WELLBEING ENTHUSIAST GILL SHAW TALKS TO KILI'S KIM JACOB
Gill Shaw and I met many years ago as our paths crossed when I had Wild About Beauty cosmetics. As we were both immersed in the beauty industry, we stayed in touch frequently.
As we both hit our menopause we compared notes as we had very similar symptoms. Gill was unable to take HRT and so she sought out alternatives to the traditional medical route and eventually found the wonderful Shelley Booth www.shelleybooth.co.uk/kili-beauty.
I asked Gill questions about her beauty journey and how it has affected her with her new wellbeing and beauty routine.
Can you let me have a little summary of your career in the Beauty Industry and now with Shelley Booth wellbeing?
I started off in the cosmetics/beauty industry aged 16 working on the Miss Selfridge counter to create an income stream and supplement my college course which at this point was a 2 year Hairdressing and Beauty culture course; which became 3 years into Beauty Therapy and then I went into teaching part time on my day alongside a full time sales job.
I LOVE the beauty industry with a passion as knowing you can make another woman feel and look better using the right products and techniques was a game changer for me.
I have been blessed to work alongside some iconic brands such as Mary Quant, Estee Lauder, Body Shop, Virgin Cosmetics and Temple Spa, where I ended my corporate career as Sales Director to go self employed and I haven’t looked back from that point in 2015.
Being able to work independently for other brands and companies (largely as independent sole traders) and business was VERY exciting for me - allowing me to take my knowledge and years of experience into new product development, set up and scale up.
Why have you changed industries or do you think beauty and wellbeing go hand in hand?
The change from cosmetics into the wellbeing industry was organic for me. I had found myself in my 50’s struggling with my skin, confidence and my weight and wellbeing generally and “hit hard” with my menopause. No HRT option possible due to family history and actually being advised to “search the internet” for alternatives I found myself really struggling.
I became a client of Shelley Booth’s Feel Look Be programme in July 2019 and was delighted to be asked to join her team by way of client support and care in June 2020 - its truly been an amazing time in my mid 50’s; I never thought I would change “career as such” but they work together hand in hand. When you feel great, you look great and beauty can help enhance that
Likewise when you feel down having a great skincare and make up routine can help you feel better on those “down days”
Do you think less makeup is more, as we get older?
For me definitely being an 80’s Girl, and possibly stuck in that era for a while, it was definitely more is more!
I believe and always have done since being in the business that you should change your makeup to suit the half decade you're in. Checking your using the right products for you is essential as the beauty industry moves on and textures and application changes and we likewise need to move with the trends that suit our years.
Our skin changes tone, colour and texture as nature dictates, so I think you should likewise take a “rain check” on your make up products and routine too.
I have swapped cosmetic products over the years and along with my skincare (I’m an avid Jane Scrivner fan) and definitely take a less is more approach now I’m 56 (57 in March this year)
Jane helped me get my skin right externally using her beautiful organic skincare products and the Shelley Booth Feel Look Be programme helped me internally removing inflammation and changing major health markers. The programme is nutritionally dense and therefore the difference in my skin overall has been phenomenal. My skin again hit majorly with menopause
I tend to use a tinted moisturiser base now rather than a “coverage” product for my base as one example and of course, I use the Kili Liquid Bronzer mixed with my moisturiser or SPF which helps me maintain a glow even in the coldest days of winter.
I also use Kili to darken my base as summer approaches and my tan develops too (as I do now live in southern Spain) Its fabulous to have a product that is so multi-functional
Do you find that doing the Shelley Booth Look Good Be Formula has helped your overall feeling around look about yourself?
Finding Shelley and the Feel Look Be Programme has been a life changer,
I use those words because it’s actually true and not just for me but also for 100’s of women who monthly join the programme and experience life changes too I had hit rock bottom trying anything and everything. They say menopause has 47 symptoms I think I had 865! A friend was already on the Feel Look Be programme with Shelley and her results were amazing, although she was younger than me her results and changes to how she felt and looked were immense
I signed up for my 1st programme in July 2019 and within 3 weeks, I had stopped taking IBS medication with medical approval and many other symptoms disappeared too.
I knew I had found “the thing” for me after years of feeling desperate and very much alone.
I joined the programme for weight loss initially but have stayed on the program as the support, motivation and education around the subject is phenomenal. Within 10 months I had lost over 5 stone and was truly the happiest, healthiest, lightest, fittest and strongest mentally and physically than I had been in decades.
Has your beauty routine changed during and after menopause as our skin may change and collagen drops etc.
OH YES!
I now have a very simple routine for both skincare and make up really.
I had the challenge of “menopause” skin (my skin reverted back to its spotty days of my teens) and I also decided after decades of colouring my hair every 3 weeks, to stop in 2017… That in itself brought instant change as I now have white hair … with a few strands of my natural very dark brown thrown in for good measure.
This of course changes everything including the cosmetic products you use and it was liberating to seek advice from amazing brand founders I had forged string relationships with help in both my skincare and make up routine.
Jane Scrivner skincare is organic (as we are encouraged to eat likewise on the Shelley Booth Feel Look Be plan too where at all possible) and the thought I could “feed” my skin healthy and Shelley was helping me “feed” my body healthily was a no brainer
I have a 5-day system day and night using Jane’s amazing products and I use a fairly comprehensive range of products from Charlotte Tilbury along with Kili for my make up
If you love the skin you’re in, it shows and why cover up fabulous skin when its glowing and luminous and you’re feeling healthy and confident?
Let YOU shine through.
How often do you train and what does that entail?
Joining the Shelley Booth Feel Look Be programme initially I simply walked daily and swam when I could which was a couple of times a week.
Using this “system” along with following Shelley’s weekly meal plans and supplementation she recommends, not only did my weight start to drop but I truly felt my mood lift and my general well being as a result.
If you would like to know more about the Shelley Booth Feel Look Be programme please check out her website www.shelleybooth.co.uk/kili-beauty
And should you wish to ask us something personally, don’t hesitate to drop me a line in relation at support@shelleybooth.co.uk where I will be more than pleased to help you in anyway I can.