Candice Brathwaite @candicebrathwaite
Founder of Make Motherhood Diverse, an online initiative that aims to encourage a more accurately representative and diverse depiction of motherhood in the media – ‘Mummy Blogger’, influencer and author Candice wants the world to see that Black families aren’t simply surviving but thriving. Her account follows her everyday life and is a mix of fashion, beauty, parenting. Plus, she covers more serious topics like mental health, and how racism impacts Black mothers.
Top tip from Candice that we love…
‘Spend some time alone. In order to be my best self as a mum, carving out sometime alone is a non-negotiable for me. My go to activities are reading, cycling, roller-skating or meditation.’
Somi Igbene @somiigbene
Somi isa biomedical scientist, nutritional therapist, registered nutritionist, health food, fitness lover, wellness enthusiast, wife and mama of three. She loves all things natural and plant-based, but is not fanatical or preachy. She is a sickle cell anaemia advocate and shares recipes, nutritional advice, and her experience of her ever-evolving wellness journey so that followers can create a well-rounded, meaningful life that they love.
Top tip from Somi that we can stick to…
‘Don't make complicated changes to your diet. Make one tiny change, stick with it, and once you master it, pick another one and do the same until you get to where you want to be.’
Adrienne Herbert @adrienne_ldn
Need some motivation, Adrienne has it in spades. Dubbed the “New Face of Wellness” by British VOGUE, this master trainer and running enthusiast has completed 19 road races including the London Marathon and will arm you with the skill and motivation to get more active. She’s the ultimate goal getter and wants to help her followers achieve success – in whatever form that means to them. She does this by way of her weekly podcast the Power Hour, where she interviews inspirational women to discover their daily habits, and rules to live by. As well as hosting panel discussions and workshops with female founders and industry leaders, in her role as co-founder of GetToKNOW – a network and community for women in the creative industries, offering peer-to-peer networking and support.
Top tip we've picked up from Adrienne…
‘Always warm up! Even if it’s just for 4-5 minutes. If you’re heading out for a run first thing in the morning, you might be tempted to just pull on your leggings, lace up, and head out the door, but it’s really not a good idea. Usually before I step out of the front door, I do some ankle raises, some wide stance squats, a few hip rotations and lunges, and then I run on the spot with high knees for thirty seconds. This warm-up only takes about 4 minutes, but it mobilises the whole body and it will help to prevent injuries.’
Patricia Bright @thepatriciabright
Bright’s open, honest, humorous and candid approach as an influencer has seen her reach over 1 million Instagram followers and 2.88 million subscribers on her personal YouTube channel. She’s an author, and award winner, who has worked with countless lifestyle brands and even given a Ted talk. She’s the first Black British YouTuber to reach a million followers and her Instagram is filled with all things fashion, beauty and lifestyle. She recently launched The Break, her new YouTube channel dedicated to financial wellness, helping people start side hustles, manage their money, and become financially independent.
Top tip from Patricia we could all do with right now…
‘Think about budgeting as an empowering practice. People tend to look at budgeting as something restrictive, when in fact it’s a tool you can use to build a better future for yourself. The first step is to take a look at all your expenses, versus how much you are making. Review your last three monthly bank statements, then decide on what your targets are – saving for a house, paying off your credit card debt etc. Then go back to your statements and see what habits you can change so you’re working towards your goals every single day.’
Grace Victory @gracefvictory
You’ll find fashion inspo a plenty, plus a sneak peek into Grace’s favourite beauty buys and a whole lot of body positivity and mental health posts that will inspire you to reject diet culture, love the skin you’re in, heal and make your mental health a priority.
Top tip for life from Grace…
‘Let go of negative thinking. Write down all the negative thoughts you’re having and try to uncover where these thoughts are coming from, then counteract them with positive ones. Write some of these positive affirmations like ‘you’re beautiful, no matter what you do,’ on sticky notes and place them where you’ll see them most. Yes, it sounds cheesy, but it really helps.’
Amerley-Amanda Ollennu is a beauty & lifestyle Editor/Brand Consultant, you can find her on insta @amerleyollennu