The Lifestyle Edit | Michelle Bobb Parris

I’m one the proudest Canadians you’ll meet, and Canada is home, but as my parents always told me, it’s a big world out there and I should explore it. I’ve always had an itch to try living in different places. I’d come to London during the Christmas holidays to visit family and family friends while studying in France, and fell in love with the city. I was determined to come back at some point, and ended up coming back to England to study law.

I decided to leave the legal world due to the need for creativity! I am a super nerd and have a very academic background, but my life outside of school was filled with participation in sports, music, and art. Law fed my mind, but I soon realised that the sometimes 18-hour days didn’t leave room for much else. During one of my degrees, I’d been accepted into the Faculty of Fine Art’s visual arts programme at York University back home, and it changed everything. Photography became such an important part of my daily life and I missed it while spending long hours on long deals at my former law firm. While on a 6-month secondment to one of their German offices, I started taking pictures again and realised that I wanted to make the leap to make photography a full-time focus.


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The Lifestyle Edit | Michelle Bobb ParrisHEALTH & WELLNESS

I’ve always been big on eating clean, organic food. It comes from my parents – absolutely. They instilled in me very early how important it is to fuel your body with what it needs, even if you love your treats. Let’s put it this way – I didn’t know that candy had sugar in it until I came home from a birthday party bouncing off the walls. Until then, my parents would only buy the sugar-free versions for me from health stores! My parents are also both vegetarian, with the occasional extended periods of going vegan.

BEAUTY & SKINCARE

My morning and evening routine are pretty simple. I’ve never been a maximalist when it comes to beauty as I think keeping it simple is less taxing on the skin, especially when, like mine, it can react badly to harsh chemicals or too much manipulation.

I have never been for a facial! I think I’ve always been a bit afraid of any possible adverse reaction to the products used, but that may change. I’ve noticed that spas are continuing to include more and more natural and chemical-light products in their treatments, so I’d love to treat myself. As for my own TLC for my face, I’m pretty bad at it. The most I do is apply a mask or use a scrub, with Amie’s clay mask being on my go-to list at the moment. It’s a gentle, deep-cleaning clay mask that doesn’t have any harsh chemicals. I probably used to do a lot more when I lived at home because I’d copy my mom – steaming, egg-white masks, facial massages. I’m far too lazy for all of that on my own without her encouragement.

My beauty products have changed a lot since I left Canada. There are so many products I can’t get here in London. I used to use Desert Essence everything all the time, and my parents would have to send supplies over or bring a bunch when visiting. Slowly but surely, some of the health store chains started to stock the range, which saved a lot of hassle! When I lived in France, I was using everything Avenue. I discovered the wonders of REN Skincare since moving here, and love the Amie range, as it’s so incredibly gentle for my finicky skin. 

My beauty regime does change seasonally. In the winter I’m a bit more vigilant about dry skin. Less so here in the UK as the winters are quite damp, but I find that using a slightly heavier moisturizer, such as Desert Essence, or adding a drop of jojoba oil or vitamin E oil to my daily lightweight one keeps any dry skin at bay. In the summer, I try to keep things lighter.

MAKE-UP

My mom is definitely a ‘make-up – don’t leave home without it’ type. Even though she discouraged me from using makeup when she thought I was too young for it, she definitely instilled in me the importance of putting your best face forward. Oh, and lipstick. If nothing else, lipstick. My mom was one for the household-name brands, like Clinique, Estee Lauder, Revlon, and the like. My first compact was Clinique, and first makeup was a bronze-y colour from Revlon. I was far more adventurous when it came to experimenting with new products, so much of what I would try would influence my mom instead. Roles have definitely reversed as she looks to me to find out what new products she should be on the hunt for!


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It doesn’t take me long to get ready in the morning. I’m pretty low maintenance, I would say. I probably need about an hour all-in. I definitely take less time to get ready with my hair in its natural state than when it was chemically straightened. My make-up look is definitely low-maintenance too. I feel a bit out of myself when I’ve had my makeup professionally done for shoots or for fun, but I am always up for seeing what’s possible for me. My make-up go-tos are a dusting of loose base or swipe of pressed powder  with blush, and a pink, plum, or red lip-gloss like Nars’ Larger Than Life Gloss.

For evening I’ll make sure to remember mascara and a bold lip colour. As for products, BareMinerals any and everything – my sensitive skin stays nice and calm with their foundation options. For lipstick, I love matte reds from MAC, like Ruby Woo, or a new matte fuchsia favourite from Illamasqua called Eurydice. Brow pencil from Neal’s Yard is a favourite formulation, and NARS Matte Multiple sticks for cheeks and lips as well. Is it bad thing to say that I don’t change my make-up look from day into night? I suppose it’s because I end up going from day to night a lot, so there isn’t a lot of time to switch things up too drastically on my own on the go. Some subtle eye shadow and liner with the rest and I’m pretty much good to go.

I keep things pretty simple when it comes to removing my make-up, simply lathering up a few drops of Dr. Bronner’s castile soap. I’m currently using their peppermint wash and love the tingly fresh feeling it leaves on my skin.


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HAIRThe Lifestyle Edit | Michelle Bobb Parris

I’ve been wearing my hair in its natural state for a while now, and have experimented enough with various products to know what works best for my hair. I wash it with a sulphate-free shampoo, then I condition and add styling products, which will be either an alcohol-free gel or mousse and a couple of drops of a nourishing oil before I plait my hair into a few sections to dry naturally overnight. It means I wake up have stretched-out curls and waves, ready to go! I do that about every 5-7 days. Any more often and my hair will dry out – the curlier the hair, the less frequently it should be washed as it doesn’t get as greasy as naturally straight hair. I swear by Carrots Shampoo and Conditioner, Jason Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner, OGX – both the Coconut and Keratin shampoos and conditioners.

I tend to wear my hair up more often than down, especially in winter, just to keep the ends protected from the elements and help retain moisture. I’ve noticed a big, positive difference since doing that over the last couple of years. Far less breakage, so I must be doing something right.

My hero hair products pretty much revolve around the right combo of either an alcohol-free, super-hold styling gel or mousse, plus a couple of drops of a hair oil. I absolutely swear by Ecostyler’s hair gel, but in a pinch I discovered that Boots Essentials is also great. Kinky Curly’s Curling Custard is an amazing gel that’s all-natural and a long-time favourite.

It isn’t easy finding great products for naturally curly hair in London. When I first moved to the UK, I had to either have my parents send products over from Canada, or they’d bring a bunch when coming to visit. Now, I can either order my favourites online at British Curlies‘ and Curl Emporium. When Whole Foods arrived in London, finding my favourite products got even easier.

NAILS

NARS is my favourite for nail lacquers as the consistency is incredibly creamy and goes on so evenly, I can get away with one coat when time is tight. I love a good red, like their Soup Can shade – red like a fire engine. Nails Inc’s Gel Effect Regents Place, a sort of cornflower blue, is a new favourite. I used to use more neutral pale metallic colours growing up, probably because I was always in the swimming pool with swimming lessons and lifeguard training and the chips didn’t show so readily!

Every time I get my nails professionally done, I get told off for not doing so more often (both by my mom and the aesthetician)! My main care for my nails revolves around moisture. I use a heavier cream maybe twice a day, such Weleda’s Skin Food, and massage it into my skin, nail beds, and cuticles. I also try to remember to apply an oil to massage into those areas as well. 

This interview has been edited and condensed. Photos taken in London by Naomi Mdudu for The Lifestyle Edit. Check out Michelle’s website here.