Rylan Women: Gemma Watts
DESCRIBED BY VOGUE AUSTRALIA AS BEING “AT THE TOP OF THE BEAUTY GAME,” GEMMA WATTS HAS BEEN A PART OF AUSTRALIA’S MEDIA LANDSCAPE SINCE EARLY 2012, WORKING AS A JOURNALIST AND ‘GO-TO’ PRESENTER ACROSS THE BEAUTY AND FASHION SPHERES. 2016 SAW GEMMA LAUNCH GLOWJOURNAL.COM, A DYNAMIC EDITORIAL PLATFORM, DEDICATED TO SHOWCASING THE VERY BEST IN BEAUTY. IN 2018, THE GLOW JOURNAL PODCAST INTRODUCED LISTENERS TO THE ‘BUSINESS OF BEAUTY’ WITH AN EVOLVING GUEST LIST OF EXPERTS INCLUDING DERMATOLOGISTS AND MAKEUP ARTISTS - WITHIN HOURS OF LAUNCHING, THE PODCAST REACHED NUMBER 1 ON THE ITUNES ARTS CHART. GEMMA ALSO DIRECTS GLOW JOURNAL CREATIVE, A BOUTIQUE COPYWRITING AND ‘TONE OF VOICE’ DEVELOPMENT STUDIO, SPECIALISING IN AUSTRALIAN BEAUTY, DESIGN, AND WELLNESS.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR CAREER AS A BEAUTY WRITER AND INFLUENCER?
"Storytelling. The opportunity to showcase Beauty Founder journeys across my platforms is so rewarding. Interacting with creative, inspiring people is what it’s all about for me."
WHAT CAUSE INSPIRES YOU THE MOST?
"I’m deeply passionate about women’s rights. Pay parity and reproductive autonomy are very important to me."
IN JUST A FEW WORDS, HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE YOUR STYLE?
"Relaxed tailoring that embraces a neutral colour palette. My wardrobe has been designed to be mixed and matched without much thought - effortless style is the goal!"
WHICH COLOUR DOMINATES YOUR WARDROBE?
'I’m a forever neutral woman and I’m dedicated to ivory.'
WHAT 3 WARDROBE BASICS DO YOU CONSIDER ESSENTIAL FOR FALL/WINTER?
- A quality black blazer. My mother is the ‘anti-hoarder’, but years ago she said to me: “Never throw out a classic blazer!’ Words of wisdom.
- Flattering denim. The choice of wash, cut, and style will vary for everyone, but a good pair of flattering jeans is an absolute wardrobe essential.
- A black cashmere sweater. The ultimate layering piece for Melbourne’s icy winter season.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR RYLAN BAG?
"It completes my look with such an elevated vibe. My Rylan bag speaks to timeless style, and I love the brand’s premium Italian craftsmanship."
WHAT 3 BEAUTY ITEMS ARE A MUST-HAVE FOR YOUR BAG?
- Lanolips 101 Ointment to soothe dry lips and set unruly brows.
- A SPF setting powder to optimise my sun protection throughout the day without disturbing my base.
- Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk Lip Liner. I have about six of them stashed in different locations.
YOUR TOP 3 RECOMMENDATIONS TO ACHIEVE & MAINTAIN HEALTHY, RADIANT-LOOKING SKIN?
- Broad spectrum sun protection. From about age 13, I started to integrate sunscreen into my daily skincare routine. Even on cloudy days, the sun’s UV rays can be extremely harmful. Aside from skin cancer, UV rays are aligned to photoageing – fine lines, wrinkles, loss of firmness, and pigmentation. One of my favourite products is La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios Invisible Fluid SPF 50+. Applied as the last step in my skincare routine, the ultra-lightweight formula creates the perfect base for my makeup.
- Retinol, ideally of the prescription variety. I interview a lot of dermatologists and they all swear by two things - sunscreen and retinol. Retinol can be used to address an array of skin concerns including ageing and breakouts.
- A ceramide-rich moisturiser. A resilient skin barrier really is the key to achieving and maintaining healthy skin - ceramides are the building blocks of that crucial barrier function. One of my go-to ceramide-infused brands is CeraVe – the minimalist, hydrating formulations are developed with dermatologists, and they are fragrance-free, non-greasy, and fast-absorbing.
FUN FACTS.
DREAM ESCAPE?
"We’re currently talking honeymoon plans. Top two destinations - Maldives or the Amalfi Coast."
FRAGRANCE?
PIZZA OR BURGERS?
Pizza (ideally served alongside pasta).
COCKTAIL?
A spicy Margarita to start the night, and a Negroni to finish it.
THE PODCAST?
MAKEUP APPLICATION NO-NO?
Beauty is about empowerment and making yourself feel amazing –-whatever takes your fancy - a bright lip, a full coverage foundation, or a barely-there, luminous tint. The biggest no-no is anything that makes you feel self-conscious.
MELBOURNE BRUNCH?
It’s hard to go wrong with brunch in Melbourne. We recently stayed at The Prince Hotel in St Kilda and ordered a room service brunch from Prince Public Bar – absolute heaven! Heaven. I highly recommend the Salmon English Muffin.
RESTAURANT?
GOLD OR SILVER?
Gold, although I’m not adverse to mixed metals.
LOVE OF YOUR LIFE?
My fiancé, my family, my friends. I have a lot of love in my life.
SNEAKERS?
BOLD RED LIPS ARE FOR?
Date night- paired with an intense, smokey perfume.
COLOUR OF YOUR NAILS RIGHT NOW?
I ask for a sheer nude-pink every single time I have my nails done. I’m a creature of habit.
GEMMA WATTS WEARS THE CAMEL WITH BLACK EDGE SMALL SATCHEL.