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Chloe Widera knows a thing or two about transformation. For over 15 years, she was the visionary behind some of the region’s most iconic beauty looks, building a reputation as the go-to makeup artist for the likes of Huda and Mona Kattan. But for this Dubai-based mum of two, the most significant change was yet to come. Driven by a profound personal mission, she traded her makeup kit for a new set of tools, launching Inwords gifting – a venture dedicated to the art of the thoughtful, deeply personalised present.
As part of GRAZIA’s Career Edit, Widera shares with us her career journey and aspirations.
My current role is…
Founder and CEO of Inwords gifting – a store for sensitive souls that’s all about meaningful and thoughtful gifts.
When I was younger I wanted to be…
A makeup artist. I always knew, even from a very young age, that that’s what I wanted to be. It was either that or a psychologist, but I was terrible at school, so I knew that wouldn’t happen as I’d have to stay at school for another 10 years [laughs]. I loved art, so being a makeup artist was something always I dreamed of.
My favourite subject at school was…
Art, which was my escape, and philosophy, which I found really interesting because it opened my eyes to different ways of thinking.
My first job was…
A barista in Disneyland Paris, which I did to pay off the loan I got to enter the Make Up For Ever academy in Paris. I’d go to the academy during the week and then work as a barista on the weekend.
My career path so far has been…
Being a makeup artist was my North Star, my everything. I come from a very small village in France, where not many people believed in my dream. Even at school I was told it wasn’t an actual job, but somehow, step by step, I was able to become a makeup artist.
I worked in Paris before going to London, where I learnt to speak English because I wanted to have an international career. Then I ended up moving to Dubai with my boyfriend (now husband) with nothing in our pockets. At the time, there weren’t many makeup artists in Dubai, which gave me a greater opportunity to establish myself. I was able to secure jobs as a freelancer, which I did for about 15 years. I had a really great run working with pretty much every makeup brand you could think of, and towards the end of my career, I met Huda Kattan. I was hired to do the makeup for one of her campaigns, which was a real privilege. It also allowed me to meet her sister, Mona Kattan, who became a close friend.
During COVID my husband lost his job. By then we’d had our daughter, so I had to find a more secure solution for our income. I went to Mona and she offered me a job as her social media manager, which was an amazing opportunity. For three years I was in charge of her social media and helped with KAYALI’s socials. We started as a really small team of two or three people, and by the time I left I was managing seven people. That insight into their world and how they built their companies was incredible, and witnessing Mona – an amazing leader and empath – gave me the confidence to trust my capabilities. In July 2023, after three years, I had a lightbulb moment that told me it was time to leave and go back to entrepreneurship. I had so much I wanted to create and put out into the world, so I reinvented myself one more time and started Inwords gifting.
The role the UAE has played in my career is…
Massive. The UAE is such an amazing place because it’s so optimistic. Here, people want to do things and challenge how things are done. They’re very driven. It really feels like anything is possible here, and without that mentality, I don’t think I’d have been able to have achieved all the things I have. The UAE is a place for dreamers, achievers, and entrepreneurs. I honestly think it’s the best place in the world – you can achieve whatever you want.
I was inspired to enter into the gifting space because…
I am an HSP, which stands for a highly sensitive person. It’s not a personality trait or a trendy, cool term, it’s a physiological trait, which means you’re born with it. Approximately 15-20% of the population is HSP, and it simply means that your nervous system is heightened. So, you feel everything very intensely and very deeply, and you’re often very emotional and very sensitive to noise, light, and sound. It gives you a heightened sense of reality, so it’s a beautiful thing, but it can also be very overwhelming.
As an HSP, I was missing thoughtful gifts. When I love – I love hard. I want meaningful things that show people that I love them, hear them, see them. I don’t believe in grand gestures, I believe in being very intentional with what you say to people and what you gift them. Sometimes, reading those words on a card means so much more than a giant bouquet of flowers. I believe that receiving a very personalised item can change your life, so I wanted to create a space for anyone who wants to gift meaningfully and to do more good in the world.
My daily routine consists of…
Waking up at 6am, getting my kids ready for school, and getting myself ready from 6.45-7. Even though I work from home, I like to do a bit of ‘grooming’ and self-care to be ready for the day. From 8-12 I pack my orders, which can be stressful as I customise everything and I’m by myself, and the delivery company comes at 1pm – so nothing can be late. During that time I also film content for social media. I have a quick lunch break, and then reply to emails and do product development in the afternoon. I’ll also edit my social media content – I aim for one Instagram post, a few InstaStories and 1-2 TikToks a day.
I pick up my kids from school, cook, and clean the house. I’m very hands on as I don’t have a nanny or home help anymore. We have a super close family unit, which is why it was so important for me to have my office at home. I want my children to see it, be a part of it, and to learn from it. I want to be with them as much as possible and cherish that time while I can.
Once the kids are in bed, I work for a few more hours so I can get ahead for the next day. There’s so much to do – it’s never ending! I don’t watch Netflix or anything – I’m very driven – but I do boxing twice a week in the evening.
My beauty routine has changed so much. I took a stand, not long ago, against many brands because of the amount of toxins and hormone disruptors they include in their products. They’re terrible for your health and can cause so much damage. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto, which is a thyroid disorder, and although it’s not typically connected, I do believe that certain beauty products have made my autoimmune disease worse. So, I’m now super careful about what I put on my body. I use argan oil and I swear by it. I’m 34 and I don’t have a wrinkle, and I’m sure that has something to do with it. I use clean makeup brands and I don’t use lotions or hairspray or any of that. My beauty routine is very clean and simple, and I’m really trying to set a good example for my daughter because I want her to be healthy, to feel beautiful, and not to buy into over consumption.
The biggest hurdle I’ve overcome is…
Myself and my lack of confidence. I didn’t believe that, as a sensitive person, I could achieve big things, because we’re often seen as weak and told we need to toughen up. Those thoughts can be really crippling and definitely slowed down my progress. I thought you were born with confidence, but then I realised that it’s something that’s earned – it’s trust in yourself. That takes time and experience – then you see what you’re capable of. I had to go through that to get to the point where I believe I’m capable of anything.
The biggest milestone I have achieved is…
Definitely this year and the success of the ‘One Win At A Time’ journal I created. I have been blown away by the response and have sold thousands of copies. As an entrepreneur, you try many different things, and some things don’t work. But this really resonated with people. It’s a journal designed to give you hope and motivation. To show you that you can achieve your dreams, one win at a time. Rather than focusing on one big resolution a year, which can be super overwhelming and scary, you refocus on the day to day and connect with the small wins, as those add up and gain momentum. You see your progress every day, which is very encouraging.
A quote I live by is…
“Kindness is a superpower” and “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”.
What I hope for the year ahead is…
To be able to have the privilege, time, and space to continue on the journey I’m on. To develop more products and reach more people. I also hope for more peace and kindness in the world.
