Now I’m certainly no beauty blogger, but I do love to smother my skin in beautiful products. I’m lucky enough to have pretty well behaved skin and I’ve been asked so many times what skincare I use so this weekend I finally got around to gathering together all of my current favourites. Let me know what you think…
Makeup:
My make up style is a little bit all or nothing. For daytime my go-to is a simple, natural look so this Instant Look in a Palette from Charlotte Tilbury is perfect! Each powder is imprinted with where to use it so it brightens the eyes, creates subtle contours and gives a perfect natural look every time. I use Laura Mercier brushes to sweep on those shimmers and buff out contour lines and I’m loving this matte lipstick from Makeup Revolution.
Having modelled for over 10 years, I’ve had all sorts of make up slathered on to my face. Dior has some fabulous foundations but I’m currently loving this bargain from Milan-based make up emporium, Kiko. I love a glowing, dewy finish with a moisturising texture so their Universal Fit Hydrating Foundation, which comes in 22 colours, is perfect. It has an almost pliable consistency and is enriched with emollient active ingredients and a “multi-action vegetable complex” to protect skin from environmental stresses that cause ageing
For nighttime I love to go all out with a little contouring and a warm smokey eye. Charlotte Tilbury has fast become one of those iconic makeup brands that people can’t live without. Her makeup “looks” have pretty much revolutionised the way me and my friends do our make up and my look of choice is The Dolce Vita. The warm metallic tones look amazing on blondes and brunettes alike and it’s a beautiful update on the classic smokey eye. Buying the full look is quite expensive but it does offer a discount on buying the products individually, or alternatively, you can buy the eye palette alone.
I’ve tried so many mascaras over the years and whilst I love this one from Estée Lauder, my current favourite is Maybelline Lash Sensational. This high street bargain gives long curled lashes with volume and it never cracks or crumbles like so many other cheaper products.
Glowing skin:
Now, I’m lucky enough to travel pretty much every month so I often have a bit of a tan but sometimes we all want a bit of a boost. This Marula Dry Oil Self Tan from Vita Liberata is the first self tan I’ve ever used which genuinely doesn’t have that fake tan smell. It’s a buildable gradual tan with organic ingredients, so whilst it may not give the darkest colour, it does give a lovely glow. The added bonus is that it also protects and nourishes your skin, with East African marula oil and SPF50 sun protection, so you can tan whilst you tan!
I’m a huge fan of iconic French beauty brand, Nuxe. It’s been a French pharmacy favourite of mine for years, and I’ve spotted it in almost every make up artist’s essential kit. The original Huile Prodigieuse has become a cult product and has been slathered on the limbs of supermodels for years. Huile Prodigieuse Or is the perfect product for holiday evenings. Smooth it on after a shower for soft shimmering skin all night long.
Daily Suncare:
I love to moisturise as I love to have dewy glowing skin so I smother myself with creams at every opportunity. For daily skincare, I always use products that have, not only a SPF, but also UVA protection. SPF looks after those UVB rays which cause the skin to burn but UVA rays are the ones that cause our skin to age so I always want protection from both. La Roche Posay is one of my favourite skincare ranges and this Pigmentclar day cream has both UVA and UVB protection. It nourishes, prevents pollutant particles from adhering to the skin and creates a luminous complexion by protecting against dark spots. Nuxe Delicious Cream is a sun cream that is developed especially for the face so it’s easily absorbed, doesn’t leave a white film, and it just so happens to smell like summer in a tube.
Supplements:
I used to have strong, shiny, thick hair but after a particularly stressful time in my life a few years ago my hair became dull, dry and would snap and break off so easily. It made me realise that our wellbeing can have such an effect on our health. I’ve tried various hair masks over the years with no real results so when I was asked if I wanted to try these supplements I gave it a go. I started by trying Pure Gold Collagen which is a daily drink containing collagen, borage oil, hyaluronic acid, as well as vitamins and minerals. It has a tropical fruity sweet taste and promises to fight the first signs of ageing. More recently I’ve been taking two Hairburst capsules every day and this is when I really started to notice a difference. The capsules, which contain selenium, zinc, biotin, collagen, and vitamins A, B, C and D, are quite large but are easily swallowed with water every morning. Soon after I started taking them I noticed that my hair felt stronger, shinier and longer. At first I thought maybe it was a placebo effect but when my friends and family starting asking if I was wearing hair extensions, I realised it must be working!
Exfoliating:
I love to use a body brush before I shower every morning and over the years I’ve read about so many benefits. It exfoliates dry skin, aids lymphatic drainage, removes toxins, speeds up the metabolism, improves circulation… the list goes on. Make sure you use a dry body brush on dry skin and use long upwards strokes towards the heart. I use this body brush from 90s favourite, The Body Shop. To exfoliate the delicate skin on my face I use the Almond and Hazelnut Face Scrub from my friend Irene’s beautiful skincare range, Forte Organics. The products are rich in organic Sicilian ingredients which are sourced at their Verdura Resort and the blend of hazelnut oil, jojoba and shea butter in this gentle scrub helps to nourish skin whilst exfoliating.
Hi-tech:
I’ve read so much about DNA based skincare so when I was asked if I wanted to try Geneu I jumped at the chance. You take a quick DNA test (from a mouth swab) and they analyse your skin type to provide the perfect personalised serums to suit your antioxidant and collagen genotypes which are dispensed from Geneu’s award-winning engraved packaging. I’ve only been using the serums for a couple of weeks but my skin feels great and the texture of the products, particularly the antioxidant serum, feels beautiful and smooth on the skin. It’s definitely an investment but it feels worth it when the product is so hi-tech and personalised.
Nighttime:
My nighttime regime starts with another cult product: Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate. This little bottle of elixir has won over 22 international awards and has countless fans all over the world. The mix of essential oils helps boost radiance, soothes irritated skin, restores the skin’s natural moisture balance and it regenerates, repairs and replenishes for smoother, healthier skin. It also smells beautiful and the soft scent of lavender makes me drift off into a deep sleep. Nuxellence Detox is a recent discovery which I’m loving. It smells clean and delicious, as well as detoxifying cells at a crucial time during the night. The exclusive technology has 10 patents and helps to boost skin purification and cell renewal.
Perfume:
Prada Infusion d’Iris is my scent of choice and it has been since it was launched all the way back in 2007! I love the fresh, clean fragrance and I can’t imagine wearing anything else.
I hope you enjoyed the first Beauty Memo!
Have you tried any of these products? What do you think? And what products would you recommend that I can’t live without?
