Fifi Orelaja is the MD of London Beauty Agency which is a management, PR and brand development group for diverse and influential beauty professionals across the UK and US.
She created the agency to help makeup artists and hairstylists with the struggles they faced particularly as Black and Asian women in the beauty industry. She handles everything from booking ticket gigs, to collaborating with brands, managing social media effectively and diversifying their income. Fifi took time out to tell me about her skincare regime.
From around 2012 I worked mostly in fashion PR but sat very closely to the beauty PR desks and the girls on beauty would always rave about new ingredients when pitching to press. I was always the only Black girl in the office, so a part of me wondered if any of these products were suitable for me too. I grew up hearing 'Black don't crack' so my early skincare was incredibly simple.
I'm a London born Congolese woman so the conversation on skin in my community from a young age was mostly based on bleaching due to the popular lightening culture in DR Congo. Fortunately, my Mum was very good at making me and my siblings feel beautiful no matter our complexion. We also watched a lot of MTV Base growing up and I would be in awe of how flawless the African American women were, from Brandy to Destiny's Child to Mariah Carey. I didn't know what I needed to do to look like that but I knew I wanted their airbrushed skin.
My skin felt cleanest and softest after exfoliating. That was the first 'big' word I understood when it came to beauty treatments. For a long time I used the Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Body Scrub and a gentle wash and moisturiser from E45. As a teenager in the early Noughties, I was just happy using whatever was in the bathroom and felt good.
What I have learnt about my skin since my teen years is that to understand skin you need to understand science. I know now my skin is affected by so many factors including my outdoor activities, exercise, hormones, makeup hygiene, what I drink and eat and stress levels. I've also learnt that prevention is easier than cure. The products I look for now are ones that help with hyperpigmentation, ageing eyes and oily T-zones. Generally, though, I am more dry than greasy.
My skincare regime has evolved since my teens because I pay attention to ingredients. I've also dropped silly bad habits like not washing my face after wiping off makeup. It's now almost a ritual to wash, tone and moisturise before bed. In the last three years I've even tried making my own DIY products using online recipes. It's actually kind of like cooking. But occasionally, I will splurge and spend hundreds on expensive stuff, I see it as a self-care investment.
The skincare products I am currently using are Medik8 Clarifying Foam, Toner: Pixi Glow Tonic, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, DermaQuest Serum, Dr Schrammek Mela White Vitamin C, Heliocare Gel Oil-Free SPF and Black Girl Sunscreen.
