ZAIDA IBRAHIM
ON ENRICHING LIFE WITH PRECIOUS VALUES AND EXPERIENCES
There is a luminosity to Zaida Ibrahim’s beauty that emanates from within, a halo-like quality that enhances her exotic look. A former global corporate banker by profession, Zaida is presently the founder and creative director of Curated Co, a niche online retailing platform. This stylish fashionista also wields influence in her social media platform, where she inspires her 34,000 followers with snapshots of her life as a businesswoman, wife and mother. Zaida has gone through many ups and downs in her journey as an entrepreneur. “Starting out on my own has taught me so much: how to negotiate in business, how to manage people in different lines of work and how to make more strategic decisions. Over roughing things out, I also learnt, what I loved to do was marketing and branding— so I have cultivated that into a business as well,” she says with a smile. Motherhood has also enriched her life, as Zaida shares that her eight-year-old son Adam Arif has taught her the importance of empathy. “I have learnt how to put myself in Adam’s shoes when I talk to him. In turn that has helped me deal with others as well, in business, so we can find a winwin solution,” she expressed. While her business and family duties keep her occupied, Zaida believes it is important for a woman to have time for herself. Once a week, she would carve time in her schedule to do something on her own, be it having lunch at a place she likes or just catching up with her sisters or girlfriends. “I feel guilty sometimes, but it is important for me to centre myself, so I can take better care of my family,” she reveals. Another favourite me-time indulgence for Zaida is when she is attending to her daily skincare routine—and she absolutely swears by the Lancôme Absolue Precious Cells range. “I really do see the difference after using the products. I don’t get much breakouts and I know my skin is well-moisturised and maintained. I don’t even need to re-apply day or night creams more than once after I wash my face, because my skin feels so moisturised after I apply the products,” shares the tall, tanned beauty, adding that her confidence has naturally been boosted thanksnks to her healthy, glowing complexion.