INES TAZI
Hi Ines, tell us a bit about yourself.
Bonjour! I'm Ines, a 26-year-old French-Moroccan professional over-sharer and part-time TV crier. It is a little confusing when I am trying to sum-up my life since I had three very distinct career paths in my twenties. First as a political economy student in London, then as an entrepreneur in Dubai and lastly as a TV reality personality in LA. This is what I am repeating online and offline to those who wants to hear it. Yes, we can all tick many boxes without having to fit into one. The Ariadne's golden thread (common thread) of my different endeavors has been trying to understand better and help fight against women's inequality. I think I was a feminist before understanding the concept. I have no ideology on how to have the best impact, but I am against dogmatic approaches. Judicial lobbying or Instagram storytelling, It is important to be conscious of the power of influence and use our privileges for a greater cause than us! Even if it is done in a clumsy way. Last but not least, you may have caught me on The Circle France or my upcoming reality-tv show, The Perfect Match on Netflix airing on Valentine’s Day. A show you will love to hate and hate to love! It's going to be a wild ride!
What can viewers expect to see on The Perfect Match?
I like to best describe it as the single Avengers of Netflix doing the ‘Hunger Games’ of Love. You’re in for an unhinged time on Perfect Match! Picture this: a bunch of Netflix star stumbling through the dating world, trying to find their soulmate (or just someone who’ll put up with them). There’ll be tears, there’ll be laughter, and plenty of “what were they thinking?” moments. Think of it like a dating game on steroids, where the stakes are higher, and the personalities are even bigger. Get ready for a journey that’ll make you feel better about your own dating life!
How would you describe the show and your experience in three words?
Tornado, volcano & very large ego!
What’s the most challenging part of doing reality tv?
Staying sane in the midst of all the drama! Reality TV is a non-stop rollercoaster, and you never know what's going to happen next. To rise above these challenges, I bring my sense of humor, a solid support system including some of my co-star and a healthy dose of self-care. Also, since the lines are so blurred between your personal and professional life it is sometimes hard to feel really seen for what you are. However, I find that learning to share this journey of self-discovery and accept that confusion on social media definitely helps.
How do you rise above these challenges?
Having friends and family who understand the job and provide a safe space to talk has been essential. I also prioritise my mental health and work on myself constantly to develop healthy coping mechanisms and learn how to read my own emotions. Working on staying true to myself whilst protecting my privacy has also been key in navigating the unique stresses of being in the public eye. You have to control your ego rigorously, introspect a lot, make fun of yourself every day and above all, focus on a higher purpose.
Tell us more about your business, Skulpt and how that came to be?
When I moved to London, my skin changed drastically as I was exposed to pollution and an increasingly active lifestyle. I started to question my self-care routine and asked myself why we spend so much time looking after our face, teeth and hair but forget about 95% of our skin real estate. Growing up in the Moroccan bathing culture of Hammam, everything made sense when I travelled to Japan and discovered their holistic approach to beauty simplified and backed by science. I combined these two approaches to self-care, worked with dermatologists and skin experts and created a simple and innovative universal tool for everyday cleaning and a simple range of clean and efficient skin-care products at a fair price and ethically made. Skult is still in its infancy and is very much a project born out of my commitment and passion about reshaping the beauty industry and the customer experience. I am a strong believer of profit with purpose! Stay tuned!
How did acting start for you? Was it something that you’ve always wanted to pursue?
I started to take theatre classes at a young age, I used to go on stage nearly every year for a new project, even write my own text sometimes. As far as I can remember I have been creating stories and acting whether it was with my toys alone or in front of my entire family. Acting was always on the back of my mind when I was pursuing my undergraduate studies in political sciences. Back then, I was struggling to find a way to navigate this duality in my life and career aspirations. After graduating, I worked on Skult- my first business and small projects while also taking acting classes as a hobby. Over the years, I managed to find ways of combining my passions. Being a public figure is not antinomic with working for social good or being an entrepreneur.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
The late and beloved Vivienne Westwood rightfully said that ‘The only possible effect one can have on the world is through unpopular ideas.’ It really speaks to me because since highschool I make decisions that are criticised around me but years later they are celebrated! It is hard to stay true to your inner voice when society goes against you, it takes bravery or madness, but it is essential to the world!
What are your dream projects?
Acting has always been my passion. I have also started to work with a fantastic Moroccan charity supporting single mothers called Insaf. My dream projects would be to marry my passions and commitment. Maybe having a show where I can talk more broadly about the cultural shift and polarisation we are facing, through cross-analysing the media, politics, fashion and our relationship to ourselves and society.
What else can we expect to see from you in the near future?
My goal is to broaden my creative ventures through beauty and fashion while also exploring new opportunities in the TV and film industry. I embrace challenges and strive to produce authentic and bold content that highlights the importance of individuality and the beauty of paradoxes. I aspire to be a multi-hyphenate person and unlock new dimensions of self-expression throughout my career, but let’s start with the beginning… 02.14.23.