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Welcome to Take Note – a weekly rolodex of all the best in skin, wellness, and makeup from industry insiders. Each week, we’ll profile one woman who’s privvy to beauty, covering everything from recommendations to routines. Today, we’re chatting with Natalie Papadopoulos, founder of Sydney salon The Parlour Room and the recently-opened Self by The Parlour Room.
Anyone in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs will be familiar with the Clovelly outpost, known for the best manicures and spray tans this side of the bridge. But in the last 12 months, Natalie decided she wanted a secondary spot dedicated just to facials, body treatments and the like. The end result was the aforementioned Self – a divine space just a few doors up from The Parlour Room. Aside from being a highly- Instagrammable interiors mecca, it also offers some of the best treatments in the city. Think luxurious facials (Self uses brands like Sodashi and iS Clinical, so there’s something for everyone), incredible massage and restorative infrared saunas. Right from the moment you sip a pre-treatment tea on the boucle sofa, stress just seems to melt.
Natalie is big in the business of beauty, so rest assured her personal routine is a good one. From sensitive skincare to her well-honed routine for bleached hair, you’ll find Natalie’s answers below.
SKIN
GRAZIA: What does your morning skincare routine look like?
Natalie: I use either the Cleansing Complex by iS CLINICAL or Gentle Antioxidant Cleanser by O Cosmedics. I like to change between the two. Then, I will apply my 3D Hylauronic Serum and Comfort Cream – both by O Cosmedics.
GRAZIA: And evening?
Natalie: First I wipe my face free of any makeup using Garnier Micellar Water. Twice a week I’ll use the Tri-Acting Exfoliating Cleanser by iS CLINICAL, otherwise I use one of my morning cleansers. Then I alternate between the #5 Catalyst Serum and #6 DNA Night Cream by Rationale & my O Cosmedics Comfort Cream. My skin is far too sensitive to use active products every evening.
GRAZIA: If you were heading to a deserted island, what three products would make the cut?
Natalie: Ultra Violette SPF, Comfort Cream by Ocosmedics & Olaplex for my hair.
GRAZIA: Favourite SPF formula?
Natalie: I am a big fan of the O Cosmedics Mineral Pro SPF & Ultra Violette SPF.
GRAZIA: Treatment you love?
Natalie: I like to use an enzyme mask twice a week to help remove any build up of dead skin cells. I’m prone to dry, flakey areas around my nose and forehead and I find this really helps my skin stay soft and ensure that my makeup doesn’t crack or lift.
GRAZIA: Skincare cheap thrill?
Natalie: Garnier Micellar Water & MooGoo Milk Body Wash! I have really dry, sensitive skin and these two products have been the best finds.
GRAZIA: And splurge?
Natalie: Sodashi Samara Age Defying Creme! So luxe.
GRAZIA: What’s your go-to method for treating a pimple, fast?
Natalie: Do. Not. Pick. At. It. Apply some iS CLINICAL Active Serum or O Cosmedics Potent Clearing Serum and then just don’t touch.
MAKEUP
GRAZIA: Do you have a makeup muse?
Natalie: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Margot Robbie or Jessica Alba.
GRAZIA: What’s your go-to makeup look?
Natalie: A light tinted moisturiser to even out my skin tone, bronzer, blush and highlight over the face (I also add a little sweep of highlight in the corners of my eyes). Mascara, tinted brow gel and a touch of tinted lip balm.
GRAZIA: Holy grail foundation?
Natalie: I have two. For full coverage, FENTY BEAUTY Pro Filt’r Hydrating Longwear Foundation and for everyday DIOR Backstage Face and Body Foundation.
GRAZIA: And most used lip colour?
Natalie: Dior Lip Glow 001 Pink. EVERYDAY. For evenings I love Charlotte Tilbury Dance Floor Princess.
GRAZIA: Best ever mascara?
Natalie: I have been loving the Benefit They’re Real as it is really easy to separate your lashes – I can’t stand when they cross over and get tangled.
GRAZIA: How do you shape and fill your brows?
Natalie: I have had my eyebrows tattooed by Zar at Shusha Beauty so they are super easy. I also wax and tint them regularly. Generally all I use is a Benefit Gimme Brow Gel to brush them into place and add a little depth of colour. I like them to look super natural.
GRAZIA: Makeup trend you’ll never try?
Natalie: Eyebrow Lamination – I don’t have a lot of hair in my brows, hence the tattoo. So I wouldn’t want to do anything to the hairs haha!
GRAZIA: Signature fragrance?
Natalie: My fragrance is Maison Francis Kurkdjian – Gender-fluidity gold.
GRAZIA: What does your vacation makeup kit look like?
Natalie: A lot, haha! When I travel I feel like my makeup and beauty products take up the most room in my luggage – they could have their own suitcase. I’ll take skincare, fake tanning products, hair care products, makeup, body wash and moisturisers and SPFs. You name it, I’ve got it.
GRAZIA: Is there a quirky makeup trick you can share?
Natalie: Using a brow gel to brush back any flyaway hairs.
HAIR
GRAZIA: Favourite shampoo and conditioner duo?
Natalie: Olaplex Bond Repair Shampoo And Conditioner. I use five of their products and swear by them. I have natural red hair and have been dying it blonde for the last three years. But it’s still so shiny and I’ve been able to grow it long.
GRAZIA: Can’t live without styling product?
Natalie: Olaplex Styling Duo.
GRAZIA: Tip for styling hair of your texture?
Natalie: I have thick, wavy hair that can get quite dry if I don’t look after it. I’m very careful not to over-use straighteners.
GRAZIA: Hair tool you can’t live without?
Natalie: My GHD straightener. Funnily enough I use it more to add waves to my hair than straighten, but it’s my go-to.
GRAZIA: Who cuts and colours your hair?
Natalie: Tarryn Cherniayeff at Mob Hair. She is the Beyonce of hair.
WELLNESS
GRAZIA: In a sentence, what’s your approach to wellness?
Natalie: Balance. The biggest thing I have learned in my life is to find balance.
GRAZIA: What’s your philosophy when it comes to food?
Natalie: Everything in moderation. When I was younger I used to go to the gym and try to stick to diets, however I was always unhappy and my weight was never stable. When I learned to look after my body and appreciate it, it completely changed for me. My partner is Italian and food is his passion, so it changed my entire view on things.
GRAZIA: What kind of things do you like to cook?
Natalie: Generally I wake up and have a coffee, some days I’ll have a pastry, other days I’ll opt for eggs on toast. Throughout the day I’m not much for a snacker, I will generally have a sandwich for lunch, or a grazing plate and then for dinner my partner will cook us roast vegetables and some form of protein, or a pasta. We eat a lot of pasta in our house!
GRAZIA: How do you love to move your body?
Natalie: I have been suffering with SIJ problems for the last three years, so it stopped me from doing any hard HIIT workouts or going for long runs. It actually taught me to exercise for wellness rather than to do something hard. Now I just do Pilates with Stacey at Fluidform a few times a week and try (when I can find the time) to go for a walk.
GRAZIA: What would your final meal be?
Natalie: My Fiance’s Carbonara Pasta or Porcini Mushroom Risotto.
GRAZIA: Any supplements you take regularly?
Natalie: I don’t really take many supplements. During winter months or if I am travelling I will take Armaforce by Bioceuticals to boost my immune system plus a vitamin C powder. I have recently started taking the Imbibe Beauty Renewal and I love it!
GRAZIA: What tricks do you put in place to ensure you get a good night’s sleep?
Natalie: I am a terrible sleeper. I’m quite an anxious person and my mind is hard to switch off. I find if I put my phone down an hour before I go to sleep it definitely makes a difference.
Shop Natalie’s Edit Here:
Dior Lip Glow in 001 Pink, $52. SHOP NOW
Garnier Micellar Water, $14. SHOP NOW
Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo, $50. shop now
