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Sometimes the biggest beauty revelations aren’t found in products but in moments of insight that redefine our approach to wellness. In the vast landscape of beauty trends and abundant information, the challenge lies in filtering, fact-checking, and tailoring knowledge to individual wellness journeys.
Recognising this need, Francesca Ogiermann-White, Tatler’s Health & Beauty Editor-at-Large, founded The Beauty Triangle—a platform connecting audiences with leading practitioners through blogs and events, bridging the gap between consumers and a more educational and holistic approach to beauty care.
Now, The Beauty Triangle brings its mission to Dubai with a four-day event from November 12-15, hosted at venues like SIRO and Ouronyx. Featuring a “best in class” lineup of practitioners from every corner of the aesthetic and wellness industries, the event promises knowledge-packed sessions and creates a space for meaningful, open conversations on beauty and wellbeing topics.
As it enters Dubai, GRAZIA sat down with Francesca to explore her journey—from her early days as a beauty editor to founding The Beauty Triangle, her vision for Dubai, and much more.
GRAZIA: Tell us about your journey—what were some of the milestones that brought you to where you are today?
FOW: The funny thing is, I never actually meant to end up in beauty. I originally wanted to go into fashion—I studied fashion at uni and then intended to focus on criticism and curation at St. Martin’s. I was very much on a fashion journalism path. I did numerous internships and experiences, working at places like the Financial Times and Sunday Times Style, but I slowly got closer and closer to beauty. Eventually, I landed the role at Tatler back in, gosh, 2010, I think? I’ve officially been there a long time! There’s actually one editor who’s been around longer, but he left and came back, so technically, I win.
What I loved about working for Tatler—and I still do edit it today—is the beauty and cosmetic surgery guide. It opened me up to this incredible world of dermatologists, aestheticians, plastic surgeons, hormone experts… It completely blew my mind. Suddenly, there was something really tangible that could impact not just how people look, but how they feel. That was my way into beauty—the part of it that really spoke to me, that felt so powerful to communicate.
GRAZIA: What would you say prompted you to start your own thing, The Beauty Triangle, further down the line?
FOW: I wanted to make sure everyone had the same access to these incredible experts that I had as a journalist. I’d meet with amazing doctors on Harley Street, travel around the world, and have these really in-depth, personal conversations with top wellness experts. The information they shared was mind-blowing, and I kept thinking, there has to be a way to give consumers access to this kind of sought-after knowledge. There’s such a huge need for greater safety and awareness in aesthetics and wellness.
I wanted to create a platform to put all this information out there in a holistic way. I was seeing two sides of wellness: the sharp end of science—surgical procedures and biohacking—but also the emotional and mental health aspects, the importance of mindfulness in daily life. I wanted to bring all these conversations together without isolating any one area or stigmatizing it. We talk so much about a balanced approach; ‘holistic’ is almost overused these days, but it’s about covering everything in an inclusive, well-rounded way. That’s really what The Beauty Triangle is all about.
GRAZIA: With so many ventures crossing over in wellness and beauty, what would you say makes The Beauty Triangle truly stand out?
FOW: There really is a lot of crossover. One of the key things that sets us apart is that we genuinely go the extra mile to connect people directly with experts. We host in-person events, and we’re very committed to putting actual practitioners on a panel, rather than just working with brands. Sure, we collaborate with brands from time to time, but you’ll never find a head of R&D for a skincare brand on our panels. Everyone you see speaking at our events is an absolute expert, whether they’re a dermatologist, psychiatrist, hypnotherapist, acupuncturist, injector, or surgeon.
We make these introductions personal. At the end of each event, we offer referral cards, and we produce programs with spaces for notes, so people can scribble away and jot down whatever resonates with them. And if they’d like to connect with any of the speakers they heard, they just leave their referral card with us, and we make it happen afterward. It breaks down those barriers that people often face—like not knowing where to go, who to speak to, or even having the courage to pursue a treatment.
In today’s world, where you see bite-sized info pop up online, people tend to get just a snippet of information and run with it. We wanted to go deeper and offer genuine insights from genuine practitioners. We’re guiding people towards very ethical, sustainable, and safe ways to approach wellness.
We work with some of the best out there—the best doctors, injectors, and regenerative experts. Many of them aren’t mainstream or on the high street; they’re the pioneers, with 25 or 30 years of experience, people who were there when this industry started. And I think that level of expertise is so important. It’s something we’re really proud to bring to people.
GRAZIA: What inspired you to bring The Beauty Triangle to Dubai, and what attracted you to the aesthetics and beauty scene here?
FOW: I launched The Beauty Triangle in London in 2019, and in May of this year, we held our first event in Dubai with Mona Mira, the founder of Biolite Clinic. Mona was one of the pioneers of aesthetics in the UAE, and I loved that she had been involved from the very beginning. Dubai has such a unique synergy with London, with UK practitioners coming here and Middle Eastern patients traveling to London for that Harley Street expertise. But Dubai itself is incredibly progressive in wellness. For example, I stayed at SIRO, which is the first biohacking hotel in the Middle East—pushing the frontiers of wellness in an inspiring way.
There’s also a strong hunger for education in the region. Dubai is so cosmopolitan, a true melting pot of nationalities, backgrounds, and perspectives, much like London. This makes for layered, fascinating conversations that are also slightly different. For example, when we were here in May, there was a big focus on pigmentation and sun damage—huge concerns in this part of the world that we don’t address as much in the UK.
It’s really exciting to explore wellness through a regional lens and get a feel for what the local audience is truly looking for. Dubai’s drive for what’s next, what’s innovative, and what’s pushing the frontiers of well-being fits so well with our goals. As a journalist, that’s inspiring—I’m always thinking, What’s next?
GRAZIA: The Beauty Triangle is now hosting biannual events in Dubai. Can you tell us about the plans for this one—how long it will run and the key highlights we can look forward to?
FOW: Our plan is to come to the Middle East twice a year and create a full agenda of unique wellness experiences. For this event, we’re partnering with Ouronyx, where we’ll explore ‘mindful aesthetics’—looking at why people feel drawn to certain procedures and how that shapes identity today. They even have a doctor who restores the voice box through injectables, which I find fascinating because it brings in both verbal and non-verbal communication.
We’ve also got Elena Lavani from Neville in London, who’s all about high-tech, healthy hair. Hair plays such a role in self-worth and confidence, so that’s a conversation I’m really excited about. And then we have more movement and mindfulness activations, like a session with Bryony from Pilates by Bryony, who’s all about form and focus—helping people gain strength and confidence through Pilates.
At SIRO, we’re focusing on ‘rest and digest’ with their amazing nutritionist, followed by a yoga session in their gorgeous studio. It’s all about how nutrition and sleep feed into the body’s repair cycles, and SIRO is the perfect setting with their panoramic views, biohacking suites, cryotherapy, and infrared treatments.
GRAZIA: What core takeaways do you want attendees to gain from the workshops and talks?
FOW: That’s a great question. First and foremost, I want people to feel that wellness is something they can openly discuss, without stigma. Whether it’s postpartum recovery, women’s health, menopause, plastic surgery, or injectables—these conversations often go wrong when we aren’t open about them. I hope we can shine a light on the importance of transparent conversations, creating a safe, intimate space for sharing knowledge and real expertise.
I also want people to understand the balance of a truly holistic approach. No single treatment—whether it’s Botox, fillers, or anything else—is going to be a quick fix. It has to go hand-in-hand with eating well, getting enough rest, exercising, and maintaining mental health. Wellness isn’t one-size-fits-all, and powerful results come from combining practices in a balanced way. That’s why we bring in experts from different backgrounds and skill sets, which enriches each conversation.
For example, we recently held a sleep-focused event with Sarah Chapman discussing skin optimization and circadian rhythms, Rosemary Ferguson covering functional medicine’s impact on sleep, and a sleep expert explaining the effects of light, travel, and jet lag. It’s about bringing people together to inform as fully as possible.
GRAZIA: But as a beauty expert yourself, I’d love to know—just out of curiosity, and I’m sure our audience would too—what are your must-have skincare products? And the same for makeup! After spending a career in beauty, we’d probably guess you’ve tried it all.
FOW: When I first started at Tatler, I tried everything in that beauty cupboard, and my skin broke out like never before. I’d always had clear skin, so it was a wake-up call—a real lesson in ‘less is more’ and understanding what my skin actually needs. Now, I know that my skin doesn’t require a 17 or 18-step routine.I’m a big fan of cosmeceuticals, and I spend a lot of time with dermatologists, doctors, and surgeons. Augustinus Bader is a brand I love, and their P-Tox Serum is incredible. It’s known to help reduce fine lines by down-regulating muscle activity for that glass-skin effect—highly recommended!
Another favorite is Dr. Levy, a Swiss injector and plastic surgeon with a fantastic skincare range. His cleanser is amazing; it combines enzymatic exfoliation with microdermabrasion from rice particles, so you get both chemical and manual exfoliation. Your skin just glows afterward.
I’m also a fan of Augustinus Bader’s eye patches are perfect for flights, and their lip balm is great too. Then there’s Anita Beal, an acupuncturist and the first person I ever had acupuncture with—she’s like a white witch! Her skincare range isn’t cosmeceutical, but it was perfect during my pregnancy.
I really love products developed by practitioners who work directly with clients; they just seem more in tune with what skin actually needs. Sarah Chapman, for instance, has a beautiful clinical range that I think is incredibly well thought out.
GRAZIA: As an expert in the beauty space, we have to ask what are your go-to, must-have products for an everyday look?
FOW: I love that you say that! I used to wear almost no makeup, but now I’m using a bit more as I get older and do more events. I’m currently obsessed with Dior’s foundation—I think it’s called Star Glow or Filter—it literally feels like I’ve put a filter on my face. Glossier just launched in Dubai, so I’m excited about that. I love their Boy Brow; it’s like a mascara crossed with a brow pomade that frames and subtly fills the brows without needing a pencil.
For lipstick, Charlotte Tilbury’s Supermodel is my go-to, and I’ve recently rediscovered the power of lip liner. I went on a trip with my friend Natalie Eleni, a makeup artist, who transformed my look with a quick lip liner touch-up. Now I can’t go without it. Byredo’s makeup range is beautiful, like little works of art. Their brown eyeliner is perfect for blue eyes and lasts all day.
Lately, I’ve also been enjoying the precision of proper makeup brushes again. With a bit more time now that my son’s older, I’ve moved beyond the quick fixes I used to do with my fingers. Right now, I’m wearing Hourglass’s nude lip liner with their glossy balm on top—Hourglass products are just fantastic. Honestly, a good lip liner can do wonders; it can shape the lips beautifully without needing filler. Makeup really does have the power to transform, even as we see a place for injectables in beauty.
