A GLIMPSE INTO | HER WORLD: LEAH LINDSAY FORBES
Lover of visuals and text, founder of Oil & Grain’s, LEAH has an enviable ability to hunt down cool finds and even cooler people. She started by sharing her lifestyle picks and tips and has since broadened to sharing what other rad people are doing and using. A COOL SH*t huntress, she’s also a fitness aficionado; as an instructor she can motivate you to eek out that last bit of effort you didn’t even know you had in you. read on for A Glimpse into her world.
STYLE
Fashion muse: Sienna Miller, Victoria Beckham, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jaime King
Summer uniform: Wide-leg jumpers, wrap dresses, culottes, denim shorts, over-sized tees & tanks, “easy shoes” aka sandals or mules.
Winter uniform: Coveralls, oversized sweaters, leather jacket, skinny jeans, leather leggings, sweater dresses, giant scarves, mules & boots.
Workout uniform: Running - lululemon Fast & Free 7/8 Tight + Stuff Your Bra (hands down my all time favorite sports bra) Gym - some style of luxtreme tight from lululemon + Outdoor Voices bra/crop top.
Everyday accessories: Chunky statement watch, wedding ring, chunky gold stud earrings, gold hoops or black tassle earrings. I love Coutu Kisch jewellry
Nail polish: black or red
Heels: Brother Vellies, No. 6 Clogs, Sol Sana
Boots: Currently = low, block heel, lace-up boots from Zara
Flats: I’m not partial to any one brand, I have a bunch of inexpensive flat sandals from Zara and Ascot + Hart. I’ve had my gold Birkenstocks for 5 years and a pair of black Steve Madden pony hair slides for 2-3 years that are always in rotation
Sneakers: Converse for day-to-day, Nike Air Max for running, Adidas Originals Arkyn Runners for le gym
Denim: BDG high-rise skinnys from Urban Outfitters and wide leg, 7/8s high-rise from Jesse Kamm
Sunglasses: Les Specs, Ray Ban
Day bag: A large, hand-made leather bag
Intimates: Hanky Panky undies, Third Love bras
Swim: Solid & Striped, Strait Swim, Made by Dawn
Glasses: Ollie Quinn
Fancy dress: Shona Joy
If you could only shop at one store: Aritzia or Sunroom
Online Fashion: Instagram
Home decor aesthetic: Scandinavian + California + Minimal
Furniture store: CB2, Ikea, ABC Home, Restoration Hardware, Target
Routine
Morning: Wake up around 7 and make coffee. Drink a glass of lemon water and take my vitamins. I prefer to workout in the mornings so I’ll either head to the gym after eating or go for a run then get some work done.
Work: I try to check my emails at set times each day so I don’t get constantly distracted by them + it sets expectations with clients. I check client accounts in the morning. midday and evening. I write a ‘to-do’ list for the following day the night before so I can stay on track the next day.
Evening: I don’t really have an evening routine outside of dinner + watching Netflix or TV for a couple of hours, spending time with my husband and reading before bed.
Skincare: I get facials every other month and switched to SkinCeuticals products this year - my skin is loving it! Out of the shower I put on C E Ferulic followed by their Emollience Moisturizer. I use Trilogy Organic Rosehip Oil (only) on my eyes morning and night, it works as a moisturizer and has helped diminish my dark circles. I put sunscreen on in the morning, either Supergoop Defense Refresh Setting Mist or Neutrogena Hydro Boost SPF 30. At night I wash my face with Simply Clean Gel Cleanser then apply C E Ferulic, one of the pigment correctors from SkinCeuticals, then I mix Beuti Beauty Sleep Elixir oil with the same SC Emollience Moisturizer I use in the morning. A couple times a week I use Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peek wipes – these are basically like a home facial.
Beauty: Garnier Clearly Brighter Anti-Dark Circle Eye Roller, Cicapair Color Correcting Treatment (for redness), Glossier Boy Brow, Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso, L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara & Babor Perfect Curl Mascara, Glossier Stretch Concealer if I need to.
Beauty Tip: Sleep. I get 8 hours a night minimum.
Haircare: I don’t dye my hair and use John Frieda Brilliant Brunette shampoo and conditioner. I wash my hair about every 3 days and use Unite 7 Seconds Leave-In Detangler out of the shower, use a wide tooth comb or wet brush then spray Bumble & Bumble Thickening Spray for volume before I blow dry. Hairspray = Sexy Hair Soy Touchable. If I curl my hair I use a wand.
Body lotions and potions: Everyone lotion in coconut+lemon. I use Bio Oil on scars and such and Almond oil on my nails/cuticles.
Vitamins/Supplements: Ritual Vitamins, collagen; either Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides or Glotrition, and a probiotic from HUMM Nutrition
Wellness
Workouts; who/what/where: I run 3-5 times/week, 3-5 miles. I weight train and do pilates 5-6 times/week, I mix in a couple of 20 minute HIIT sessions, 10 minute 30/30 sprint/jogs and yoga occasionally.
Favorite fitness class: Pilates – with a reformer. The results are legit. Soulcycle with Laurie in NYC or Angela in LA, The Class with Taryn Toomey in NYC, any Y7 yoga class.
Me time: Netflix, walks, naps, reading fiction.
Healthy habits: I go for walks and listen to podcasts. That helps me de-stress and focus on one thing without distraction which calms my mind. Yoga helps release tension and pent up emotion in my body. Spending quality time with people I love.
Fuel
Breakfast: A mix of protein, fibre, greens, and fat. This combination fuels my workout and keeps me fuller longer. I usually consume it in the form of a smoothie or eggs (or a turkey or chicken patty) with black beans and avocado. Sometimes I’ll add half a grapefruit or cantaloupe. *If you need some smoothie ideas get the book Body Love.
Snacks: Veggies and dip, apple and cottage cheese or peanut butter, popcorn, roasted chickpeas.
Coffee or tea: Four Sigmatic Coffee with a scoop of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides and 1 tsp of 4th & Heart Vanilla Bean Ghee mixed in.
Pre-workout: If I run in the morning I don’t eat before, I have a coffee and go. Otherwise I have my normal breakfast or lunch.
Post-workout: Sometimes I’ll have a smoothie with almond milk, protein powder and maybe a bit of fruit.
Always in my fridge: Farmhouse Culture Kraut or Health Aid Kombucha. I have a spoonful (or glass) in the morning (because Probiotics) and eat it if I have an upset stomach. Sparkling water, lemons.
Guilty pleasure breakfast: Warmed croissant w/butter, ricotta, honey & figs or buttermilk pancakes.
Mind
Business read: Anything by Tim Ferris
Personal read: The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks, Designing Your Life
Fiction read: Sweetbitter, Time Travelers Wife, The Girl on the Train
Coffee table book: Surf Shacks
Podcasts: Almos30, Armchair Expert, Tim Ferris, How I Built This
News source: The Skimm daily email
Blogs: Tim Ferris, Seth Godin, Design Love Fest, Pinch of Yum (recipes)
Recent Google search: What is the best travel rewards credit card?
Recipe source: Pinch of Yum blog, Pinterest
Trends on your radar: East coast nautical, simplifying style
Way to stay organized: You can stay organized?
How do you stay informed about social media trends: Later.com blog, Hubspot, Social Media Examiner
Random
Bikini or one-piece: One-piece
Favorite food: Pasta, sushi
Favorite part of your daily routine? Coffee early in the morning
Favorite thing about your personality? Wit
Hobby: Photography
Thing to collect: Plants
Binge-worthy show: Parenthood, Newsroom
Documentary: Defiant Ones
Movie: Dazed and Confused
Quote: “There’s no better way to stand out than to live a life people can use as inspiration.”
Charity: Charity: Water
What irritates you? Bad drivers
What makes you happy? Good people
Favorite piece of furniture: Floor to ceiling cactus print from CB2
Drink: Old Fashioned, red wine
Place to buy art: No clue, most times I make my own!
Sunday activity: Brunch, Netflix, pool time, workout
Go-to hostess gift: Nest candle or flowers
Potluck dish: Guacamole or a loaded salad
Local restaurant: Supper at Hotel Emma
Favorite animal: Elephant, llama
Something you miss from your childhood: Drive-In movies
In your headphones: Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, Tribe Called Quest, Tupac, Outkast, Bon Iver
What is a message you want everyone to know? Show up and work hard.
LET'S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS
Who are you, what do you do? Tell us a bit about yourself. I’m married, originally from Canada and now living in San Antonio. I’ve worked in fitness, leadership, retail and marketing for the better part of 15 years. Currently I’m a social media consultant, curating visuals and copy for clients. I’ve managed teams of up to 80 people, taught group fitness, spin and yoga and am now teaching myself photography and typography. I’m easily attracted to new ideas; constantly coming up with things to try and I love country music and hip hop equally.
How did you get started doing social media? By curating my own Instagram feed for my blog Oil & Grain. It would come up in conversation with people who were struggling with their business accounts, they’d ask me to do theirs.
What has been your biggest business/work challenge to date and how did you overcome it? In regards to social media management, the biggest challenge is keeping up with all the changes to the social media landscape and deciding which ones will be most beneficial to learn and use for client accounts. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the constant changes and shiny new tools. Having a clear understanding of the vision and goals for the brand account I’m working on acts as a filter. If a new tool supports the business’s goals then it’s worth learning and testing. If not, it’s a no.
What skills do you think you need to manage social media accounts? Time flexibility, unfortunately the best times to engage on social media are usually when you want to relax and spend time scrolling which means coffee and lunch breaks, weekends and evenings for example. An eye for visuals, knowing what imagery people are attracted to. Writing skills, communicating in a way that grabs consumer attention. Organization and planning.
What's your favorite thing about doing your work? The flexibility it provides me. I can work from anywhere, all I need is a computer or just my phone.
Any words of wisdom or sage advice from your work experience? It’s easy to get lazy when there’s so much flexibility around when you have to work. Set daily working hours or leave the house to do your work. When I didn’t do that, I found I was working slower and working way more because there was no urgency or schedule. As a result I would feel stressed because it seemed like I was working all the time, couldn’t turn my brain off from work and my personal life started to suffer.
What habit or belief have you developed that’s most improved your work life? Saying no to clients that aren’t a good fit for me. If I don’t have a personal interest in their business I won’t be as good at, or motivated to show it off.
And your personal life? Worrying less about what other people think. This has definitely been a work in progress and came with life experience.
How do you decide what to say yes to and what to say no to? I imagine myself doing it day after day after day and based on how it makes me feel, I agree or decline. For example, if I envision myself bored to tears as I’m having to do something it’s a no. Something can sound really good on paper but can look completely different once you’re doing it daily. I want to develop the relationships and opportunities that I’m naturally a great match for, it makes me happier and leads to greater success.
What do you find you’re more inclined to say ‘no’ to now? Things that take time away from what’s most important to me, which is my relationship with loved ones, and that don’t fill me up in another way. It’s important for me to do things that make me feel like the best version of myself so I can be the best possible version for others. If I’m going to sacrifice my time with them, it needs to be worth it. If I take on a job that makes me miserable every day, that’s going to negatively affect my relationships and when I’m 90, looking back on my life, I bet I’d regret it.
How do you stay motivated? I remind myself about how my contribution is positively affecting others.
How do you deal with stress? Poorly. Kidding. I move my body. I hold a lot of emotion and stress in different areas of my body; I like to physically move it out. I also come up with a plan, get organized, that helps me calm my mind down.
What advice do you have for someone starting out in your field? Think about what types of clients you’re interested in and go after those. You want to attract clients that light you up and excite you, not the other way around. Have a solid questionnaire you can use to really understand the needs of their business. Get organized, figure out when you’re going to work and what systems you'll use.
Images courtesy of LL, Pinterest, Tumblr.
