At the Salon With: Nina Leykind, CEO of Eyeko

We’ll admit it. Here at Treatwell when it comes to beauty we’re totally nosy. What do you always book in for? What are your salon habits? And most importantly, what’s your favourite treatment? As part of our monthly ‘At the Salon With’ series, we recently sat down with Nina Leykind, Founder and Creative Director of cult beauty brand Eyeko at Blush and Blow salon in Fulham to discuss the work/play struggle, her must-have party season treatments and the 3 products she can’t live without. Read on to find out more…

By Rebecca Hoffnung

• 1 Tell us a little bit about yourself?

  I’m the Founder and Creative Director of the go-to brand for eyes! Established in 1999 we refreshed Eyeko in 2011 as a single minded beauty brand focused on eyes and specifically mascara. We re-invented mascara by packaging it in zero-waste squeezy tubes to ensure it never dries out and set about educating consumers that one size doesn’t fit all coining the term mascara wardrobing for using more than one mascara to create your ideal lash look. With Alexa Chung’s help, Eyeko has gone from niche British brand to global power player.
• 2 What are your go-to salon treatments in the run up to party season?

  I love a blow dry! I used to go weekly but now I have keratin blow drys so I can manage my hair more easily. Mani/pedis are a fortnightly must and in general I need more massages in my life!
• 3 What time are we most likely to find you at the salon?

  My schedule is pretty erratic so appointments are always last minute at random times at random salons round the world!
• 4 Funniest/most embarrassing salon experience?

  The time I was having my upper lip threaded and the beautician whipped off my nostril hair too! Ouch!
• 5 Do you plug in or chat to your stylist?

  I carry on with emails or dip into the magazines on offer.
• 6 What’s your most recent in salon discovery?

  I love Ouai shampoo and conditioner – they smell divine! And I had never used dry shampoo before discovering Sam McKnights Lazy Girl and Cool Girl cans which are amazing as they leave your hair soft and scented without feeling loaded with product.
• 7 What’s the question(s) you always ask your stylist once you’re seated in the salon chair?

  When will I be done?
• 8 How do you fit ‘me’ time into your busy work and life schedule?

  It all blurs into one to be honest. I love what I do so work is fun more often than not. We’ve never had a nanny as being my own boss means I can work my own schedule  to fit everything in, just about! It’s chaotic but I think that’s how it is for all women whether they work or not; have children or not – we seem to be hard wired to be multi-taskers taking on too much.
• 9 Best beauty tip if you're pressed for time?

  When in doubt wing it out! Alexa always says she favours a cat eye because it goes with every outfit. It’s an enduringly flattering look and dresses up your eyes in an instant!
• 10 What’s in your handbag?

  My iPhone – it’s my mobile office! Eyeko Black Magic Liquid Eyeliner to dress up my eyes, lip balm – any, currently Herbivore and La Mer, Byredo atomiser, energising and protection crystals, Smythson diary, notebook and Kaweco fountain pen.
• 11 3 hero products you couldn’t live without?

  Eyeko Lash Alert Mascara, Eyeko Brow Gel and Eyeko Lash Curlers – my trifecta for looking pulled together and wide awake even when I’m not! There’s nothing like mascara, it’s the ultimate transformative product. I’m literally naked without it.