Photo: TCD Photography / Makeup: Bela Flor Studio / Hair: Tasalahq
One of my favourite Beauty Blogs at the moment is ” The Nicole Code” written by Nicole Chikwe. Not only is it super informative, with up to date reviews and news on beauty brands, but with its sprinkle of Nicole’s humor, the blog will have you laughing out loud as well. When it came time to decide our Cover model for the relaunch of the mHmB website, I knew it had to be this beautiful mother of 2.
We had a great time talking Skincare and Beauty with Nicole, below are her responses on why she decided to delve into the world of Beauty Blogging as well as a secret to staying in shape.
Your Blog “Nicole Code” is fast becoming the Go-to for Product reviews, Beauty news and more, What inspired you to start a Beauty Blog?
Thank you so much for saying that! My husband did actually. I have always been obsessed with beauty and spend countless hours researching, making products and talking about it. One day he told me he thought I should start a blog. Before that I honestly hadn’t thought about it. And literally as soon as he said it, everything crystallised in my mind. And the rest is history (history-ish. It’s only been 3 months or so haha)
What is your favourite part of becoming a Blogger?
I have two favourite parts. Receiving products to try (I am a product junkie!) and being able to have conversations about beauty with fellow addicts both on my website and on my Instagram.
Bloggers: Jackie Aina, Shirley Eniang and Caroline Hirons
Who are some of your favourite bloggers and blog?
I love Shirley Eniang of Shirley’s Wardrobe, Jackie Aina, and my personal hero Caroline Hirons.
Before delving into the world of Beauty Blogging, you once co-owned a natural skincare line, “ours by juliada”, when and why did you stop producing the line?
I had to stop because I moved back to London to get my Masters. 2 months after that I got engaged. So doing an MSc in Finance, planning a wedding and trying to run a business all the way from London became too much for me. My partner Ada Ogunkeye was extremely gracious about it though, and Ours by Juliada is still going strong with just her running it.
Will you go back to owning a skincare line?
That’s the plan- but not in the immediate short term. We will see.
Why is your blog primarily focused on Skincare?
Because that’s what I am most passionate about. I’ve had problem skin since I was a teenager, so I’ve been trying out and experimenting with different products for over a decade. Studying it and learning more about it gave me a real flair for skincare. I genuinely enjoy it. I could talk about skin ALL day, and I feel so lucky to actually have a forum to say all I want, to my heart’s desire
What are some of your favourite skincare products?
That’s a tough question! I have tons of products that I really like. Currently I LOVE the Turmeric and black pepper soap from Bath Kandy, Hydraluron by Indeed Laboratories, and the Glycolic liquid exfoliator by CUE skincare.
Photography: TCD Photography / Makeup: Bela Flor Studio / Hair: Tasalahq
In the past you were a bit private, what inspired you to be more public now?
I think it took me a long time to adjust to being in the public eye. It can be quite intense, and the last few years so much was happening. I got married, wrote my MSc dissertation and had 2 children and moved homes twice within 2 years. So life was changing too quickly, dealing with all of that publicly would have been too much for me I think. Now that I’m a lot more settled and I have had time to actually come up for air, it’s much easier to be more open about some aspects of my life.
How do you balance being a mother of two, a wife and writing?
It is incredibly difficult. When I first started, I honestly didn’t realize how much time and effort goes into running a website. But I keep reminding myself that I have the same number of hours in a day as Beyoncé. I also have an incredibly supportive husband. That has really helped too.
Being married to a celebrity, do you feel pressure to look a certain way when you’re out and about?
Definitely! There’s so much pressure on women these days whether you are married to a celebrity or not actually. But I try not to be too hard on myself. I keep things pretty casual. I tell myself my look is ‘Model Off Duty’ because I don’t have the strength to be Kardashianesque.
What is the secret to you svelte figure?
Green tea and Apple cider vinegar every morning, 3L of water a day, and doing the Insanity workout.
Where do you see The Nicole Code in the next 5 years?
I have an extensive business plan- but the summary is, I see thenicolecode.com as the leading beauty website in Africa.
Hair: TasalahQ / Makeup: Bela Flor Studio / Photography: TCD Photography
Name your top 3 Beauty Spots in Nigeria?
Stella’s addiction on admiralty is where I go to do my brows, The Oriki spa in VI is beautiful and I like the Sizelle store- it has a great selection of products for hair and skin.
What are your top 5 Hair and Beauty products?
Shea butter, almond oil, bentonite clay, Creme of Nature Argan oil conditioner and Benzoyl peroxide
What is your Biggest Beauty Regret?
Getting a facial during my ‘time of the month’ a few months ago’. My skin basically went insane and broke out in huge inflamed cysts which took 6 weeks to heal. Do NOT ever make the mistake of stressing your skin when you are hormonal. It is a disaster.
What is your Biggest Beauty Splurge?
I think it might be my Clarisonic brush which I got when it first came out. It cost me around £150. And I don’t even use it anymore.
Are your nails real? how do you maintain them?
My nails are NOT real sadly. My real nails grow long, but they are weak so they break easily. I love long ratchet nails, so my acrylic sets make me very happy.
2 Comments on NICOLE: Wife, Mother, Beauty Blogger
Beautiful, I’m obsessed with the nicolecode.com as well
Inspiring, you go girl, I see you going places. I like the fact that you protect your family, and keep it from the devouring public.You’re beautiful inside and out.
Beautiful, I’m obsessed with the nicolecode.com as well
Inspiring, you go girl, I see you going places. I like the fact that you protect your family, and keep it from the devouring public.You’re beautiful inside and out.