The natural look works best with a little help
Au naturel beauty implies a lack of effort and makeup. Lies. The truth is, a thorough daily skincare regime is laborious. Alas, that is the starting point of au naturel; yes, even for supermodels at the Chanel Cruise 2021 show. Oh and, sorry, you still require makeup. A drop of highlighter in a light but deeply hydrating moisturiser will ensure glowy, plump-looking skin. For definition, apply a neutral colour on lips and across the eyes. Finish with a brow pomade – your overgrown brows will look more polished. And that’s how you really go “au naturel”.
1. Surratt Expressioniste Brow Pomade £30, spacenk.com2. IL Makiage Color Boss Master Palette £42, ilmakiage.com3. Hermès Rouge Hermès Matte Lipstick £58, hermes.com4. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream Light from £25, charlotte til bury. com 5. I llamas qua Beyond Liquid Highlighter £24, illamasqua.com
I can’t do without... A multi-tasking product that does the work of several others
How much a beauty product is worth is rarely only about price. Inexpensive does not equate to ineffective – though some cheap products are terrible. This also applies to high-ticket beauty. Every so often, however, something pricey comes along that works so hard for its money that you’d be hard pressed to dismiss it. This Resurfacing Compound is in a basic blink-andyou’ll-miss-it (fully recyclable) bottle and I have little patience for product names that don’t tell me exactly what it is. But I’m glad I bothered to find out.
This is an excellent formula that resurfaces, exfoliates and tightens skin while repairing any damage caused by free radicals. It combines a toner, vitamins A (aka retinol), C and E, AHA (glycolic and lactic acids) and hyaluronic acids, meaning it replaces numerous steps in your skincare regime. As someone that loves a multi-step beauty routine, I was cynical, but the results are phenomenal: skin texture and clarity visibly improves in 3-6 days. And it is non-irritating, so safe for sensitive skins and use around the eyes. Use after cleansing, leave for a few seconds then layer on a moisturiser for increased hydration. I found it pills with oils, so avoid adding those. Otherwise, I can’t fault it. The biggest size is an eye-watering £233, but seeing as it replaces at least four or five products in your skincare, I’d argue it’s a canny investment. U Beauty Resurfacing Compound, from £85, theubeauty.co.uk
On my radar... Moisturise and nourish your lips, skin and hair
Read my lipsWhen your regular lip balm is no longer cutting it, you need something more intense like a mask such as this which works overnight to seal in moisture for hours on end. Summer Fridays Lip Mask, £19.50,cultbeauty.com
Nourish your skinThis deeply hydrating antioxidant-rich mask uses camellia wax and a patented form of extract to reinforce, repair and protect the skin barrier. Excellent for dehydrated skins. Chanel Hydra Beauty Camellia Repair Mask, £52,chanel.com
Smooth frizzy locksSilicone-loaded hair masks make hair look great but conceal underlying issues. This silicone-free range targets fine, damaged and frizzy hair – with lasting results.
Living Proof RestoreRepair Hair Mask, £33,livingproof.co.uk
Follow Funmi on Twitter @FunmiFetto