The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - The Telegraph Magazine
Beauty brains
Lisa Armstrong
Late summer is the perfect time for a fresh, ‘clean’ look
Make-up can play a big part in prolonging that languid, latesummer mood. This is not the time to be caking on anything heavy – come to think of it, when is heavy ever good? Travel light and work on that just-got-off-the-beach look, even if you haven’t been near one.
Start with the skin. If you haven’t tanned, either through design or circumstance, you can still achieve that rested glow, either with one of the many fabulous sheer hydrating tints around (try Inika’s Certified Organic BB Cream, £30, lookfantastic.com), or, if you don’t want a hint of colour on your alabaster complexion, with Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Cream.
I resisted this for years because it’s £75, which seemed steep for something that reminded me a bit of Pond’s. I love Pond’s, and it’s not £75. But then it doesn’t do what this does, which is impart a subtle, lasting gleam. Annoying. If you’re looking for the ultimate clean alternative, MV Skintherapy’s 9 Oil Radiance Tonic is what Alicia Keys wears instead of make-up. It doubles as a cleanser – useful if you’re wearing a mask for extended hours.
Hourglass’s Unlocked (right) is the bestselling mascara of the year, and raved about by Annabel Jones, our beauty editor-at-large. It also gets a thumbs up from me because it packs lots of definition without the daddy-long-legs effect. It’s also smudgeproof and vegan.
You could stop there. But if you’re sunkissed, a touch of colour is lovely. Whatever shade, from blush to tangerine, make it sheer. Red-carpet make-up artist Jillian Dempsey’s range is a gorgeous discovery, offering Hollywood performance in an organic package. Her Lid Tint in Taupe is a versatile beigey-brown you can wear on its own, or with one of the iridescents (like Shell) layered on top. Shell also works as a highlighter on temples and cheekbones. I’m really enjoying using the Cheek Tint in Rosy too, which you can dab on lips for a barely-there look, or build into a punchy coral.
To add longevity to eye make-up, a primer makes all the difference. Photo Finish 24 Hour Shadow Primer by Smashbox is effective and vegan. For extra drama, Kjaer Weis’s Eye Pencil in Purple is a subtler alternative to black and the softest organic crayon ever.