We caught up with Chloe Brinklow founder and editor of TOMBOY to talk about all things beauty.
L.N Chloe, tell us a bit more about yourself and TOMBOY Beauty
C.B I started TOMBOY Beauty three years ago with a very simple mission to celebrate beauty from a different perspective – that is less is more – and to feature humans both as subject and collaborator who are fearless, progressive and go against the grain. We’re a beauty destination that is as much about beauty as an industry as it is about finding the beauty in the world around us, celebrating inclusivity, culture and the zeitgeist. We’ve grown a tonne since inception, we now have a team and offices in New York and Sydney, also run a full-service creative, content and branding consultancy TB Consulting, and we just had the inimitable Helena Christensen on our first digital cover that we launched with an intimate dinner party in New York City. Helena attended, BECCA cosmetics (another Australian brand making it in NYC and a constant source of inspiration sponsored the event) and I was able to spend time with the men and women who have contributed to and inspired the TOMBOY Beauty brand from the very beginning.
L.N Have you always been interested in beauty?
C.B That’s a hard no. I grew up with three brothers and the aspiration to be a ‘bikey’ (I loved motorbikes) or pro skater, or an ironwoman… When I was in high school and realised my strengths were in the written word and creativity, I also I discovered fashion – and my career trajectory took a turn – I was going to work at VOGUE. I fell into beauty as a result of interning in magazines on this mission, landed in the beauty department, and after being sent home with a package of beauty products to try, I have never looked back. On a practical level – I like that beauty especially in the context of publishing gives you the opportunity to be creative, shoot, style and write – while being across the business of the publication – advertising/pitching/networking etc. Now I basically do all that for my own publication.
L.N TOMBOY’s approach to beauty is described as less-is-more, can you tell us a bit more about this
C.B It’s an underexplored perspective. It’s not like we’re anti-makeup, or treatments, or maintenance or anything like that – to each their own. Our approach to image making, our tone, and message in a thoughtful and intellectual. There’s no heavy retouching or distortion of the subject. And while we work in a premium space, we’re all-inclusive. When I first started TOMBOY I thought there had to be a definition of the girl – she wore a Saint Laurent suit with dirty converse someone left at her front door, had three hardworking products in her beauty cabinet and brushed her hair on a very occasional basis. But I quickly learnt this was short-sighted. TOMBOY Beauty is for every woman. A source of inspiration, service, and empowerment.
L.N According to you what are the interesting beauty trends for 2019?
C.B I am very into hair accessories – visible hairpins and clips. Plus flowers, but not flower crowns as seen on TOMBOY, How we embellish hair.
Pressed in lipstick, a little more than a stain, but not a full lip.
Long hair. Mainly because I’ve discovered Great Lengths extensions (I got mine at Fuchs Hair in Waterloo, Sydney) and I will make it a thing, even if it is a complete self-interest project.
L.N Can you share your daily beauty routine with us
C.B I am a loyalist when it comes to skincare, and don’t believe in shared care (which makes living between two cities on opposite sides of the world pretty difficult. But Melanie Grant is my skin angel – and she has me on a pretty strict skin regimen that I add a couple of my own additions too. If I stray from it my skin suffers.
I remove my makeup with Face Halo and water, cleanse with Cosmedix Purity Clean, exfoliate with Cosmedix Purity Scrub, then Cosmedix Affirm Serum (AM) and Cosmedix Refine (PM) followed by Ultra Violette Queen Screen (Day) and
Biologique Recherche Crème Dermopuriante at night. For masking I use
Biologique Recherche Masque Viviant which helps with my breakouts – it looks like vegemite and doesn’t make for those cute self-care selfies you see on the gram. I use Biolgique Recherce P50 lotion a few times a week for chemical exfoliation too.
Because the water in New York is so hard, and seriously scares me. I use Bioderma Micellar as water with all my cleansing steps.
I take beauty chef supplements (Glow and Collagen) daily and use their protein powder as a meal substitute when travelling and healthy options are hard to find. I also take a daily probiotic, Zilch ACNE treatment which is an all natural, Chinese herb supplement formulated by Dr Vivian Tam (who is based in Melbourne). I drink a lot of water never less than 3 litres a day, which is cliché but also a big part of my daily routine.
L.N Can you name 3 products you can’t live without?
C.B Ultra Violette Queen Screen – it’s from a brand new AUS lady startup, and honestly, one of the best products to have ever hit my desk and in turn my face.
Face Halo – it removes makeup better than Micellaer and oil cleansers combined.
LANOlips – For lips and glossy lids.
CHANEL Baume Multi-Use Balm Stick is the best targeted high lighter EVER.
BECCA Cosmetics Skin Perfector Liquid Highlighter in Champagne Pop (in winter) and Topaz (in winter). I miss in with my tinted moisturiser and it makes skin glow.
Side note: I like skin to look dewy, glowy and light reflective. If the above is anything to go by.
I also know it’s five, but I am a beauty editor, forgive me?
L.N When travelling what are the beauty products you can’t leave the house without?
C.B All of my skincare comes with me. I also pack Venustus Essential Oils for grounding, relaxation and motivation – depending on what I need.
For more beauty trends and updates visit http://tomboybeauty.com
