5 minutes with… The beautiful Emma from Belle & Sage

We chat with the gorgeous Emma Peters, natural beauty expert and founder of conscious beauty store soon to become makeup brand, Belle & Sage…

What does natural beauty mean to you?

Natural beauty encompasses so much. It’s about choosing products that do no harm to you or the environment. It’s about letting your own natural beauty shine from the inside out through proper nutrition and mind-body-soul practices. And also by choosing makeup to enhance and flatter your own natural beauty instead of using it as a mask to hide behind.

What inspired you to start your own natural makeup brand?

Over the past 20 years as a makeup artist, I’ve studied yoga, unofficially studied health and nutrition, and dabbled in cosmetic chemistry so my brand was pretty inevitable! Over the years, it’s become increasingly important to me that people choose their products consciously and use things that are healthy instead of health destroying. We’re living in a pretty toxic world, and it’s so crucial to lessen the toxic burden wherever we can. So choosing natural makeup should be a given – as long as it functions well of course!

What are some products you can’t live without?

I can’t live without a good concealer, a little bit of colour for cheeks and lips and a great natural mascara.

What does your daily makeup and skincare routine consist of?

It has to be quick and easy for me. With two girls to get out the door in the morning and a business to run, it’s got to be fast and effective. Cleanse, serum and moisturise, with a good exfoliate every couple of days. Then it’s just the basics makeup wise. Concealer which I sheer out to a foundation, mascara and a bit of colour on the cheeks. Usually a cream product thats easily blend-able and versatile enough to use on the lips as well. Probably shouldn’t mention that the last bit usually gets applied in the car at the traffic lights on the way to school drop off! I’m noticing as I get older that I can’t leave the house without eyebrow pencil too.

What are your top tips for great skin?

Look after your skin with all the fundamental rules like – avoid harsh sun on your face, take your makeup off before bed and exfoliate 3 x per week. Your best bet is to treat you skin from all angles. Use a great collagen enhancing serum topically, and take collagen enhancing (natural) supplements. But also make sure your gut is working well. If your diet is great and you’re absorbing your nutrients properly, it will show by making your skin glow. Oh, and drink lots of water!

What ingredients are your biggest deal breakers when it comes to natural beauty and skincare?
Ohh there are a few! But the top no-go’s are: “fragrance” because there’s usually an undisclosed amount of hormone disputing and carcinogenic chemicals hiding in an ingredient named “fragrance”, phthalates, parabens, chemical sunscreens, and ethanolomines (MEA,DEA,TEA). I’m completely adverse to anything that attaches to hormone receptors in the body thereby disrupting and unbalancing the whole system. My choices around ingredients are much more extensive than just avoiding these few, but these are some that you’ll be able to spot on an ingredients list and avoid!

Where would you like to see yourself in 3 years time?

I see myself happily growing my natural makeup brand while working with likeminded people and businesses to carry on expanding the natural beauty revolution. And of course spending as much time as I can with my family, my girls are growing up so quickly!

Who have your biggest inspirations been over the course of your career?

I was looking through my book case this morning and pulled out one of my Kevin Aucoin books. I remembered how in awe of his work I was when I was first starting out. He was such an amazing makeup artist and his transformations were incredible. And I have to say, my family has been my biggest inspiration for the health side of things, it wasn’t until I met my husband and had kids that I became fastidious about putting my health knowledge into action.

What’s the best advice you can give someone thinking of following a career dream or passion?

Don’t hesitate and don’t give up! BUT make sure you know the boring stuff too, like facts and figures and projections and risks. If you love what you’re doing and have a plan that’s backed up by realistic expectations and numbers that check out, you’ll be unstoppable!

If you weren’t a makeup artist / natural beauty entrepreneur you would be a …

I’d be a yoga-teaching-naturopathy-practicing-biochemist, I’m fascinated by the workings of the body and the way we can influence or correct form and function. I’d probably take to painting on the side too because I love working with colour too much!

About Emma
Emma has over twenty years experience working as a make-up artist and has been studying the relationship between beauty and wellness for years. From private consults and group makeup lessons, to application and make-up bag detoxes, Emma can help you make beautiful, conscious choices, from the inside out. Find out more about Emma and her services available here.