Latest news with #Sculpted
Irish Examiner
25-04-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Ten high-profile Irish people reflect on advice they would give to their 25-year-old selves
Maïa Dunphy, writer and broadcaster I came home from a voluntary wildlife project in Borneo just before I turned 24. I was a little lost and very broke. I took the first job that came up - processing purchase orders for an injection moulding company. When I turned 25, I was still working there. It was only when they offered me a big contract that I realised it wasn't what I wanted, so I got a job for a quarter of the salary in TV. Maia Dunphy: "I sought out adventure over everything else back then. I'd save travel money to get back to Borneo, which I did twice, and didn't have any sort of life plan beyond the next 12 months." I sought out adventure over everything else back then. I'd save travel money to get back to Borneo, which I did twice, and didn't have any sort of life plan beyond the next 12 months. Lots of my peers had started building careers and I felt like a bit of a failure in comparison. Now, I'd tell 25-year-old me not to stress, because 20+ years later, I still don't prioritise any of those things. Aimee Connolly, entrepreneur I was in my first proper year of life with [my beauty brand] Sculpted by Aimee, having just launched it. I was self-funding the brand, turning what had started as a project into a full-fledged business that needed structure, strategy, and long-term vision. Outside of work, I was travelling a lot with friends, making the most of that phase in life. I'd been with John, my now husband, for about three years. Aimee Connolly: "I'd tell my 25-year-old self that everything does work out, even when it feels like you're just figuring it out as you go. Hard work is non-negotiable." Picture: Naomi Gaffey. The biggest part of that year was discovering what it truly meant to start and grow a business, finding my feet, learning by doing, and figuring out what it took to make something like Sculpted work. I'd tell my 25-year-old self that everything does work out, even when it feels like you're just figuring it out as you go. Hard work is non-negotiable. You can't please everyone. So be a little more selfish with your time and energy, say no when you need to, and protect your focus. Nicole O'Brien, singer The Netflix reality show I featured on, Too Hot to Handle, had just come out. It was a mad time, trying to do the most I could in the industry, as you have a short window to build a brand and foundation. I never would sit and be present; I would just keep chasing the next big thing. I equated how happy I was with success, which I now know is the wrong mindset. Nicole O'Brien: "I equated how happy I was with success, which I now know is the wrong mindset." I would tell 25-year-old me to be present, enjoy the journey, and not worry about the small things. It's important to take time for friends and family and not rush. If things don't go the way you want, it's for a reason. Una Healy, singer/songwriter It was a pivotal point in my life. I had been waiting for so long to get a break in music, and it was when I auditioned for The Saturdays. It was pre-marriage and babies, so at that point my focus was solely on my career. I had put everything into it, years of graft. Una Healy: "I would tell myself that life is for living and we all make mistakes. There is a song I wrote as a teenager called This Is Your Life. " I would tell myself that life is for living and we all make mistakes. There is a song I wrote as a teenager called This Is Your Life. There are so many nuggets of advice in there but one of my favourite lines is 'Won't know peace, if you don't know pain. If you want a rainbow you've got to let it rain.' I try to take my mother's advice. When I don't, that's when I make the mistakes. Elaine Crowley, TV presenter and producer I was working at what was then TV3. I had been there for about three years. I was a news reporter and assistant producer and I used to fill in as the anchor on the news whenever the main guys were on holidays, at weekends, or during the week. Elaine Crowley: "I would tell myself to learn to drive and keep at it for the love of god because you will need it when you are older." My dad had died a couple of years before, so I was very family-oriented, and that hasn't changed. But I was enjoying life too, hanging out with my best friends. I would tell myself to learn to drive and keep at it for the love of god because you will need it when you are older. Stop procrastinating and don't worry about what size it says on the label. You are perfect as you are. Rosanna Davison, model and author I was doing a lot of work in Europe, going to events, fashion shows, TV shows, things like that. I was always pushing myself hard. I loved that every day was different, loved adventure and travel. I never wanted to have a routine. Spending time with friends was so important. Rosanna Davison: "I would encourage myself to slow down, stop saying 'Yes' to everything, and stop spreading myself so thin." Picture: Jason Clarke. I would encourage myself to slow down, stop saying 'Yes' to everything, and stop spreading myself so thin. I've become much better at this with age, saying no to things that I feel don't suit me or that I can't manage. I have learned to balance my time a lot more. Maeve Madden, fitness entrepreneur I had just graduated from university as a nursery school teacher, which sounds good, but I hated it. I was so lost. I knew that teaching wasn't the career for me, but I had no clue what was. I was living in London, drinking overpriced cocktails and attending a party every night of the week, and I decided to give myself a breather. Think, dancing till sunrise, lots of dating, and saying YES to everything except a nine-to-five. Maeve Madden: "It was the year I stopped following the societal 'shoulds' and that little lost phase turned out to be the first step toward finding myself. Sometimes being a bit lost is how you find your magic." It was the year I stopped following the societal 'shoulds' and that little lost phase turned out to be the first step toward finding myself. Sometimes being a bit lost is how you find your magic. I didn't know it would come in the form of my business, Queens Don't Quit, 14 years later. I'd say, 'Maeve, stop panicking. You're not lost, you're just becoming.' Don't worry about what everyone else is doing - there isn't a time limit. Choosing a different path doesn't mean you've failed. Kathryn Thomas, broadcaster I was four years into filming No Frontiers, a travel show I worked on for a decade. I was living with five friends in a tiny house off Leeson Street. I was travelling, on and off, for six months of the year to exotic places, coming home to part-time jobs, eating pot noodles and dancing in Night Owls in Ranelagh before taking off again. Kathryn Thomas: "My sense of adventure and my friendships were most important to me. I'd tell myself to keep having fun." Picture: ©Norman McCloskey. My sense of adventure and my friendships were most important to me. I'd tell myself to keep having fun. I so enjoyed my 20s. I think I have a sense of adventure and with that comes a sense of fun and that is what life is about. I would say, 'Keep doing what you are doing and always push the boat out.' Anna Daly, TV and radio presenter I had just finished college. I'd done the backpacking thing and was home, working at the Bank of Ireland and then in marketing for radio, while realising that this adulting business wasn't that easy. Now I'd say, grab opportunities with gusto. Anna Daly: "Don't assume everyone shares your moral compass, but try surrounding yourself with people who do." Picture: Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland. Don't assume everyone shares your moral compass, but try surrounding yourself with people who do. Save some money. Life is about to get a lot more expensive. Stop buying tops for nights out and invest in some quality pieces. Travel. Relax. Stop worrying. Most of the things you worry about will never happen. Dermot Bannon, architect I had just finished college in England and moved back home. It was the boom in Ireland, and I was working my backside off, nearly every hour, trying to build a career for myself. At 25, I became a workaholic. That seems to be the story of my life: taking on massive projects and putting myself under pressure. I worked long hours, often unpaid, and I was just trying to hone my craft. If I could go back, I wouldn't do what I did. I'd try to enjoy myself a little more. My dad always said to me, 'Don't live to work. Work to live,' and I think now, at this age, I get it. I would say: invest in relationships, friendships, and your family because they are most important. You don't need to achieve things by a particular time. Life happens in the in-between moments. Work will never bring you as much joy as other people. Read More Health experts share 25 health tips and top hacks you can trust
The Irish Sun
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Eight beauty-editor-approved buys – including the new Glossier perfume and a posh make-up brush
I'VE fully embraced spring this month - winter dragged on for far too long, so as soon as the clocks went back, my heavy knits and chunky boots got packed away. 9 These are my top picks of the month Credit: SUPPLIED Even when the weather isn't playing ball, , has helped keep my spring spirit alive. 9 The fragrance has notes of apricot and cashmere Credit: GLOSSIER Glossier You Fleur, £70 for 50ml EDP It has a saltiness that immediately transports you to the beach, with fruity apricot and the comforting, warm woody, cashmere notes of the original Glossier You - I've been wearing it daily, and can still smell it on my clothes in the laundry basket! I'm a big believer in a pick-and-mix beauty routine - every brand has products it does really well, and others that are a bit of a flop, so I wouldn't recommend a multi-step routine from the same brand before, but the latest launch from Irish brand Sculpted By Aimee has turned that on its head. 9 Brighten and awaken tired eyes Credit: SCULPTED BY AIMEE Sculpted By Aimee Brighten Up Energising Eye Cream, £26 READ MORE IN BEAUTY There's not a single dud in the three-product strong Glow Collection - has a cooling metal applicator that has been a godsend for my hayfever-riddled eyes and a super-lightweight consistency that feels instantly soothing on delicate undereye skin. 9 This serum stars calming niacinamide Credit: SCULPTED BY AIMEE Sculpted By Aimee LiquidGlo Brightening Essence, £24 is packed with my favourite skincare ingredient - niacinamide, which is an all-rounder that helps balance oil production, calm inflammation and reduce texture - in a water-like formula that's virtually weightless on skin and doesn't leave behind any sticky residue, so you can layer it with pretty much anything. 9 Clear and brighten your complexion Credit: SCULPTED BY AIMEE Most read in Fabulous Finally, the star of the show, , is the only vitamin C serum I've ever managed to use consistently. I often find they're greasy, and pretty much every one I've tried has caused my skin to break out, but it's been a month and my skin is looking better than ever - the only thing it's added is more glow! 9 This serum tackles numerous skin concerns Credit: THE INKEY LIST The I nkey List Exosome Hydro-Glow Complex, £20 I've also been using , morning and night since it launched at the start of the month. Founders Mark Curry and Colette Laxton told me it's the jack of all trades (and master of them too!) so will improve pretty much every skin concern, and make the rest of the products in my routine also work harder. I'm no scientist, so I can't confirm if that's true, but given the current state of my skin, I'm inclined to agree with them. Again, glow is a major focus, but as someone who usually runs from the word given my oily, spot-prone complexion, I'm happy to report the serum feels like silk without any sign of oiliness. 9 The new gen of mineral sunscreen is impressive Credit: ULTRA VIOLETTE Ultra Violette Future Fluid SPF50+ Superlight Mineral Skinscreen, £38 SPF is always the last step in my morning routine - if you're not already wearing it daily, let the recent sunny weather persuade you otherwise - and has unexpectedly become my go-to. I say unexpectedly, as it's made from mineral sunscreen filters, which I thought I hated (they're often thick and oily) but this new gen is super-fluid, and absorbs almost instantly, so it doesn't interfere with my make-up. The White Lotus' Aimee Lou Wood reveals her exact make-up routine to get that signature glow and opens up on 'drawing attention' to her gap tooth 9 I've been wearing this SPF50 instead of foundation Credit: SUPERGOOP! Supergoop! Protec(Tint) Daily SPF Tint SPF50, £40 For days when I'm not wearing a full face of glam, I've been using , in place of foundation, thanks to the buildable coverage. It blends easily, so it's not at all patchy which can be a problem with some skin tints - plus, it has a slightly thicker, more hydrating consistency that leaves my skin feeling moisturised all day. 9 These brushes feature easy-grip handles and feather-soft bristles Credit: VICTORIA BECKHAM BEAUTY Victoria Beckham Beauty The Brush Collection, from £30 , is the launch that has wowed me the most this month - inspired by calligraphy tools, the walnut handles are shaped to fit perfectly in your hand, and the bristles are densely packed to pick up pigment, while feeling feather-soft. To get the best value for money, I'd buy the double-ended versions first, but a word of warning: once you've bought one, you're going to want more, so it might be worth buying the Custom Brush Set, which is fully customisable - you have to pick at least three of the nine-strong collection to save 10%. Who doesn't love a discount?! How To Save Money On Beauty Buys IF your purse is feeling tighter than ever before and you're looking to save cash on your make-up routine, have you ever thought of trying out beauty dupes? Here are five of the best recommended beauty buys that are almost identical to the posh versions, but at a fraction of the price. FACE BASE If you can't afford Charlotte Tilbury's £52 Magic Cream, why not try a TONE IT UP If Drunk Elephant's £62 Protini Cream is out of your price range, you'll need to check out TINTING IT With Fenty's game-changer skin tint costing £29, a popular supermarket's affordable alternative might just be the thing for you. GET COVERED At £29 for a Tarte concealer, the new Primark dupe is much more affordable at just £3.50. SPRAY YAY For those wanting to smell fresh without the price tag,
