Fiona Neale, CEO and founder of Issada Cosmetics, boasts a beautiful career studded with celebrity friends and a booming cosmetics company.
Fiona Neale, 38, has a full and exciting beauty career. At a high point of her success, she bought the Issada company which, under her guidance, quadrupled its size almost overnight.
Fiona had been a qualified beauty therapist for some years when, in 2002, she decided to apply for the position of head of the First Class Virgin Atlantic Hair and Beauty lounges at Heathrow airport. Fiona never really thought she had a chance, especially as there were 680 applicants, but felt that the three-month interview process she took part in would provide her with excellent experience. No one was more surprised than her when she got the job.
From day one Fiona says she was exposed to celebrities who comprise the A List of the film, television and fashion industry. Many of these she still calls friends. Celebrities such as Kate Moss, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie and Naomi Watts were all singing the praises of Issada makeup brushes,’ says Fiona. ‘I started making enquiries regarding stocking them in the Virgin hair and beauty lounges and discovered the company that made them was in Brisbane – my home base. I took that as a sign I was meant to have the company and went about acquiring it.’
In January 2007, Fiona also launched a range of skin-caring makeup to complement the brushes. These cosmetics use the finest quality, natural ingredients and cutting edge colour – they were an instant success. Even with the killer work schedule that Fiona has she still manages to stay totally well-groomed at all times. Her must-have beauty weapon is a good exfoliant.
‘Exfoliation, hydrating and nourishing my skin every day as well as religious sun protection are my beauty secrets,’ she says. ‰Û÷The Issada makeup contains minerals, which offer additional sun protection over an SPF 30 sunblock.’Some of Fiona’s favourite skincare products include La Prairie Skin Caviar Crystalline Concentrate Serum, Eminence Organic Skincare, Alpha H Liquid Gold, Gatineau Collagen Eye pads and her latest find, Rationale Skincare. When Fiona has time she loves to escape to a beauty salon for a facial such as a Thalgo Collagen treatment or a Guinot Hydradermie facial.
Fiona laments her busy schedule makes it difficult to exercise regularly but she maintains a healthy diet at all times, which includes lots of fruit, vegetables and seafood.
Of course, owning a makeup company she is never without her makeup. ‘Makeup is the most amazing tool, it can enhance your natural beauty as well as emphasise key features you’d like to draw attention to,’ she says. ‘Foundation selection is key to a good look – get that right and you are on your way to the perfect makeup. Blush also adds instant youth to the complexion – I love peachy, apricot shades as they suit every skin tone.’ Fiona warns taking care when applying lipsticks in line with the Autumnal themes as using brown shades can make your teeth take on a yellowy tinge.
Rose, vanilla and coconut scents are Fiona’s favourite. She adores layering a fragrance over a different fragrant body lotion. ‘I love layering Jo Malone Red Roses, which is the most beautiful rose fragrance, and Laura Mercier Almond Coconut Milk SoufflÌ© Body Cream,’ she says. ‘My sentimental favourite fragrance is Joy by Jean Patou as my mother, my sister I all wore this fragrance on our wedding days – it’s my father’s favourite.’
Fiona is not one to rest on her achievements. She has lots of exciting new products planned for release in the coming year and will continue to take her company from strength to strength.
