Making life beautiful with Joelle Mardinian

Lebanese beauty expert Joelle Mardinian is the kind of celebrity whose life is forever in the spotlight. The Dubai resident has never stepped into a place without being mobbed by a group of fans wishing to snag a selfie with her.
She is the kind of TV celebrity that you can stop in the middle of the mall, and ask if your haircut suits you or not. Over the years, Joelle has become a household name, with more than four million followers on Instagram. She always manages to stay modest and is known for being a friendly and frank beauty consultant.
We at Arab News were curious to know how Joelle handles it all. We met with Joelle during her recent visit to Jeddah, and asked her about her diet, hair, favorite makeup products and much more in an exclusive interview.

You are a role model for many women, you are a businesswoman, a beauty expert, a brand ambassador, a TV presenter and a salon owner. How do you manage to do it all?
My husband gave up his job so that he can actually travel and work with me on developing our business. I can’t imagine myself traveling without him. I feel like I have a piece of home with me. As for my kids, I don’t get to see them during the weekdays, because I would be traveling or if I am in Dubai my meetings would stretch until late, or I spend 14 hours straight filming. I would come home, and the kids are asleep. But what I am trying to do for years now is to spend quality time with them on the weekends. I don’t go out to the malls with them anymore, because if I do I will be the people’s Joelle and not their mother, so of course they won’t enjoy. And I plan my holidays with every single holiday they have. Also in summer I take complete two months off and maybe go to the Maldives — the kids’ favorite destination. I need to just shut off sometimes so I can recharge my energy.

You always stress about the importance of a healthy diet and working out, but you are always on the run so how do you manage to maintain your healthy lifestyle?
I am so harsh on myself, I call myself Hitler! My diet plan includes not a bit of sugar, not a bit of carbohydrates and not even fruits. Yes, I am always busy and traveling and I have two kids but I will always make time to work out and I post on Instagram to inspire people. So my advice to everyone is to stop giving yourself excuses and start working on yourself.

You eliminate sugars form your diet, so how do you maintain your energy levels?
Proteins give me so much energy. I eat a lot of protein, especially fish. So for example, my breakfast will be a cheese omelet with mushrooms, and for lunch I will eat salmon, chicken or meat with a side of salad, and that’s it. I feel so light and energetic.

Let’s talk about your sense of fashion, how do you choose your outfits?
I like things that look good on me. I play a lot of roles in my life, my husband wants me to look attractive, he was brought up in Italy so he likes to see me in nice heels and shoes, with long and big hair. And for work, I go for suits, or a plain square dress and ballerina flats. But in the weekend I want to feel comfortable so I will be dressed in casual Lycra dresses, sweat pants or shorts and a t-shirt. And If I am going to a party I will be in a classic, and not a fashionable dress. My style is a mix of what I am wearing for a particular place, and what suits my body. I won’t be a fashion victim, I would never wear a trendy thing just because it is fashion.

You always change your hair. What are the latest hair trends?
I really loved my pink hair, I felt like I was born with it, and I was depressed when I changed it. I didn’t enjoy my red or blue hair as much. We are close to summer so short blonde hair is in fashion. I just cut my hair short before I came, but it is not me so I am back to wearing my extensions.

You have one of the most famous aesthetic clinics in the Gulf. What are the latest trends in plastic surgery?
I am happy to see how dimples have become so popular now. And for the eyebrows, there is a new technique where we get the hair from the back of the head and implant it into the eyebrows with no pain at all, making them look super natural.

What about the latest in teeth techniques?
I am so proud we created the technology for the designer smile, which can be applied on veneers, lumineers and even crowns. It is like an haute couture dress made just for you. where each tooth represents your personality. So if someone is shy we can’t give them big teeth, and for a woman who is not feminine we can’t give curvy teeth, it won’t match her personality.

What do you think of Botox and fillers?
I believe that any procedure you make should come out in a way that makes you look natural and younger. I am 40 now and as we grow older our lips tend to become thinner. Fillers should make them look like how they used to be, so do the eyebrows. My eyebrows now after surgery look exactly like my brows when I was young before I plugged them all out.

What about the trendiest makeup technique?
Makeup lovers are moving away from heavy contour now, but I see contour as an essential step in makeup, especially for round faces, to create some curvy features. One of the biggest trends this season is the lashes — they are thicker and longer. And if you hate lashes you can play with mascara. Ladies, you should spend seven good minutes applying mascara. I got some ladies spending half an hour on eye shadow, and have no time for mascara and lips, and still wondering why their makeup won’t look professional. You should give every step its full potential.
I believe Khaleeji girls have the most sophisticated taste in makeup and fashion compared to the other Arab nationalities, they pull off heavy party makeup every day, but sill it suits them and looks good on them.

You have come to Jeddah with Max Factor. How was your experience with them?
I have been with Max Factor for six years as their beauty director for the region. That’s why my experience with them is precious. It is an honor for me to represent Arab women and to introduce new trends using their new products. I lived all my life in London and have always used their products. I love Max Factor and I have a lot of passion for the brand. It is 100 years old, so the history makes me even more overwhelmed to be working with the brand. Some products are like 60 years old, and haven’t even changed. I hope in the future I can develop a product with them, I don’t want to do it on my own, I want to do it with people who know quality and the industry.

What makeup products do you have in your makeup bag?
I have the All Day Flawless foundation, which I wear all the time. I can’t live without the Mastertouch Concealer. The 3D blushers give the cheek iridescence. I use Creme Puff under the eye to set the concealer and for highlighting, and also the Lipfinity lipstick, which compares with no other product.

So what’s next for Joelle, a reality TV show may be?
Sure, it is possible. We were thinking to do a pilot episode on YouTube or air it on one of the TV channels. I want people to see what I am doing and get inspired. I am so different, you will be surprised I still talk to my ex-husband, he comes and spends vacations with us. My parents divorced after 20 years of marriage and my father remarried another woman, and whenever they are in Dubai they come and stay at my mother’s house. We celebrate the holidays all together. I live in peace, I sleep with absolutely no worries, there is no need to hate anyone. You have to find forgiveness.
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