Gabriella Elio is, hand on heart, one of the warmest people we’ve ever met, in the beauty industry. Swedish-born, with family roots in Lebanon, she is founder of SWEED, a real beauty name-to-watch, several of whose products have made themselves very much at home in our make-up bags. The brand is most definitely a ‘tip for the top’ from us. (And golly, we’ve crossed paths with a lot of start-ups, in our time!)

As it happens, we’re delighted currently to be offering readers a chance to try a capsule collection of SWEED’s make-up, via a prize draw (open till Wednesday 12th June 2024) – click here, for that.

But as someone we admire for always looking fabulous and seeming calm – despite having a business that operates across the world, and being hands-on with many different elements of her company – we reckoned there was nobody better than Gabriella to share her tips for staying balanced. And beautiful…

The best wellbeing tip I’ve ever learned is that it’s important to get enough sleep to be able to function. A few nights with not enough sleep will not make you tired and non-functioning. Lack of sleep also has a negative effect on mental health and can make you depressed. 

My beauty motto is to look like yourself after a two week holiday, with glowing skin, lush lashes and a rested and happy face that is full of life. Beauty for me is not about to transform yourself. It’s about to enhance what you have and be comfortable in your own skin. 

I look forward to ageing and I think every age has its beauty as every season in nature does. I love to take care of myself; eat nutritious food and workout to keep my body strong as an investment for the future. My goal is to be able to run for as long as I live. 

The one beauty product I couldn’t live without is our bestselling Eyelash Growth Serum. It works wonders with your lashes, and the before-and-afters say everything. (Find it here/£42.)

I like to surround myself with genuine people who are themselves without a desire to impress or be liked. It’s also more fun when people don’t take themselves too seriously and you can laugh at anything. As a person I’m very dedicated and consistent. I care for others, animals and the nature. At Sweed we save one sea turtle for every sold mascara, and that’s something I’m very proud of.

I start my mornings with a cup of hot water. It’s calming and gives a warm, cosy feeling. I take a lot of supplements daily – everything from Essential Fatty Acids (Omegas), zinc, schisandra, turmeric, B12, vitamin D, Q10 and a few more. The most important one for me is definitely magnesium glycinate. It makes me sleep and is very good for muscle recovery. 

My walks in nature are holy for me. To listen to the sound of nature and take in all the beauty, and pay attention to all details and what state the nature is in that moment. It’s healing and keeps me calm and balanced. It also gives me a perspective that every stage of the process is necessary and beautiful. Barry’s Bootcamp classes are very helpful for me, when it comes to dealing with the stress of running a business across many time zones. (Read more about those here.)

Find the whole SWEED collection in the UK at Glorious Beauty

Prize Draws