Welcome to the debut episode of Life & Smile Season Seven, brought to you in our latest video format from our recording studio at Harley Street! Dr Reena kicks things off in style with a riveting conversation with British fashion icon, businesswoman, and renowned skin & beauty entrepreneur, Trinny Woodall.
From launching her incredibly successful Trinny London brand to confronting personal and professional reinvention, Trinny brings refreshingly candid insights into confidence, creativity, and resilience. Tune in to this conversation for life, style, and wisdom from one of the most iconic voices in the beauty industry.
Conversation Show Notes – The Recap
The show opens with an update of Trinny’s incredible career, rewinding back to the beginning. She describes how she went to boarding school very early and wanted to find a career that her banker dad would think, “OK, there she is.”
And so, Trinny went to work in the City during a financial crisis, feeling disconnected from who she was, with no clear career path. However, she always knew what made her happy: giving makeovers and beauty tips to her friends, something she’d been doing since her school days.
Coming out of rehab at age twenty-seven, Trinny saw it as an opportunity to start over—with the mindset to pursue what she actually enjoyed, rather than what she thought she should be doing.
From that point, Trinny became self-employed. She had a column in The Telegraph for seven years called What Not To Wear, which of course became a highly successful TV show. From there, she went on to do more shows across the world. For nearly twenty years, she worked independently, but each autumn brought the uncertainty of whether her contract would be renewed – highlighting the trepidation that can come with self-employment.
When offering advice to aspiring entrepreneurs, Trinny emphasises the importance of knowing whether you’re the kind of person who wants to leave work behind at 6pm or someone who thrives by being fully absorbed in their work – a mindset shift essential for entrepreneurs.
It wasn’t until she had travelled the world, speaking to and making over women of different ages, religions, skin tones, and attitudes, that she recognised a powerful similarity: women want to rethink their routines, but don’t know where to start. She realised the value in supporting women so they can shine their inner light and feel great about themselves.
Trinny London was created to give women the tools to feel like the best versions of themselves. It was founded when Trinny was forty-nine, and she reflects on how a much earlier experience of closing a business set her up for success. She shares the importance of preparing in advance and knowing what short-term sacrifices you’re willing to make for long-term gain. Creating a financial runway and giving yourself breathing space is key.
Trinny has worked on many impactful projects over the years, and Dr Reena guides the conversation toward the key moments that stood out. Trinny talks about feeling impact in many ways—whether it’s launching a cult product or igniting energy in women through her brand. She describes a recent ‘walk and talk’ event with hundreds of Trinny London followers to help address loneliness.
Today, Trinny London is a team of 300 people, with many new faces joining. This enables Trinny to be more hands-on with the brand’s core mission, ensuring that even someone who joined last week understands the brand as deeply as someone who’s been there for five years.
Her weekly schedule includes:
Monday: team-wide meetings
Tuesday: focused on marketing
Wednesday: dedicated to new product development
Thursday: a management day
Friday: a flexible mix of tasks
She also notes that social media makes up just 3–4% of her world, although it’s still a key part of her presence. Travel also plays a significant role in her work.
Energy is a core driver for Trinny. Her joy comes from bringing happiness to others, and she loves when people stop her on the street just to say hello. To maintain her energy levels, she relies on yoga, meditation, and staying grounded—always striving to bring the best version of herself each day.
As for her top essential products, Trinny lists:
- Her phone – to run her business globally and stay connected with her daughter
- SPF 50 – for everyday skin protection
Episode Key Takeaways – The Best ideas
Make your passion your career.
Ask yourself: What are you prepared to do for the bigger opportunities at the end?
Give yourself a financial runway when building a business to allow breathing space and reduce pressure.
Know your value and constantly check it.
Some people excel at working within a company, while others struggle with working for someone else.
On appearance: Sometimes you need to help the outside to let the inside come out.
We all need emotional connection.
When we’re stressed, we’re not always at our most efficient.
Perseverance, luck, and hard work combine to create opportunities.
Closing a business can teach you invaluable lessons.
Her Trinny London stack – her go-to for beauty on the go.
In this episode, Dr Reena is joined by the wonderful Emma Guns. Emma hardly needs an introduction—she’s a renowned journalist, podcaster, and content creator specialising in beauty, health, and lifestyle.
With her warm and witty advice, which she so generously shares with us daily on social media, we cover everything from insights into the media industry, advice she’d give her younger self, what a typical working week looks like for her, and everything in between.
Conversation Show Notes – The Recap
Emma opens the show by sharing how bizarre it feels to be on the other side of the mic – as a guest rather than the interviewer – admitting she’s far more comfortable being the one asking the questions.
We rewind to the very beginning of Emma’s career, where she explains that she entered journalism later in life, despite knowing from a young age that she wanted to be a journalist. She had been discouraged early on by the high academic requirements to study English at a top university.
After studying social sciences and taking on a sales role (which she quit unexpectedly, knowing it wasn’t her true calling), fate stepped in. The building she worked in was owned by the same person who owned OK! Magazine – and Emma had been regularly visiting a floor in that building just to get a glimpse into their world. Her persistence paid off when the receptionists passed her the editor’s email, allowing her to enquire about work experience.
Emma describes this moment as discovering her true calling – captivated by the stylish, fast-paced world of magazines. She reflects on how her time in Boston during 9/11 allowed her to pause, reflect, and realign her path.
She then worked on local newspapers for free for nearly two years before completing a postgraduate degree in magazine journalism. Emma returned to OK! Magazine for further work experience as part of her qualification. They kept inviting her back, and she began covering for them when unexpectedly, the role of beauty editor became available. In a true fairytale moment, she was offered the job permanently.
The transition was a steep learning curve, as Emma had to learn everything on the job. A fellow features editor eventually confessed she had been sceptical of Emma’s appointment but later admitted it felt like “she’d always had this job” — a moment of much-needed validation.
It was acne that initially drew Emma to beauty – seeing it not as superficial, but as problem-solving. She leaned heavily on the beauty industry to feel more confident in her own skin.
On social media, Emma describes it as a meteor crashing into Earth, massively impacting the magazine world. While she strives to deliver meaningful, high-quality journalistic content, she admits that lower-quality, more relatable pieces often perform better. The real key, she says, is consistency over time.
On her own podcast, topics like hair loss and weight loss frequently come up. Emma emphasises the importance of remembering that people engage with these topics from different starting points – making empathy and nuance essential.
A recent career highlight has been reviving her first-person column on Substack – something she had previously done for ten years at OK! Magazine.
As for her daily routine, no two days are the same, but Emma aims to create structure. She typically works from home two days a week, saying she’s not someone who can just open a laptop in a coffee shop and get started. When she’s working from home, she’s fully in work mode. When she’s out, she’s fully present for meetings or networking – never mixing the two.
Emma reflects on how the podcast landscape has evolved, noting that many top guests now only appear on large, established shows, with an increasing number of voices trying to become self-help gurus. In response, she’s chosen to focus more on her column and beauty background – her creative anchors.
And finally, her advice to her younger self? “Do more listening than talking — and go into therapy earlier.”
Episode Key Takeaways – The Best ideas
Know when to reflect and take pause when making key life decisions.
Social media is a bit like a meteor that has hit earth.
Coming from a journalistic background, there always has to be a reason for sharing information.
The way to keep people engaged on social is to share your personal life with as little space between you and the end user as possible, almost as though they are living your life with you (which can feel very peculiar).
On daily routine – finding a rhythm within variety is really important.
Creatively, you cannot force it – go for a walk and listen to a podcast if needed.
We’re eliminating the hunger for valuable jobs that actually hold up society.
In this episode of Life & Smile, we welcome Chandler Tregaskes, Style Editor at Tatler magazine. A true industry insider with a front-row seat in the world of fashion, Chandler shares insights into his career journey, daily strategies for success, and a peek into his coveted ‘little black book’ of must-haves you won’t want to miss.
Conversation Show Notes – The Recap
The show opens with a mini recap of Chandler’s bio to date – taking it back to the very beginning. Growing up in a tiny town in Devon, Chandler always dreamed of moving to the bright lights of the big city. At just eighteen, he made that move to London after two years at art college in Plymouth. From there, he began interning relentlessly – starting in PR before realising he wanted to be on the other side of it. He switched gears and started interning at magazines, eventually landing a role at Tatler, where he’s been ever since.
Chandler explains that building up experience was key. While he always knew he wanted to be in the fashion industry, he initially leaned toward styling. But after receiving his first writing assignment, he quickly discovered how much he enjoyed it. With fashion constantly evolving, Chandler thrives on covering anything beautiful, glamorous, and gorgeous—with the ultimate thrill being his coverage of the couture collections.
For those just starting out, Chandler admits there’s no longer a clear-cut path like there once was. Previously, success often came through internships and word-of-mouth recommendations. Today, while the landscape has shifted, his advice is to avoid saying no too soon.
When asked about his proudest moments, Chandler emphasises his commitment to quality. He explains, “I never want to put out rubbish content.” He isn’t inspired to read anything that isn’t well-researched and thoughtful, and holds his own work to the same standard.
As for inspiration, Chandler says it can come from absolutely anywhere. His work at the acclaimed Tatler magazine provides a steady stream of creative fuel, as do iconic figures like Patsy Stone from Absolutely Fabulous.
Dr Reena shifts the conversation to behind-the-scenes glimpses of Chandler’s daily routine. Surprisingly, there’s no real structure which works well, providing the work gets done. But that work can take him anywhere, with frequent travel being a regular part of his life. One of his personal rules? Never wear the same outfit twice within a month. He insists you can reuse pieces, but you must mix it up.
Chandler has a passion for interviewing people, and his go-to question is asking for their first memory of fashion. When it comes to recharging, he doesn’t shy away from fun: partying is never a bad idea. He loves being out in Mayfair, hopping between fashion parties and members’ clubs.
Episode Key Takeaways – The Best ideas
Building experience is key. Little steps all add up quickly.
Don’t say no too soon. Even if it’s not a clear trajectory to where you want to be in ten years’ time, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t learn everything you can.
Try things before ruling them out. If you don’t like something after trying it, at least you can say you’ve done it—it’s a learning curve.
Take inspiration from everywhere.
Take pride in your work – attention to detail is key.
We can be our own self-critics.
Plan your outfit the night before – you will feel confident and it sets you up for the day.
Deadlines and adrenaline can drive you.
In this episode of Life & Smile, we bring back a very special guest who joined us all the way back on our debut episode of Life & Smile Season One – Francesca Ogiermann-White.
Francesca is highly celebrated across the industry as the Health and Beauty Editor At Large for Tatler Magazine and is renowned for founding The Beauty Triangle – a platform for health and wellness events in the UK and Dubai, creating conversations that educate and empower.
Conversation Show Notes – The Recap
Rewinding back to the beginning, Francesca describes how she had always wanted to work in fashion but fell into beauty at a time when the focus was on writing about lipstick, fragrance, and the latest moisturisers to hit the beauty halls.
Francesca describes how she was really lucky to be working for a magazine like Tatler, which was the only publication back in those days that was truly addressing surgical, non-surgical, spa, and wellness. This industry was all about the people behind it, and Francesca loved getting to meet fascinating individuals and practitioners dedicated to health and wellness.
Even now, she remains attached to the publication. Since leaving in her full-time capacity, she continues to edit the surgery guide and the spa guide, contrasting sides of the industry that are so different yet so synergistic.
Francesca, of course, went on to set up The Beauty Triangle, which has now gone global. It hosts events regularly, including additional launches in Dubai, where she travels on a six-monthly basis for The Beauty Triangle Week of Wellness, featuring three or four events in succession. Francesca notes there is a huge appetite for wellness in Dubai, although the conversations there seem to be a few years behind those currently happening in the UK, which makes addressing these gaps all the more exciting.
The conversations within The Beauty Triangle aim to reflect what others are discussing, answering questions, and introducing consumers to practitioners in a meaningful way. A recent conversation on hormonal health in Dubai allowed them to lead the dialogue, accelerating key topics when people need them most. Fertility, egg freezing, and men’s health are all important topics on the radar – it’s about creating a safe space where people can ask questions freely and know where to find the best practitioners.
On a global scale, Francesca describes how different conversations and trends in aesthetics across the world can be incredibly inspiring.
When it comes to career advice, authenticity is key. In a saturated landscape, people engage with those who are truly themselves. Doing something you are curious about and passionate about is crucial, and sometimes it’s simply about knowing where to begin.
Regarding writing and capturing ideas, Francesca utilises snatched moments, as there is often no perfect structure to the week. She is a fan of transcribing thoughts on her phone when out and about.
Meeting other people keeps Francesca inspired daily — the energy you get from meeting someone sparks proper chemistry.
Her three main essentials: lipstick, AirPods, and her laptop.
Episode Key Takeaways – The Best ideas
Often there are conversations and chapters in life where we don’t have the confidence to speak out about what we’re going throughThe more conversations you have about topics, the more mainstream they become.
In the UK and Europe, we struggle with the association of guilt or vanity when doing something for ourselves.
We don’t always have to beat ourselves up for aspiring to be a different version of ourselves.
Travelling is endlessly fascinating – the world is such a diverse place.
Don’t just deviate to the thing you’re good at – think about the things you’re really curious about. Exploring your curiosity is key.
Often the most effective thing when editing a piece of writing is removing the first paragraph – if you cut that and go straight to the main content in paragraph two, it’s usually really strong.
For our fifth episode of season seven, Dr Reena was joined by one of the UK’s leading hormone health experts, Registered Nutritionist Jessica Shand! As a naturopathic nutritionist and hormone specialist, Jessica is renowned in her field for her unique results-driven hormonal balance method and for using food as medicine to promote optimised health and wellbeing.
Conversation Show Notes – The Recap
The show opens with a mini recap of Jessica’s wellbeing journey – her story started in her early twenties when she was dealing with quite a few health symptoms, including bad anxiety that was debilitating at times. This was paired with gut issues but the main issue was an irregular cycle, which she didn’t take too much notice of at the time, not initially putting two and two together that her hormones could be playing a role in the rest of her symptoms.
It was when she was looking to conceive that she explored this further, and it wasn’t until she saw a gynaecologist and was diagnosed with PCOS and an underactive thyroid that Jessica felt quite empowered that she could now take her health into her own hands and really delve into how she could support herself through food.
After immersing herself in overhauling her nutrition, she became more in tune with her body and started to feel better. She then fell pregnant with her now five-year-old son. That was the point at which she felt strongly that she wanted to help other women experiencing the same issues.
The conversation explores the personalised approach to nutrition, which can sometimes feel overwhelming. Jessica wrote The Hormone Balance Handbook to bridge the gap between the science and how to implement that into a daily lifestyle, which is something that she is completely fascinated by.
Jessica built her brand from helping real women with real problems, describing how guiding them successfully through their own personal challenges is the best feeling. She built her Instagram organically right at the start of her own journey, showcasing the food she herself was making to make her feel better, and it grew from there into a large, dedicated following, working with celebrities along the way.
Jessica was approached by many publishers and had had a book on her vision board, which she likes to create every New Year’s Eve. Ever since she was a little girl, she had wanted to write a book, initially studying journalism at university. She wanted to write a bible of everything she had learnt from her own experience that was science-led as a resource people could dip in and out of, with every chapter of the book focusing on a different body system to show us how to really nourish those body systems. The way Jessica sees it is that we can’t treat anything in isolation and every system has a part to play.
Certain foods and ingredients Jessica loves – avocados, extra virgin olive oil, seeds, and nuts – are key. Fats are very important for women, and she emphasises thinking about protein, maximising plant diversity, and staying hydrated.
When it comes to daily routine, Jessica confirms that this is essential; otherwise, things can quickly get out of hand! In addition to her content creation, she has a clinic at Soho House and her own private clinic. She also writes for many leading publications, including Vogue and Sheerluxe, and she’s a parent. A Sunday night ritual ensures she writes down what she realistically wants to achieve per day.
Jessica describes how her clients lift her up and keep her going throughout busy weeks, along with the support of her online community.
Episode Key Takeaways – The Best ideas
Nutrition is never a one-size-fits-all approach – Jessica emphasises the importance of a personalised approach to nutrition based on your body’s unique needs. What works for one person may not work for another, especially when hormones are involved.
Hormones are a fascinating area of health; they influence every single body system.
Food can be a powerful tool for healing.
Routine is essential for balance – A consistent daily routine, including planning, hydration, and a nourishing diet, helps Jessica stay grounded while managing a busy lifestyle that includes clinics, parenting, and content creation.
You don’t have to do it all at once – Her book, The Hormone Balance Handbook, is created as a resource people can dip in and out of, chapter by chapter, to better understand and support each body system in a manageable way.
Community and real-life stories matter – her connection with other women, including her clients and online followers, is a key part of her mission.
For our sixth and final episode of season seven, Dr Reena is joined by the inspiring Mira Manek — author, wellness entrepreneur, and founder of Chai By Mira, a brand for authentic chai spice blends that beautifully blends her love for food, Ayurveda, and mindfulness. Mira has authored three transformative books — Saffron Soul, Prajña, and The Book of Chai — each one empowering us to find more balance, purpose, and joy in everyday living.
Conversation Show Notes – The Recap
The conversation begins with Mira sharing the personal journey that led her to Ayurveda and wellness — a path rooted in rediscovery. In her early twenties, she struggled with yo-yo dieting, low energy, and digestive issues, equating “health” with being thin. The turning point came on a trip to India when she realised the true nourishment she had been missing lay in her own cultural roots and home-cooked food. Reconnecting with her Gujarati heritage and learning traditional recipes from her mother and grandmother became both healing and transformative.
This awakening inspired her first book Saffron Soul, celebrating traditional Indian cuisine as medicine for both body and mind. Her second book Prajña emerged from a deeper exploration of Ayurveda and rituals — not as quick-fix detoxes, but as sustainable, daily practices for balance, emotional resilience, and spiritual growth.
Mira explains that the heart of Ayurveda lies in living in tune with nature and listening to your body’s signals. She shares practical insights from her own lifestyle — from mindful eating and minimising snacking to support digestion, to daily self-care rituals such as facial and body oil massages, using Ayurvedic oils like kumkumadi and sesame, and incorporating small grounding habits like sunlight, journaling, and movement.
Mira reminds listeners that wellness is not a destination but a continuous relationship with oneself. Her “resuscitation kit” — the small, consistent rituals that sustain her through life’s highs and lows — includes yoga, rest, and simple acts that nurture both body and mind.
The conversation also touches on Mira’s experience building her brand, Chai By Mira, and the challenges of staying authentic in an often-crowded wellness space. Her advice is to stay in your lane, resist comparison, and lead with purpose rather than pressure. For Mira, success means aligning your work with your truth — not competing, but uplifting others along the way.
Even with her ever-changing schedule and frequent travels, she maintains her grounding rituals wherever she goes — proof that balance is about intention, not perfection. Whether she’s journaling, doing headstands, sipping chai, or nurturing her growing business now stocked in over 250 cafés across the UK and US, Mira’s message is clear: small, meaningful rituals create big, lasting change.
Episode Key Takeaways – The Best ideas
“Health is not about being skinny — it’s about nourishment, balance, and energy.”
Returning to traditional home-cooked food helped Mira heal her digestion and reconnect with her roots.
Ayurveda is not just ancient wisdom — it’s a way of living in tune with nature and your body, wherever you are in the world.
Small, consistent rituals — from oil massages to mindful meals — build resilience and emotional balance.
“Stay in your lane.” Authenticity and purpose matter more than comparison or competition.
Stress is often the root of imbalance — managing it gently supports digestion and overall wellbeing.
Balance doesn’t come from perfection, but from creating everyday practices that ground and uplift you.
