BEAUTY SNOOP
Zanele Kumalo, editor of Women24 and former beauty ed, talks about her favourite fragrances, how she started out in media and her ride-or-die product picks.
What’s in Women24 editor Zanele Kumalo’s vanity?
Acareer in the beauty industry might seem pretty glamorous, but Zanele Kumalo’s parents weren’t thrilled with her choice at first. ‘As a black woman, your parents expect you to become a lawyer or a doctor or go into finance – or maybe a political writer,’ she says. But a peek behind the scenes of her job soon gave her mother newfound respect for her daughter’s occupation. ‘I’ll always cherish this particular memory: my mom came to help me with a beauty stills shoot one day. We spent hours setting up all the fragrance bottles and makeup products to make sure they looked perfect for every shot. My mom was in awe of all the time and effort it took to create a beauty image. It was great to show someone firsthand, especially my mom, what my job entailed – and how much hard work went into it. ‘My career path took a serendipitous turn,’ says Zanele. Having studied Fine Arts at Rhodes, her
plan was to become an art curator after varsity.
‘But there weren’t any positions available.’ (This was before the days of small, independent galleries).
‘After moving to Joburg, I took part in fashion shows where I was involved on the fashion side of things, but it wasn’t anything long-term.’
When a friend sent her a job application for a position in the sales division of The Sunday Times, Zanele decided to give it a go.
‘The person who interviewed me suggested I should be on the editorial team instead, so they started me off as a trainee reporter and subeditor.’ Soon after that, she was approached by Top Billing.
‘They were about to launch their new magazine and needed a beauty editor. This seemed like the perfect fit for me as I had (and still have) such an intense love for beauty – as well as fashion, art, music and all things lifestyle. ‘As a child I used to love watching my mom getting ready to go out: dressing up in all these gorgeous clothes, applying her makeup and spritzing herself with perfume. Mom was all about “smelling amazing”. Estée Lauder was her favourite makeup brand and she wore Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door every day. I’m sure that’s where my weakness for fragrance comes from!’ Rare scents are Zanele’s favourite beauty spoil. ‘Whenever I travel, I pop into little boutique stores and see what I can find. I don’t like smelling like everyone else. I’m convinced one’s nose changes though… back in the day I used to love florals, but now I prefer ones with musky, woody notes.
‘My go-to perfumes are Carolina Herrera’s Oud
‘Here’s my number one beauty tip: sleep! Get as much of it as you can. It makes the world of difference.’
Couture and Christian Dior’s Oud Ispahan. I also adore Le Labo’s Rose 31, which is now available in South Africa (this makes me so happy!); it was initially meant to be a rosy fragrance for men, but I LOVE it. I try to keep some of my fragrances in their boxes to protect them from the sun.’
‘My makeup choices are pretty simple,’ says Zanele. ‘Most of the time I only wear SL Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils Black mascara, lipstick (I love a good red: my favourites are MAC Ruby Roo and Russian Red), and I do my eyebrows – an eyebrow pencil is a must as my brows are basically nonexistent. For this I use the Yardley Eyebrow Pencil & Brush.
‘I don’t wear too much foundation, unless I’m going to an event. My foundation is MAC’s Studio Fix in NC50 – it has medium-to-full coverage and a matte finish. I’m impressed by the wider variety of foundation shades we have available now, as well as the different formulations to suit various skin types. Makeup has come a long way!’
When it comes to skincare, she also keeps things relatively simple.
‘Micellar water is perfect for those lazy days when you don’t feel like cleansing – it removes your makeup brilliantly. And it’s a must during the Cape Town drought! The Eucerin DermoPurifyer Oil Control Micellar Water is my current favourite.’
Zanele’s daily beauty regimen consists of cleansing (with Eucerin DermatoClean Refreshing Cleansing Gel), toning (with Eucerin DermoPurifyer Oil Control Toner) and moisturising.
‘I use a Skinceuticals Hydrating Moisturiser with HA, which has hyaluronic acid, and then I layer a facial oil over it. The oil I’m currently using, SOS Rescue Oil by pHFormula, was recommended by my dermatologist; it’s great for dehydrated skin. It gives your skin a protective barrier. That goes on every morning. Then I use the L’Oréal Paris Pure Clay Exfoliating Face Wash every second day to get rid of dead skin cells and keep my skin glowing. My mom, believe it or not, loves creating DIY masks with kitchen ingredients like eggs and avocado…
‘I always finish off with an SPF. If I were to have only one product in my beauty cabinet, it would be a brilliant sunscreen. I use Heliocare Advanced Silk Gel SPF 30 – it doesn’t make your skin look ashy, as sunscreens sometimes do, or leave a greasy residue. Oh, and for that extra pamper, I love shower oils like L’Occitane’s Shea Shower Oil or anything by Jo Malone.’
Zanele’s lifestyle is a busy one; on top of everything else she is also a professional DJ. ‘I’ve been doing gigs for five years now. To help with stress, I try to drink a lot of water, maintain a healthy diet and meditate. I’ve also started doing yoga in my lounge three times a week. I plug in my laptop and follow the steps. It’s so relaxing.
‘I’ve had access to the top experts in the industry, but here’s my number one beauty tip: sleep! Get as much of it as you can. It makes the world of difference.’