A social activist and politically engaged, Hannah Alkindi is an explorer of fashion and politics. Half Bosnian and half Persian as well as growing up between Croatia and the UK, she has a unique understanding of the worlds insights. Between working with The Basement X Nike, signed to a modelling agency and contributing to Collusion, Asos’ coming of age brand, Hannah is paving a path for herself in between studying for her History and German degree. Opening up about her skincare routine, the challenges of the beauty industry and the understanding of true wellness.

My skincare routine is quite simple and quick, and it also varies from day to day. Sometimes I will spend 10 minutes on my skin, wash it with soap, wipe the rest off with makeup wipes and apply some oil on my skin before I go to bed as a moisturiser. However, sometimes I will take longer which can then take around half an hour where I will go in for a deep cleanse and exfoliation. I will then proceed to apply a clay mask and immediately follow up with a moisturiser to supplement in the moisture. I don’t follow a skin routine religiously but I know it is important to take care of your skin and so I always make sure that I cleanse and moisturise my skin. However, I do think getting to know your skin, seeing which products suit you best and sticking to them within a skincare routine is very efficient and important. When it comes to my skin favourites, I probably couldn’t live without Argon oil, face wipes and a cleansing gel as that is the main things, I use in order to keep my skin clean.

As I have quite normal skin, I don’t have many concerns luckily, I used to have quite a few blemishes and spots when I was younger but that was completely normal between the age of 14-18. Now I just get the odd stubborn blemish or some irritation on my face which can be frustrating, but I know is completely normal. My skin is quite sensitive, and I still haven’t grasped how to calm my irritation, but I try my best to apply anti- spot treatments and camomile tea or oil to calm the redness on my face.

Good skin health is down to diet and food, you can buy all the products in the world but if you aren’t putting good & healthy food into your body it will show on your skin due to your body being dissatisfied. I notice a huge difference when I eat clean in comparison to when I eat greasy food. If my body isn’t happy, it shows on my skin and face especially with stubborn under the skin spots which don’t go away easily. It’s about feeling good on the inside as well as looking good on the outside and a balance of both is super important.

I personally believe wellness plays a huge role in people’s lives. We need to set time aside for ourselves and our own wellbeing. Finding the balance of being happy in other people’s company but also in our own and take that time for self-care and self-love which can be in any form that makes you happy and benefits your mind & body. I think the fast-paced world we live in today makes us forget about how important it is to spend time by yourself. Just an hour a day of any form of wellness or self-care can make a huge difference in people’s lives especially in a fast-paced city like London. You’re always on your feet and always working or surrounded by people. It’s exhausting and I think it is vital to have some type of wellness incorporated in your life for your own benefit.

When it comes to my own wellness routine, I try my best to have some time alone, go places alone, go to the spa, gym, work out, plan meals, read a book or do work all alone. It allows my mind and body to rest whilst also doing important things to re-fuel. I enjoy working out and regularly do kickboxing, which is challenging but fun, I am able to learn a form of self-defence and as a woman I feel safer knowing how to defend myself if ever need be. They’re difficult workouts but the outcome is very much worth it. I also try to read a book a week if possible but it is very difficult with university and work by my side, but I always have time on my commute or if I have a spare hour or a few in between lectures, I’ll sneak in a few pages.

In regard to the awareness around wellness and self-care, working out and diet is super important - personally I think they are the most underused tools. Putting good food in your body makes you feel good and working out releases’ serotonin. It balances the levels of hormones in your body and overall makes you feel like you’ve been kind to yourself and are taking care of yourself. As a result, I know when I focus on my diet and work out, I feel and look a lot better, and no amount of make-up can replace that. Overall, diet should be a priority because feeling better long-term is better than temporary taste and that’s not to say that you can’t have a bit of a cheat meal here and there. But be kind to yourself and your body.

I enjoy the bigger changes happening in the beauty industry, but I do struggle with the pressure that is placed on myself and my generation. As amazing as it is that standards are changing and how diverse it has become, it is still sometimes difficult to have a positive mind-set with social media as we constantly see beauty standards that are not really achievable without plenty of money, the best surgeons and make-up artists. We all naively assume that what we see is real, and that everything we see on our phones is the truth. The people we ‘look up to’ or deem as the beauty standard don’t wake up looking the way they look on our feeds and that can be de-motivating - it’s a fantasy and a story being placed in front of us. I would increase positivity around the beauty industry by promoting investment in oneself and not just physically but intellectually as well. Looks are superficial, very much superficial, and beauty is very relative and varies from person to person. So, do what makes you happy, be what you want, read what you want, do what you want that makes you progress and feel better because confidence is also a key factor in beauty.

However, the positives to social media and the beauty industry is that it showcases so many different body shapes, skin colours, faces, heights and everything is deemed more beautiful than ever before and that is lovely. It gives people the chance to express themselves in ways that we as a society have never been able to before. Social media has become a tool where anyone no matter their background, place they live in, finances or anything else, can express themselves and attract similar or like-minded people. It is amazing if used in the right way.

If I had to change an element of the beauty industry it would be to not hide things that should be deemed beautiful whether it be spots, birth marks, scars, discolouration or reality of day to day life. We seem to hide what we are self-conscious about for other people when all of these things are unique and define us. It is fine I am not saying don’t hide it if covering something makes you feel better however, I wish people did it for themselves instead of for others, including myself, I struggle with that too. The whole concept of perfection and everything being amazing is unrealistic and actually quite detrimental. It sets a principal for younger generations that whatever is different about an individual is wrong and should be hidden, when that simply is not the truth. Two people will never be the same, and they shouldn’t be at all, it defeats the point of how beauty extends across a long spectrum and it is very much relative. So, it’s good being honest and there is beauty in honesty.

I don’t wear a lot of make-up, I will apply some concealer, my favourite currently is Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, mascara by L’Oréal and blush for when I go out. I am not loyal to any cosmetic brand and when I purchase make-up it’s only for what I need at that moment in time. When it comes to creating make-up looks on a daily basis, I personally opt for something fresh that will make me feel good. Most days I won’t actually wear any make-up just to let my skin breathe, I prefer the less is more approach.