Beauty Without the Battle: The First AndBloom Community Event
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On glow, connection and celebrating women at every age
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Category
LIFESTYLE
Date
02/11/2026
Length
5 min read
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On old friendships, the choices we make when we are young, and the courage to choose yourself again
Last week, something I had been looking forward to for a long time finally happened: the very first AndBloom community event.
Twenty-two women came together in Amsterdam for an afternoon centred around beauty. But not beauty in the narrow sense. Not beauty as something that exists only on the outside, or as something we have to chase, preserve or prove.
Our theme was beauty from the inside out. Because the way we feel, nourish ourselves and connect with other people has everything to do with the way we glow.
A beautiful place to begin
We gathered for lunch at De Kas in Amsterdam, a place that felt perfectly suited to the theme. De Kas works with seasonal ingredients, vegetables and herbs, using as many products from Dutch soil as possible and bringing them from plant to plate with care. (1)
The setting, the food and the atmosphere all came together beautifully. We ate wonderfully, enjoyed a drink, laughed a lot and, perhaps most importantly, had the kind of conversations that begin easily and become more meaningful as the afternoon unfolds.
Some women already knew one another. Many did not. But there was a natural openness in the room. Introductions quickly became stories. Stories became shared experiences. Before long, it felt less like a room full of strangers and more like the beginning of something.
That is what I hoped for when I imagined AndBloom community events: a place where women can meet one another without pressure. A place where we can talk, listen, learn, laugh and simply enjoy being together.
What does it mean to glow?
Glow Institute joined us to talk about the different ways we can support our skin and maintain our glow at every age. Their team shared advice about understanding your skin, choosing treatments with intention and building a personalised approach rather than following every new beauty trend.
The women also had the opportunity to receive a skin analysis. I loved seeing how curious everyone was. There was no sense of comparison or competition. The focus was on discovering what your own skin needs and learning how to care for it with more understanding.
That feels important to me. Beauty should not be about correcting ourselves before we feel allowed to be seen. It can be about care, pleasure, confidence and taking a little time for yourself. Glow Institute is a beauty salon I visit regularly for my own facials, so having them present at this first event felt especially personal. Their approach is centred around analysing the skin, listening to your wishes and creating a treatment plan that is tailored to you. Their Discover Your Glow treatment combines a professional skin analysis with a personalised treatment and advice for home care. (2)
I am very grateful that Glow Institute sponsored the event and shared their knowledge with the AndBloom community so generously.
Beauty from the inside out
We were also supported by Revive Collagen and LEYLY Haircare, two brands that connected naturally with our theme.
Revive Collagen creates ready-to-drink marine collagen supplements designed to support skin, hair and nails from within. Their range includes different formulas and flavours, including options focused on skin hydration and hair health. (3) Whether or not collagen is part of your daily routine, I like the idea behind the brand: beauty can be part of a wider approach to wellbeing, one that includes what we put into our bodies as well as what we apply to our skin.
LEYLY Haircare brings that same intention to the scalp and hair. It is an Amsterdam-based, scalp-first brand with a skincare-inspired approach. Their philosophy is built around consistency, ritual and the understanding that healthy-looking hair starts with caring for the scalp. LEYLY products are made in the Netherlands in small batches, with vegan formulas and ingredients selected with purpose. (4)
I loved that both brands encouraged us to think beyond a quick fix. Real care takes time. It becomes a ritual through repetition. And there is something calming about making a few thoughtful choices and returning to them regularly.
More than an event
Community is a word we hear often, but I think we all recognise the difference between a word and a real feeling.
A real community gives you somewhere to arrive as you are. It offers the possibility of meeting someone you would never otherwise have met. It reminds you that your experiences are not as isolated as they may sometimes feel. And it creates space for both lightness and depth: a good conversation, a shared laugh, a new idea, a moment of recognition.
I organise these events because I want women to come into contact with one another. I want us to celebrate life together. Some of our larger events will be more about celebration, movement and joy. In March next year, we will be celebrating life with a little dancing.
But it matters to me that there are also events created especially for women over forty. There is so much available for younger women, and of course they deserve to have their spaces too. But we are here as well. We have stories, curiosity, energy, humour, ambitions, questions and so much life still ahead of us. We should not have to wait for someone else to create the spaces we are looking for.
The beginning of something new
As I looked around the table, I felt incredibly grateful. Grateful to the women who came, to the partners who supported us and to everyone who helped make the afternoon feel so warm and welcoming.
This first community event was about beauty, but it became about so much more. It was about meeting new people. About making time. About sharing a table. About remembering that taking care of yourself can also mean allowing yourself to be nourished by connection.
I hope this was the first of many AndBloom community events. I hope we will continue to gather in different ways, around different themes and in different places. I hope we will keep making room for women to connect, celebrate, learn and feel seen.
The next event will take place on 15 January, and the theme will be fashion. I cannot wait to explore style, self-expression and the joy of getting dressed together.
And then, in March, we will celebrate life with a dance.
For now, I am holding on to the memory of twenty-two women around a table in Amsterdam: eating, drinking, laughing, talking and beginning something beautiful together.
This is only the beginning.
A note on our partners
This event was sponsored by Glow Institute, Revive Collagen and LEYLY Haircare. Thank you for supporting the first AndBloom community event and for contributing so generously to an afternoon centred around beauty, wellbeing and connection.
Sources
[1] Restaurant De Kas Amsterdam — Menu and food philosophy
[2] Glow Institute — Discover Your Glow
[3] Revive Collagen — Official website and product range
[4] LEYLY Haircare — About the brand
[5} Gerda's Bloemen, Amsterdam — Instagram
This article includes sponsored partners. Descriptions of products and services are based on information provided on the partners’ official websites.
