearing any. I’ve found that now when I do apply make-up for events or to meet friends I really enjoy it, it doesn’t feel like a chore. I think lockdown really taught me how important having your skincare routine is to make sure that you’re really honing the best skincare routine that you possibly can.'

On Her Favourite Beauty Treatment

'I absolutely love going to Skin Works for a facial every now and then. It’s at the Alex Eagle Studio on Lexington Street in Soho, London. Every now and again, even if it’s just every couple of months, having a facial is so lovely. Just having that physical touch, that face massage to ease those muscles and any tension. I personally hold a lot of tension in my jaw so having someone massage that area is dreamy. I go for their signature facial. You have a bit of a peel as well. You just end up leaving with gorgeous, clear, radiant skin.'

On Her Happy Place

'Before this year I probably would have come up with some elaborate idea of a holiday and lying on a beach somewhere but now I’ve learned to find my happy place inwards. It’s incredibly hard to do and takes so much time to work on yourself and to make your body your happy place but once you get to that point you’re set. I’m definitely not 100% there and maybe I never will be, but I think getting to a place where if you’re struggling with anxiety or stress, to find a quiet place and practice mindfulness or meditation or breathwork or yoga, if that can become your happy place, I just think that the world is your oyster.'

On Her Go-To Meal

'This one’s so simple, quick and easy, you can just whip it up in no time at all, a quite spicy Mexican bean chilli. You can load it up with loads of vegetables, lots of different types of beans, it’s high in protein and you can add in smoked paprika, anything goes. That’s probably my favourite go-to, especially now with the seasons changing, it’s a really hearty, warming dish.'

On Her Favourite Yoga Positions

'My favourite position comes at the end of a yoga session when you’re in Shavasana and basically just lying on your back. It’s probably one of the most powerful poses in a practice. Your whole flow through a class is aimed at getting you to a place of Shavasana where you can totally switch off. I always get sad in classes where there’s no Shavasana. Another one is flip dog. It’s a real heart opener. It involves being on your side lifting your body up and your arm is open. It’s the most incredible chest opener, an amazing stretch and you feel empowered. Childs’ pose too. It feels so comfortable for so many people. Sometimes you need that pause.'

On Her Favourite Perfume

'My favourite perfume is probably Tom Ford’s Private Blend Mandarino di Amalfi Eau de Parfum 50ml, £164. It’s also the most luxurious item that I have in my bathroom. The reason I love it is because my grandma bought it for me on a whim a few years ago. She didn’t know what sort of perfume I wore, she just went into a shop in Florida where she spends a lot of her time and bought it for me. Ever since then it’s been my favourite perfume and I don’t use it all the time. I use it for special occasions and when I wear it I always think of her. I think fragrance is such a powerful thing. I’m also really enjoying the Atelier Cologne fragrances. They’re really beautiful and as a brand they’re really conscious with the ingredients that they source. They have one called Atelier Cologne Clémentine California Cologne Absolue Spray 30ml, £55, which I love. I wore it a lot when I was in Positano a couple of years ago so it takes me right back there. It’s such a lovely bright, uplifting scent.'

On Her Biggest Beauty Blunders To Date

'I don’t know if this was even a ‘thing’ at the time, which is what makes it so embarrassing, but I went through a phase of using an electric blue liquid liner. A real thick electric blue liner to create a cat eye. I can’t remember where I got mine from but it was so pigmented that it almost stained my skin. It was impossible to remove. That’s something that I’m not so proud of. I remember using concealer on my lips too, why was that ever a good idea?'

On Where She Sees Smart Skin In 5 Years Time

'I would love to be able to walk into one of my favourite beauty retailers and see a whole wall of my collection there for different skin types, I’d want there to be something for everyone, and for the brand to be well on the journey to empowering women and helping to encourage them to make their dreams happen. I’d love to think that we could make change in terms of sustainability too and to encourage other brands to do the same.'

Shop: Niomi Smart's Favourite Beauty Buys And The Smart Skin Range

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