Amsterdam-born Sophia Molen may have a bachelor’s degree in bio-medical science, but her life is now a long way from the clinical corridors of the hospital system. Joining the entrepreneur way of life around five years ago – Sophia chose to swap up a career in the medical field in favour of pursuing creative endeavours, launching style blog and Instablog Tao of Sophia.
With the change of career paths bringing with it the decision to also pack her bags and head for destinations unknown, Sophia’s most recent location of choice has seen her land herself in Bali (when she’s not adventuring and taking photographs across Europe). Tracking the style influencer down on the popular Indonesian island, we chat to Sophia about everything from layering filters to how she got into Instablogging.
Missed the last articles in the 50 Questions series? Click the links to read interviews with Rianne Meijer, Carolina Nashtai, and Frankie Hildebrand.
1. Best beauty product of all time? Foundation
2. Five beauty products you can’t live without? Quite the basics: exfoliating face wash, facial cream, razors, and tweezers
3. Hair “done” or messy? Messy!!
4. Makeup or no makeup? I always wear makeup, but really naturally. I love pure faces
5. Favourite fragrance? Narciso Rodriguez Musc Intense
6. Favourite item of clothing? Jackets!
7. Favourite fashion brand? Scotch & Soda
8. Sneakers or heels? Sneakers
9. Gym or exercising outdoors? Outdoors
10. Yoga or running? I love doing both – especially running, but I can’t really as I’m still recovering from a knee surgery
11. Healthy eating or treating yourself? A good balance between both!
12. Can you cook? I’m not the best cook, but my family asks me to make pasta at times
13. Favourite food? Indonesian food I guess, but I actually appreciate every single cuisine – even the super boring Dutch cuisine
14. Favourite drink? COFFEE! As soon as I wake-up, I craaave a good cup of coffee
15. Best place to eat out? I’m addicted to a Warung in Seminyak, Bali (it’s called Taman Bambu for the ones visiting soon)
16. Happiest moment? The moment of starting to feel at home in a new place – which can be anywhere in the globe
17. Saddest moment? Not feeling aligned with myself, which happens sometimes but I always have some tricks ready to get myself aligned again
18. Instagram or Snapchat? Instagram
19. Blog or YouTube? I have a huge love for web design and photography, so blog it isss
20. Iphone or camera? Both
21. Type of camera? Sony a7
22. Facetune or untouched? Untouched for genuinity, Facetuned for commercialism. I actually started this Instagram account @sophiamariamolen where I show unfiltered photos of the shoots I do for @sophiamolen
23. Lightroom or VSCO (or another phone app!)? Both, and I LOVE picsplay!
24. Favourite filter? A4
25. Favourite way to edit pics? Putting several filters on top of each other. Sometimes I use four different apps and about ten different filters for one single photo
26. 9-5 job or full-time influencer? Full-time influencer at the moment. Sometimes I take in web design and photography projects. Never done 9-5 jobs in my entire life. I’m actually thinking of doing some farm work in Australia, just for the experience. I wonder if I’m capable to do a 9-5 job…
27. How did you first get your start in Instablogging? I actually started blogging and used Instagram as a media to promote my blog
28. How much time goes into a normal picture found on your Instagram account? Mmmm 15 minutes?
29. What’s your top Instagram tip? SMILE! I noticed people love spontaneous photos. Not too posey, not too serious
30. Who takes your pics? Can be anyone. Family, friends, random people. I once asked someone I didn’t know to take a quick pic of me hahaha. Happens when you feel driven…
31. Career highlight since being an influencer? NOW! I never had so many collabs with cool brands that I really love. My Instagram goes so well at the moment
32. Career lowlight since being an influencer? A few months ago when I broke my leg and walked on crutches for two months. It was really hard to keep on making cool photos as I didn’t actually feel good. It would go like this: put on leather pants on a swollen leg that I had to keep stretched 24/7, ask my brother to bring me to a cool place to make photos, take of the brace in the car, walk on crutches to the exact place for the photo, brother takes crutches, makes photo and brings back crutches while I don’t move an inch. See the result here, haha. I think people felt it wasn’t spontaneous and real at all. I lost so many followers at that time
33. Best campaign you’ve ever worked on? I’m currently working on a campaign with G-star together with my younger brother. I’m super excited to introduce him on my Instagram soon!
34. The best gift you’ve ever received as an influencer? Nights at luxury hotels like W Bali
35. Last thing you googled? ‘microdermabrasie pigmentvlekken’ I wanted to know if microdermabrasion would decrease pigment spots – got lots of them on my face
36. Favourite film? ‘A Little Princess’. The story this movie tells is so so special. I still get goosebumps when I think of it – I must have watched it a thousand times
37. Favourite book? ‘Tao of Pooh’ (that’s how ‘Tao of Sophia’ was born)
38. Favourite song? At the moment: ‘Loa Chant feat. Sara Sayed’ by Mop Mop
39. Favourite band? Alabama Shakes
40. Living in the city or living by the beach? A place that has both to offer is just perfect for me!
41. Favourite travel destination? My dream travel is a road trip from Miami to LA
42. Going out clubbing or quiet dinner with friends? First dinner, than clubbing
43. Partner or single? Forever single
44. Siblings? One younger brother, one older brother
45. What city are you currently living in? Hard to say… I’m currently in Bali for two months?
46. Celebrity crush? None
47. Pets? What pet could you take with you on travels?
48. Top five Instagram accounts to follow? @josefinehj, @wildfiresss, @theloversanddriftersclub, @4thandbleeker, @wolfcubwolfcub
49. Favourite quote you live by? “Go with the flow”
50. Top career tip? Understand how you can use the Law of Attraction for success
All images: @sophiamolen
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