Rochelle Humes, Irina Shayk, Naomi Campbell and Millie Mackintosh. These are just some of the names and faces that you’ll find gracing MMC Communications’ Instagram account. Whether they are bathing in 24K pure gold masks by skin wellbeing expert Mimi Luzon or are showing off the impressive before-and-after results of a lymphatic drainage massage by specialist and physiotherapist Flavia Morellato, the world’s top influencers in beauty and wellness flock to the top-tier products and services offered by MMC’s clients.
“It is not my practice roping names into endorsing my clients’ products,” explains Moe McCarthy, who single-handedly launched the beauty, wellness, and lifestyle PR consultancy back in 2018. “Where the brands that I represent involve a level of quality that I believe in myself, I generally find that like-minded people are also happy to endorse them.”
With experience at some of Ireland and the UK’s top PR and digital marketing agencies, McCarthy’s little black book of media and influencer contacts have helped catapult emerging brands into the spotlight and into the minds and hands of their target markets. McCarthy tells me that it’s her experience of launching a start-up of her own that has helped her get a unique understanding of the challenges that her clients face and is adamant about the importance of creating connections.
She explains: “I do not have any ‘strategy’ when it comes to relationship-building. The way it works for me is that if a good relationship exists, it does so naturally, founded on the basis of effective communication, respect, and trust.”
LLM – Luxury Lifestyle Magazine’s Ina Yulo Stuve speaks with McCarthy to get the low-down on the country’s must-visit beauty and wellness spots and to find out what we should be looking out for in the world of beauty and wellness this summer.
How did you get started in PR and how did you get to where you are today?
After completing a BA in Politics at University College Dublin, I went on to do a postgraduate at Fitzwilliam Institution. It was here I developed my skills within public relations, furthering my knowledge of marketing, advertising, events management and e-commerce. My career began as an intern at Fleishman Hillard, a worldwide PR and digital marketing agency. A hugely transformative experience, I then moved to Fleishman’s London office at the age of 22, where I did the PR for Emirates Airline, before moving to technology working on the Philips account.
After stints working in tech PR, I decided to take the plunge into something I really and genuinely loved; the beauty and wellness sector. I’ve been obsessed with all things skincare, wellbeing and beauty since as far back as I can remember so after joining a female only team at an agency in Soho, I decided to go it alone and launch my own agency; MMC Communications.
I launched the company single handedly in 2018 with an ambition to utilise my six years of expertise to shake up the luxury lifestyle and wellness PR sector and I’m very proud of where I am now. Now a fully formed business, MMC Communications represents some of the best in the wellness and beauty game and companies that I really love, nurturing female-owned wellness brands like Radiance Cleanse, Glow Bar and skincare expert to the stars Mimi Luzon, to name but a few, really is an honour.
What trends have you been seeing in beauty lately?
I’m seeing a massive increase in multi-purpose products; which is nice to see. We are streamlining our beauty routines and becoming more mindful about sustainability and wastage, realising we don’t need hundreds of products when one product can have multiple functions. Also I’m seeing a lot more awareness around inner beauty; products that nourish us inside and out are taking centre stage. Ingestible beauty, like powdered supplements and even Radiance’s Beauty Juice are increasing in popularity as we realise our internal and external health aren’t mutually exclusive and in order to glow on the outside we need to glow on the inside too.
What should we be looking out for in the world of beauty and wellness this summer?
Lots of hybrid skincare/makeup type products; since being at home we’ve all got used to not wearing makeup so serums that double up as a glowing primer will be the name of the game. I also expect to see massive uptick with holistic beauty treatments using Gua Sha and crystals as we realise facials/body treatments don’t have to be painful but instead a genuinely relaxing, soothing experience.
In terms of wellness, I expect to see a continued focus on immune support and products that promise to boost our overall wellbeing; I think we have all become a lot more health conscious which can only be a good thing in my mind. Adopting positive routines such as juice cleanses to properly nourish and bolster our inner health will continue well past lockdown easing.
What does your morning routine look like?
I love my morning routine and have always been an early bird! I wake up at 6am most days and start my day with a matcha union. I then aim to do an hour of exercise, either a quick run or virtual barre class with Ashley at Define.London so I can get some exercise in before the working day starts and I’m staring at screens all day. Mid-morning I’ll make myself a smoothie; I like to use Glow Bar’s Super Glowy blended elixir for an extra adaptogenic beauty boost. I used to go to Glow Bar on Mortimer Street for a moon milk and workout at Define so it’s kind of the same routine but just at home instead!
What are you looking forward to most with Covid-19 restrictions lifting?
Catching up with friends and family over a glass of wine! Beauty wise, I am looking forward to getting a facial with Ada Ooi; she combines Gua Sha, acupuncture and her Eastern beauty principles and I always leave feeling plumped, flawless and glowing. I also can’t wait to get back to the gym; a real life Barre session at Define is a must after I’ve been doing their virtual ones all lockdown. Finally, getting my eyebrows done with Liarna Jessica; she’s the only place to go.
In this industry, relationships are everything. What has your strategy been like when it comes to relationship building?
I do not have any strategy when it comes to relationship building. The way it works for me is that if a good relationship exists it does so naturally, founded on the basis of effective communication, respect, and trust.
You have a select group of clients in your portfolio. What are some of the key things you look for when taking a new client on board?
I take the basic facts into account when considering taking on a new client. I consider whether or not I believe in the brand and/or the product myself. If I do, I usually propose working with the client for a trial period to see how we get on. If the relationship works (for both parties) we continue from there.
You have been extremely successful in getting celebrities to endorse your clients’ products. What’s your secret to roping in those big names?
It is not my practice roping names into endorsing my clients’ products. Where the brands that I represent involve a level of quality that I believe in myself, I generally find that like-minded people are also happy to endorse them.
Any products in your beauty kit right now that you’re in love with?
Right now I’d say Mimi Luzon’s newest product Legendary Glow makes for a nice hybrid between skincare and a complexion based skin boosting treatment. I love it.
Tell us about your favourite health, beauty and wellness destinations.
Glow Bar London for infrared saunas – better than any gym class if you want to detox after a heavy weekend.
Ada Ooi – Red Carpet facialist and acupuncturist. Plenty of practitioners claim to be holistic in their approach but Ada genuinely is, she can tell you more about your overall wellness by looking at your tongue than asking a hundred questions.
Yalda (Eat Burn Sleep) six week plan – If you are interested in gut health and autoimmune diseases and healthy eating. This lady is a genius.
Flavia Morellato – lymphatic drainage. In addition to feeling lighter in an instant, the massage enhances digestion, metabolism and circulation.
Hair – Moe Harb at Duck and Dry Market Place. A whizz at colour, he has a serious black book of clients across London and Dubai.
Edy London for natural eyelashes – you can’t detect extensions but rather their perfectly defined bright eyes, framed by longer dark lashes.
Liarna London for eyebrows – asymmetry is balanced, patchiness is filled in – best of all your face looks pleasingly lifted when Liarna is finished.
Dr Ewoma for microneedling.
Factbox
MMC Communications
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