Plus, a very special announcement from the French luxury cosmetics brand and Neelofa.
If you haven’t heard already, in an unprecedented step, Lancôme recently announced its first Southeast Asia (SEA) Regional Ambassador. What makes the news even more special is that she is none other than Malaysia’s very own entrepreneur and TV host, Neelofa, making her the first hijabi to be associated with the brand. From her early beginnings in the local entertainment industry as a teen beauty contest winner in 2010, to sitting front row at fashion weeks across Milan, Paris, New York, and London, whilst running multiple businesses that have seen both local and international success, Neelofa is certainly the role model we all need right now. Aside from representing the brand in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand, the beauty will also be featured in Lancôme’s first ever Eid campaign in 2021. Press play for her announcement and read on for her journey with the renowned cosmetics brand.
How would you describe your relationship with Lancôme?
“My relationship with Lancôme has definitely been one that’s grown from strength to strength. Like any healthy relationship, it has always felt easy and organic—it’s not hard to fall in love with a brand that celebrates the virtues of love and happiness, something that truly resonates with me. The team is always uplifting and full of great energy and ideas, and they always take the time to listen to my feedback and involve me in the process. I really love that.”
What has been your favourite Lancôme memory?
“I’ve had several fond memories with Lancôme but the best would be when Lancôme flew my team and I to Paris, and we got to meet so many prominent and talented people from the Lancôme Paris team, immersing in the brand, and meeting renown perfumer and perfume chemist Anne Flipo and Dominique Ropion––both who created Lancôme’s iconic perfume, La Vie Est Belle. There, I also spent a day at the lab where I was able to watch the scientists work on the revolutionary–– and my favourite––Advanced Génifique. It really gave me a new appreciation and deeper understanding of Lancôme’s history.’
How did you feel upon hearing your appointment as the SEA Brand Ambassador?
“I remember it was a particularly stressful day at work during the lockdown, when we suddenly got the news that I was appointed as Lancôme’s SEA Regional Ambassador. That immediately made my day. I honestly couldn’t believe it at first but after hours of digesting it, I was over the moon!”
The world is embracing a new era of activism, diversity, and feminism. How has Lancôme’s vision of beauty and femininity kept up with this, and even led the way?
“What I love about Lancôme is that they have always celebrated the pursuit of happiness as their vision of beauty and femininity. It’s such a modern way of thinking despite having been around for 85 years! That’s what I love about it, it’s so fluid—what would have made women happy 30 years ago might be very different by today’s standards, and we are all complex and unique enough to have different goals and drives. In that sense, what Lancôme means to each of us is also unique. To me, Lancôme is a reminder to always follow your heart.”
Who is your beauty icon?
“My mother. I loved reading fashion magazines growing up, but I didn’t have a lot of role models that looked or dressed like me represented in the international media, so she has always been the epitome of modern elegance to me and continues to inspire me until today. Besides her, I absolutely adore Halima. She really broke a lot of barriers and put modest fashion on the map. Models like her have inspired hijabis like me to embrace our true styles and not be afraid to make moves some people would consider as risky, in fashion terms of course.”
How do you get skin confidence?
“I’m very disciplined when it comes to skincare and make sure to never miss my day and night routine. I follow the usual steps and make sure to include my Clarifique Dual Essence and Advanced Génifique to achieve that healthy, radiant skin. My other obsession is the Teint Idole which does wonders to my skin even on busy days when I photoshoots or if I’m out all day. Also, I carry the L’Absolu Rouge lipstick in Rose to brighten the day and mainly because it’s such a fun shade that goes with almost every look.
When are you the most happy?
“Taking a moment to reflect on my career, it makes me so happy and proud to see an idea sketched out on paper come to life. Naelofar Hijab will always be my pride and joy. But I’m the most happy when I’m with my family—we’re super tight-knit and we’re always doing things together, like bombing each other’s Youtube tutorials or cooking together. We also hangout a lot as well, constantly visiting each other and because we have such a big family, we make sure to celebrate each other’s birthdays or special occasions just so we can be together as a family.
It also goes without saying that travelling fuels my soul; visiting museums, trying amazing new food, learning about new cultures and seeing new sights is really where I get inspired. For now it’s going to be a lot of domestic travelling, but I hope that we get to travel around the region soon; Jakarta for the amazing designers, Phuket for the beautiful beaches, and Singapore for the culinary experiences. I am a beach girl and will always prefer to visit beaches when I have the time, so Maldives will always be my favourite island getaway. The scenery, the ambience … is to die for.”
Lancôme is giving away 10,000 complimentary 7-day trial kits of its iconic Advanced Génifique delivered to your doorstep, for you to experience stronger, more radiant skin in just 7-days. Register here to embark on #MYStrongerSkin.
