She's the founder and editor of Australian beauty website, Beauticate, and now after 10 years, Sigourney Cantelo has expanded the brand into the world of podcasts.
Recently launched in July, Beautiful Inside by Beauticate explores how our inner state is the key to true beauty.
Opening up about her own struggles, Sigourney creates a safe space for guests to share their most vulnerable sides – a true palate cleanser in the world of beauty podcasts.
BD recently spoke with Sigourney about how the past month has been since the podcast's launch, how she approaches each interview, and where she hopes to take the Beauticate brand in the future.
You’ve recently launched Beautiful Inside by Beauticate – how has the reception been?
The reception has been incredible – beyond anything I could have imagined. I’ve been inundated with countless DMs, emails, and comments from mostly women (and some men) saying they feel seen, validated, and thanking me for opening up about my struggles.
It’s been so heartening as that’s exactly why I set out to do this. I feel galvanized in my mission to start conversations that can destigmatize mental health and reframe concepts of beauty in a more positive and meaningful light.
I want to merge ideas of internal and external beauty and highlight the crucial yet often overlooked connection between mind and body.
I think the response reflects a wider zeitgeist around depth, connection, and meaning. People don’t want any more artifice; they want real stories, vulnerability, and to see themselves in the content they consume. It’s a very human need for acceptance and affinity.
Has anything surprised you since delving into the podcast world?
How much work goes into creating a single episode! And because I’ve chosen the video podcast – or vodcast – medium, it adds an extra layer of production and complexity. I’m here for it though!
I love the video medium as it gives us so much to work with for social media, and every platform loves video. Yet we still have the audio option for those who prefer it.
It’s exciting that with podcasts, we can delve more deeply into stories and be much more intimate than we are with the written word or social media. There’s something magical and personal about being in people’s ears while they exercise or drive to work.
It’s a more solitary moment when you have their full attention, unlike social media, which is often consumed on the fly with other distractions. Podcasts offer more of an escapist moment, reminiscent of old-school magazine consumption.
You cover quite moving and personal topics with your guests – how do you approach each interview?
We choose guests who we know will be open and vulnerable with me, who have interesting stories and wisdom to share. We research them and what they’ve talked about to find angles that will surprise and engage. We keep production low-key – I turn up at their home with my ring light, mics, and iPhone and record everything myself.
In my experience, big production crews can induce stage fright and make things feel too commercial and produced. I want it to feel like we’re just catching up for a cuppa.
We also film in interesting parts of their home – their walk-in wardrobe, their bed, their pantries – to give the viewer/listener a real insight into their lives. This also makes it easier when we film their “sacred six” essentials: the products, practices, and protocols they swear by for inner health and beauty.
And for you personally, how has it felt opening up and showing a vulnerable side online?
Last year, I spent three weeks in a treatment facility for anxiety and depression, and I shared my story on social media and over two episodes on the podcast. It was daunting, but I felt it was the right thing to do. If I expect my guests to be fully open and vulnerable with me, I must be willing to put myself out there as well.
During treatment and in therapy since, I’ve learned so much about humanity, myself, and the importance of compassion. This experience has given me a newfound sense of purpose in my work.
I am on a mission to educate, inspire, and help others by opening up dialogues and celebrating vulnerability. I firmly believe in the power of vulnerability for connection (I’m a big Brené Brown fan) and to counteract shame, which is incredibly damaging to the psyche.
I’m still learning, healing, and working on it, but sharing my lessons to help others on their journey has been incredibly rewarding. I can’t wait to see where this journey takes us.
Where do you hope to see the podcast and the entire Beauticate brand in the future?
I hope that we will continue to inspire and educate on scientific and psychological concepts around inner and outer beauty, delivering the latest advancements in longevity, biohacking, wellness, self-care and healing.
I want Beauticate to be a trusted source for cutting-edge beauty and wellness information.
What guests can we look forward to hearing from next on the podcast?
Poppy King is our next guest, and then we are coming back with series two, featuring high-profile beauty industry guests and much-loved personalities.
So please hit the follow button on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and subscribe to my YouTube Channel to catch the latest episode.
How can brands work with you?
As a purpose-led media brand, Beauticate focuses on important conversations around beauty, health, and self-care. We welcome partnerships with brands committed to inner and outer beauty, health, and women's empowerment.
We offer season sponsorships and smaller partnership opportunities. The vodcast provides unique, ongoing brand exposure through 'baked-in' ads that remain on the platform. This budget-friendly option positions brands as leaders in meaningful conversations and women's issues.
Our content is further amplified across the Beauticate website and social media, reaching over 1.3 million monthly.
Collaborating with like-minded brands can drive awareness and impact, inspiring and supporting our communities in their journey towards mental health and self-love.
Find Beautiful Inside by Beauticate via www.beauticate.com/vodcast/.
Follow Sigourney on instagram @sigourneycantelo and @beauticate.
And Sigourney on TikTok.
Image credit: Beauticate
