A Northern Irish beauty company has put women from all walks of life at the centre of their latest campaign showcasing the importance of diversity and inclusion in the industry.
Luxury tan and cosmetics brand Bellamianta, has taken six women of all ages, sizes and walks of life and placed them in the spotlight for their new 'Being You is Beautiful' campaign.
Among those starring in the campaign is Irene McKee, a semi-retired nurse from Cookstown in Co Tyrone. Speaking to MyTyrone, 73-year-old Irene said it was 'an honour' to be involved after she was nominated for the role by her granddaughter Abbie.
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"She applied through a casting page and she never told me a thing about it until she said they wanted me to be part of it. I couldn't believe it, I thought she was winding me up," said Irene.
"It was just a real honour and a privilege to be asked to do it and be part of the campaign and to meet nine other women, total strangers and we just got together like a family and shared our own wee stories and it was a really, lovely experience and I've made friends for life."
"I enjoyed every second, from I got off the train in Dublin to I met the girls in the Westbury hotel. Immediately when I sat down I felt like one of a family of ten.
"The experience was just fantastic, we were treated so well, everything was provided, we were treated like Queens for the day, it was beautiful. It was a nice role to be in for the day, it's a world away from my work as a nurse. But I'm grateful that I can still work and nursing people a lot younger than myself I have to be thankful that I am still able to work."
Irene said she has never let her age hold her back and will always try to continue being spontaneous and enjoy herself.
"Age has never stopped me, I still do all the things I used to do 20 or 40 years ago maybe just a bit slower. I think if you take it on board and start acting old you will be old. I like brightness and bright colours and I had this conversation with a lady on holidays and we are both Geminis and we were saying we love to be spontaneous and vibrant and to keep as young as possible, most naturally as we can."
The Cookstown woman also had high praise for Bellamianta CEO Linda Stinson, adding: "Linda who owns the brand deserves the best, she really has a heart of gold. I got on very well with her, I enjoyed the whole experience and she made us feel so at home."
Also amongst the line-up for the new beauty campaign were Linda's mother Collette MacNamee, 63, from Pomeroy and a cancer sufferer who was first diagnosed in January 2018; Collette Corr, 46, from Coalisland in Co Tyrone; Civil Engineer, Ciara Doherty, 38, from Belfast; Mum of 3-year-old twins, Louise Casey, 31, from Silverbridge in Co Down and 21-year-old Megan McNeill, who has Crohn’s disease, and is from Lisburn.
Linda said: “At Bellamianta, we truly believe that being you is the most beautiful thing you can be, and we wanted to encourage women across Northern Ireland to completely embrace loving themselves. The amazing ladies you see as part of our new ‘Being You is Beautiful’ campaign are all REAL Bellamianta users who applied for and won a place. They are playing a very important role in the celebration of women of all ages, sizes and walks of life and we hope that it will inspire other females across the province.”
Megan McNeill, who has Crohn’s disease, regularly shares her day-to-day life living with Crohn’s on social media said: “I want other young women or men like me to see the representation of a stoma bag so it becomes normal to have a model with a physical difference. I do not let my illness define me but only add to my story.”
Louise Casey said: “As a mum of twin girls, I want them to see me as someone who has embraced my body and loves the skin that I am in. Life is short so I want to grab any opportunity I can.”
The 10 women featured in the campaign are helping Bellamianta to launch its new and improved luxury formulas where skincare meets tanning. Formulated with supercharged DHA, the new formulas also feature organically derived tan enhancers guaranteeing you the same signature Bellamianta glow that you know and love. Bellamianta are proud to be cruelty free, vegan and PETA approved, as well as safe for use during pregnancy.
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