TV Kate’s Humble beauty tips
TV PRESENTER Kate humble has lived with nomads in Nepal and herders in t he gobi desert, encountered rampaging Siberian tribesmen and been at the frontline of wildfire-fighting in Australia.
It’s safe to say the 46-year- old, known for presenting wildlife TV shows, is not afraid of a challenge.
But Kate’s latest adventure takes some beating: it’s facing Britain’s top beauty editors to present her own range of natural products — without a scrap of make-up.
This is a brave feat for someone who admits her beauty routine is low maintenance.
Kate always goes barefaced when filming in the desert or middle of a jungle. ‘I don’t have any treatments usually — my idea of hell is going to a spa!’ she declares.
She may hate the idea of being fussed over, but she is not against the idea that everyone should be able to treat themselves.
‘I wanted to give people the chance to be beautiful without spoiling the environment. I feel uncomfortable washing in a river with something that’s going to leave a polluting effect,’ she says.
‘With my range, I didn’t want something sli ck and sophisticated, because I’m not. All the products had to be affordable and accessible.’
her bath and body range, called humble, is eco-friendly and looks set to cause a stir in the world of natural beauty. There are two floral fragrance blends inspired by Kate’s love of her farm in Monmouthshire.
Sweetpea & verbena is a blend of citrus, fused with jasmine, patchouli and incense, while rose & frankincense also combines lavender, musk and amber.
‘I hate sweet- scented things and nothing you put on your body should smell like pudding,’ says Kate.
‘I must have gone through 60 scents before I came up with two I really liked.’
She has overseen every detail of the range. With the hand creams, for example, it was essential that the formula was fast-absorbing. ‘I’m outside all the time, so I have to use hardcore hand creams that don’t give me greasy fingers.’
So what exactly are the secrets to Kate’s youthful l ooks and shiny hair? I sat down with her to find out . . . How do you look after your skin in the middle of nowhere? ‘MOISTURISER — Liz earle’s Skin repair Moisturiser for dry/ sensitive skin (lizearle.co.uk, £20.25) — and sunscreen.
‘I’m lucky. My mother still has wonderful skin in her 70s and my grandmothers both had good skin, too.
‘ I also use facial cleansing wipes. No 7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes (Boots, £7) are good as they’re not astringent. I like toner as it wipes away any residual oil. Simple’s Kind To Skin Soothing f acial toner (Boots, £1.29) is good as it’s unperfumed. ‘ I never wear face cream at night; I don’t like the feel of it.’
Do you use any sun protection? ‘KIEHL’S ultra Light Daily UV
Defense SPF50 ( kiehls.co.uk, £35), whether I am in the middle of the desert or the city.’
What do you do to protect your hair from the sun? ‘NOTHING; I don’t even wear a hat! If I’m somewhere where I can’t wash it, I tie it up. I have naturally curly hair, which I wash before applying Bumble & Bumble styling creme ( bumbleandbumble.co.uk, £9).
‘ In 1991 I met hairdresser Charles Worthington who cut my hair into a great shape. I’ve gone to his salon since.
‘ The colour i s chemically assisted now. Does your skin suffer with all the travelling?
‘IT DOES — air conditioning is a killer. on a long flight recently I tried a sample of Kiehl’s Powerful Wrinkle- reducing cream ( kiehls. co. uk, £ 42), and the difference was i ncredible. I looked as if I’d had a facelift!
‘Now I use it whenever I’m having a “‘saggy face day”.’ What about little luxuries?
‘A BOTTLE of Jo Malone wild fig & cassis cologne ( jomalone. co.uk, £85). It smells like a green stick you’ve just cut.’ Are there any beauty products you can’t live without?
‘I NEVER wear make-up — only mascara. If I try eyeliner I look like a panda. If I put on lipstick, I think it looks ridiculous, so I take it off again.’
ELSA’S VERDICT
The Humble range look and smell like premium products. From Friday they will be available in Waitrose.
The intense hand cream, £8, is a hero product. The 75ml size is small enough to slip into a bag while the formula is non greasy and easily absorbed.
The rose & frankincense bath honey is also an indulgent treat.