Arts
In episode thirty six of the Glow Journal podcast, host Gemma Watts sits down with Zoë Foster Blake, founder of Go-To, Bro-To and Gro-To. Any time I get to pick Zoë’s brain is an excellent time, but this occasion was particularly special as I’m able to share our conversation with all of you. Zoë Foster Blake is the most respected voice in beauty in this country, with legions of fans both locally and overseas. Having grown up in a creative and, in her words, “free range” household, Zoë has almost always known that she wanted to write- just not necessarily beauty. Her first professional encounter with a truly iconic beauty moment came when she directed Shannon Noll and Guy Sebastian, pre Australian Idol finale, on a Smash Hits cover shoot. From Smash Hits, she moved into a role as Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan and later Beauty Director at Harper’s Bazaar. The belief that beauty requires kinetic learning saw her embrace digital, citing her first ever “risky move” as leaving her role at a celebrated print title for a new role, online. 2014 saw the author and beauty editor combine her knowledge of what customers wanted, and what actually worked, to create Go-To- a skincare brand built on the innate trust between Zoë and audience. There was a quote from my conversation with Zoë that really stood out to me. “I became very passionate about beauty in as much as I saw the connection it gave me to people.” It’s almost impossible to pinpoint one specific thing about Zoë that makes her such a force in beauty, but I think that quote almost sums up what is so magnetic about her. To Zoë, beauty is about connection- she has a genuine want to give value to people in a way that is honest and fun and without pretension. You can’t forge a connection of any worth without honesty, and I believe honesty and integrity are superpowers. Zoë is magic, and I hope this conversation captures a little piece of that magic. In this episode, which we recorded at Melbourne’s QT Hotel, Zoë shares the products that are in their seventh year of development, the products she’ll never make, the product she wishes she made sooner and the product she would absolutely not make again today. You can read this interview now at: glowjournal.com/interview-zoe-foster-blakeFollow Zoë on Instagram at @zotheysayFollow Go-To on Instagram at @gotoskincareStay up to date with Gemma on Instagram at @gemkwatts and @glow.journal, or get in touch at hello@gemkwatts.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.