WHAT THE BEAUTY GURUS BUY
From a £7 moisturising mist to the ultimate nail file, the beauty industry’s most powerful women reveal how they look this good
We asked the women at the very top of the beauty industry what makes them look and feel good. Here, they reveal their hair, skin and soul-food secrets . . .
TRICIA CUSDEN
Founder of Look Fabulous Forever, the make-up range for older women (lookfabulousforever.com)
CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: Becky, my hairdresser at Charles Worthington in London’s Percy street ( charles
worthingtonsalons.com — colour from £60, cuts from £50). Without her, my hair would be grey at the crown and mousey-brown round my face. I go every ten weeks: she cuts the perfect shape and adds silvery highlights. I always get compliments on it.
BRILLIANT BARGAIN: I think our LFF skincare system is a bargain (from £38). It took nearly two years to develop and it is packed with great ingredients. I’ve used it daily for eight months and, although I’m prone to acne rosacea, my skin has never looked smoother.
LITTLE LUXURY: Lindsay Burrows, my personal trainer ( mespot.me). she comes to my house twice a week and has improved my posture and shape (I was getting the dreaded dowager’s hump). I can’t say I enjoy it, but I’ll carry on! ON SPEED DIAL: Hypnotherapist Lucia Mizzoni ( luciamizzoni.com), as and when I need her. she’s really helped me deal with the stresses of a growing business. Now, if I wake in the night, I just play the tape she made me to help me relax.
THEA GREEN MBE
Founder of the Nails Inc range of nail bars and products (nailsinc.com)
CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: Philip kingsley elasticizer ( from £ 18.50, philip kingsley.co.uk) and Olaplex (£24,
cultbeauty.co.uk). I alternate these weekly hair treatments on the advice of my hairdresser, Tony, from salon sloane ( salonsloane.com), and they’ve massively improved my hair. I bung it on, go for a run for 30 minutes while it permeates, and then wash off in the shower.
BRILLIANT BARGAIN: Nailkale Base Coat (£15) and superfood Repair Oil (£15) from Nails Inc. I change my colour constantly, but I always come back to these to keep my nails in great condition.
LITTLE LUXURY: Bath and shower products from aesop ( aesop.com) and Jo Loves ( joloves. com). They’re not overly fragranced, but you smell of them all day.
ON SPEED DIAL: The Light salon at Harvey Nichols ( thelight-salon.
com). I only make it in a few times a year, but its Led lamp can help with any scarring or spots.
ALISON YOUNG
Beauty expert, broadcaster and stalwart on TV’s QVC (alisonyoungbeauty.com) CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: shavata for my eyebrows ( shavata.co.uk). shavata singh revolutionised the brow industry and now has a chain of studios. I see her once a month for threading, which can make you look younger and more modern.
BRILLIANT BARGAIN: Leighton denny’s Crystal Nail File (£15.50, leightondennyexpertnails.com). They seal your nail as you file, stopping water getting in, so they’re much better for your nails than an emery board.
LITTLE LUXURY: each month, I get a medical pedicure with Nicolette at the Margaret dabbs clinic in Guildford (from £85, margaret
dabbs.co.uk). I love how Margaret made podiatry sexy. she keeps to medical clinic standards, but has made it more glamorous.
ON SPEED DIAL: simon Bryer, my hairdresser at Michael Van Clarke ( vanclarke. com — cuts with simon start at £195). I met him on QVC and see him every couple of months. He’s a genius.
FIONA McINTOSH
Founder of beauty on-demand mobile app Blow Ltd (blowltd.com) CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: alpha-H Liquid Gold (£33.50, cultbeauty.
co.uk), a gentle facial exfoliant I use three times a week before bed. It keeps my skin glowing.
BRILLIANT BARGAIN: Vichy’s Mineral 89 (£22, vichy.co.uk). as you get older, skin gets drier. This serum, used morning and night, seems instantly to plump it up.
LITTLE LUXURY: Treatments at home via Blow Ltd. I’m biased, but I love a pedicure (from £40) and a weekly blow-dry (from £40) at home — it’s so convenient.
ON SPEED DIAL: dr Vicky dondos ( medicetics. com, anti- wrinkle injections from £270). I was terrified of a frozen forehead with Botox, but Vicky is fantastic. I see her every six months for these very subtle sprinkles that stop me looking tired and saggy and as if I’ve had a really good night’s sleep.
Celebrity facialist and founder of the Skinesis skincare range (sarahchapman.com)
CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: skinesis Overnight Facial (£49). This oilserum is the cult product in my range and I use it every night.
BRILLIANT BARGAIN: Natural Calm (£21.99, amazon.co.uk). I take this magnesium powder to sleep better. It balances calcium intake, relaxing muscles and reducing stress.
LITTLE LUXURY: Chanel’s VitaLumiere aqua make-up (£37,
chanel.com). I use it every day. It evens skin tone, but looks like you haven’t got anything on.
ON SPEED DIAL: Louise Parker ( louiseparker.com), the queen of nutrition and fitness. sometimes, I’ll do weekly consultations, a strict food plan and training; at others, I’ll just dip in and out.
SAM CHAPMAN
Co-creator of make-up tool brand Real Techniques (real techniques.com), make-up artist and one half of the Pixiwoo YouTube channel. CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: Laser hair
removal. I get offered a lot of free stuff, but I paid for this at sk:n (from around £450, sknclinics.
co.uk) and it was worth every penny. I did eight sessions on my bikini line and underarms and it’s been a gamechanger.
BRILLIANT BARGAIN: Mac shape & shade Brow Tint (£19.50, mac
cosmetics.co.uk). It’s a pen that draws in individual hairs so you don’t get a heavy ‘Instabrow’ look.
LITTLE LUXURY: sunday Riley CeO serum (£70, spacenk.com). I have dry skin, but can use this daily under my make- up to give moisture and an instant lift. I
apply it with the Prep Brush from the Real Techniques Prep and Prime set (£ 19.99) for a smooth finish.
ON SPEED DIAL: Dr Tapan Patel at the Phi Clinic ( phiclinic.com) for the subtlest fillers in my lips and cheeks. When i hit 40, i noticed a few changes and, while i didn’t want pumped-up lips, i wanted to look rejuvenated. he uses tiny amounts over a few months. it’s barely noticeable, but it makes a difference to me.
NIC CHAPMAN
Sister of Sam, co-creator of Real Techniques, make-up artist and the other half of the Pixiwoo YouTube channel. CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: Six-weekly appointments at Josh Wood ( josh woodcolour.com). Sam and i both go there for cuts and colour and we love the effortless experience.
BRILLIANT BARGAIN: The Real Techniques Mini Multitask Brush (£5.99) goes everywhere with me to apply Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel (£40, chanel.com), a creamgel bronzer. i love how it sits on the skin and it gives a lovely glow.
LITTLE LUXURY: Microblading (semi-permanent eyebrow tattooing) with Nez hasan ( nezhasan.
com). it’s changed my life. i never had great brows, but three years ago, i found her, and now everyone asks who does my brows.
ON SPEED DIAL: Dr Alexis Granite at Mallucci London ( malluccilondon. com) for a treatment called Profhilo, which involves tiny amounts of moisturising hyaluronic acid being injected under the skin. People comment on how good my skin looks, and the effects should last a year.
MILLIE KENDALL MBE
Co-founder of the boutique BeautyMaRT and CEO of the British Beauty Council (britishbeautycouncil.com) CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: Colourist Nicola Clarke ( nicolaclarkeat
johnfrieda.com). i met her in the mid-Nineties and i’ve been a loyal client ever since, seeing her every six weeks. i don’t brush my hair much, or cut it often, but i’ve been colouring since i was 13.
BRILLIANT BARGAIN: DhC Face Wash Powder (£ 10.50, dhcuk.
co.uk). When my skin needs a deeper clean, i use this powder, which you mix with water.
LITTLE LUXURY: Monthly facials — i move between David Peters Acupuncture Facial at The Bulgari Spa ( davidpeterslondon. com), Nichola Joss ( nichola joss.com) and Su-Man ( su-man. com) who first gave me a facial in her shed at home and now has a residency at the W hotel in London. ON SPEED DIAL: Dr Jules Nabet ( from £ 280, doctorjulesnabet.
com) for Botox a couple of times a year. he doesn’t give me much in my forehead and around my eyes, but he keeps it all moving and natural.
ANNA-MARIE SOLOWIJ
Co-founder of the beauty boutique BeautyMaRT (thisisbeautymart.com) and former beauty director of Vogue magazine
CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: Deep Relax Bath and Shower Oil from Aromatherapy Associates (£49, aromatherapyassociates.com). When i don’t use it, i don’t sleep well.
BRILLIANT BARGAIN: Aveeno Daily Moisturising After-Shower Mist (£7.50, superdrug.com) — the only moisturiser i use! it’s a spray that dries quickly and isn’t greasy, and the effects last a couple of days.
LITTLE LUXURY: hair by Sam McKnight Lazy Girl Dry Shampoo (£19, sammcknight.com). i use it whenever my hair, needs a lift, for volumising and thickening. ON SPEED DIAL: The Cosmetic Skin Clinic ( cosmeticskin
clinic.com) for Ultherapy. Not comfortable, but using ultrasound to boost collagen production is, i think, the only thing that makes a difference to a turkey neck. My annual top-up is already in the diary.
HANNAH MARTIN
Celebrity makeup artist (instagram.com/hannah martinmakeup) CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray (£12) and Texture Creme (£24, bumbleand
bumble.co.uk). My hair is a bit limp, so i love the messy, beachy look these give it. i hyperventilate if i can’t find them! BRILLIANT BARGAIN: Bobbi Brown Lip Balm (£17, bobbibrown.co.uk). i always have about five. it’s the only one i’ve found that’s the perfect combination of protecting and moisturising.
LITTLE LUXURY: Drunk Elephant skincare ( spacenk.com) — i’m obsessed. A friend got me into it. i use vitamin C day serum (£67) and glycolic night serum (£76) daily. in six months, i went from really congested to normal, clear skin.
ON SPEED DIAL: Jack at Neville’s hair salon ( nevillehairandbeauty.
net, cuts from £150). i only see him once or twice a year, but he is fantastic. We met on a shoot six years ago and i wouldn’t go anywhere else.