Joelle Mardinian at Vogue Loves Fashion Avenue. Photo: Hyku
Vogue Arabia’s beauty editor Alexandra Venison hosted beauty entrepreneur Joelle Mardinian at the Vogue Loves Fashion Avenue main stage at The Dubai Mall on Wednesday, November 21. Discussing her wide-reaching career, which ranges from opening salons and clinics to launching her own beauty line, here are five takeaways from the beauty guru’s panel discussion.
On Her Love For Beauty
“In Lebanon growing up we always had Vogue. We always had the most amazing fashion magazines because my mom was a makeup artist so I grew up in a very artistic house, and that built an obsession,” Mardinian said.
On Her First Big Break
As a makeup artist working for Sony Records, Mardinian recalls, “I was so professional. I would be the first one on set. I would have everything from cotton buds to eye drops, and painkillers as well as my makeup. I wouldn’t complain. They would say it’s an eight-hour shoot and it would become a 12-hour shoot. I would still sit there smiling the whole time.”
On Social Media
“Way before social media I had my TV show, Joelle. Social media was an extension of what I was doing. Even on my show I never had a script, it was a reality show about beauty. I was always so transparent with my audience,” Mardinian says, “I always think of ideas on how to involve my audience. When I meet my fans I don’t want to ask them what they love about my work, I want to ask them what they don’t like about my work. Or how they want to see me improve. I’m always thinking about my fans.”
On Her Work/Life Balance
During the discussion, Mardinian said, “I am as dedicated to my work as I am my family. I give both a lot of attention. I am a workaholic. It’s not like I enjoy work, but I enjoy success. It was never about money. Every time I read about super successful people, quotes from their interviews stick in my mind. Richard Branson once said, ‘If you are worried about losing your money you will never be successful.’ That is how I think.”
On Her Fans Inspiring Her
Talking about a fan who inspired her recently, Mardinian said she wrote, “I want to thank you for inspiring me every day. When I see you with your kids you remind me to spend more time with my kids. That gave me goosebumps. I think about how I’ve then affected the children’s lives and also the mother who forgot that spending time with your kids is a lot of fun. I would rather spend time with my kids and mum than anyone else on the planet.”
See the full live-stream from the panel below.
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