Graduating with a Business Management degree from UCL, Alina proceeded to build a career in corporate marketing and advertising. When she became a Director, she finally started looking beyond what she was led to believe as the epitome of ‘the successful woman’. She was leading neither a healthy balanced lifestyle nor was she doing what she really loved anymore. Alina eventually got herself into a community of supportive female entrepreneurs and grew her courage to quit the office job to start her own business. She believes that one can never do it on their own – find your tribe and you will grow beyond your beliefs!
We had the chance to sit down with Alina and ask her about Le Fix
Tell us a bit bout Le Fix?
Le Fix is an innovative Natural Beauty Bar & Concept Store that offers toxic free manicures, makeup, brow, lash and hair styling services and also sells a wide range of vegan, natural and organic beauty products! A true guilt-free ‘fix’ for any beauty junkie!
How did the idea for Le Fix come about?
All my life I was struggling to find skincare and makeup products (and beauty services!) that would safely deal with my very sensitive skin. I suffer from hereditary hypothyroidism, which means my vital hormone-regulating organ is under-active. That, unfortunately, comes with a bouquet of skin conditions affected by a slower metabolism. I went through eczema, rosacea, psoriasis – you name it! That eventually led me to research the products I put on my skin – be it skincare, makeup, hair care, nail polishes and, consequently, try to eliminate any harsh irritants and synthetic, often in danger to be contaminated by carcinogenic elements, and cheap “filler” ingredients. And guess what? It worked – I’m now 29 and my skin, my hair, and my overall wellbeing has never been better and I only regret not coming to it earlier!
The driving factor for me to launch Le Fix Natural Beauty Bar was to educate more people in the UK to understand the strength of incredible natural ingredients and harmful formulations that a LOT of mass marketed products “green wash” (this means they market their product as ‘natural’ via their packaging or brand design). We do not realise how many products women put on themselves DAILY e.g. there are very popular foundation formulations that can even interfere with your endocrine system in the prolonged use!
As I was looking for more clean, effective, natural products, it dawned on me that there is still a fairly underdeveloped niche in UK that is not properly catering to what we call an “informed” customer (customers that read the labels) as well as those that are currently dealing with severe skin conditions or health problems and are thus medically restricted. So voila, Le Fix platform was born and is now growing everyday!
How would you describe the importance of social media to drive a business like Le Fix?
I would say that Instagram in 2016-2017 reinvented itself – the addition of Stories has become a game changer! Moreover, the algorithm is much smarter today and picks up on fake accounts, followers and likes – there is no longer the same pressure to “buy followers” or install bots to communicate to your followers base. Instagram for us is an all inclusive platform: we inform our customers, hear immediate feedback, answer any questions, hold polls, make service bookings, product sales and find new exciting brands!
As the founder of Le Fix, what does your typical day look like?
Honestly, when you run a physical store on Baker St. no day is alike! We are set inside a collaborative creative space called the Koppel Project and we often get to work with a variety of neighboring pop up brands, business networking events, beauty workshops, hen parties etc. – it just never stops. I try to leave my morning for emails, calls, accounting, stock ordering and other operational procedures, often from home, before I go into the wild fire of Le Fix store to help out my extremely talented Beauty Crew. Every evening, it is of utmost importance to me that I unwind and re-energise at a dance or pilates class and then spend time with my family. Without that balance it is too easy to burn out!
What do you enjoy most about doing your own thing?
I get to plan my time whichever way I see most productive and when I do need to work weekends and late nights I understand what I am doing it for!
What are some of the challenges you’ve experienced in creating your business?
Finding a location and truly amazing people – I have been very lucky for most of it, but it wasn’t without hiccups and a lot of patience.
Here at Eyedea have been honored to host some of the world’s leading women in business across different sectors. Who would you say are the women who inspire you?
I think Thea Green, Founder of Nails Inc., has served as the biggest inspiration to me when I was quitting the corporate world to start my own business. I met her at the first Glamour Beauty Festival back in 2016 and I remember being in awe with her forward thinking approach for her brand, constantly seeking inspiration in international markets to never want to blend with the rest of her competitors. I never forget that.
What would be your top 3 words of advice for anyone thinking of branching out in this direction?
Research. Team. Resilience.
Le Fix has gone from strength to strength since its start up, how do you see it taking shape over the next few years?
Firstly, we are soon re-launching our website platform to further build on our beauty community and bring more amazing natural brands online for those that might not be able to come to our store all the time. Secondly, we have recognized our clients are spreading beyond Marylebone and we are now looking to open new locations in the new year! Stay tuned!
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Exclusive to Eyedea readers, for first time clients, Le Fix would like to offer a discount of %15 OFF all of their services by quoting EYEDEA discount code.
You can book via their website LeFix.co.uk, on Instagram/Facebook @LeFixLondon – quoting EYEDEA in the Booking Note at Check Out or by calling on 020 3086 8930.
The post Meet Alina Jakubova: Founder of Le Fix, the first Natural Beauty Bar in London appeared first on Eyedea - Female Millennials Network.