whatever it is, the way you tell your story through your image can make all the difference.
Written by Milly Churchill
Whatever your preferred stance on the beauty industry, it is a multi-billion business just in the UK. Skincare, hairdressing and makeup feature in many women’s daily routines, and the ever increasing range of providers and manufacturers continue to innovate to encourage more consumption. When you take the explosion of self-care and wellness experiences into consideration, we are constantly bombarded with ways to look good and feel better.
The new service or product that can relax, reshape, remove, elevate, disguise, highlight or whatever is a big attraction to women everywhere. So how do you interact with this aspect of your image and your choice of styling? How interested are you in new ideas and trends? Do you leap on any innovation, or do you keep using the treatments and products you have always used?
Technology in this whole industry is constantly changing, so when you stick with what you have been doing for years, you can often miss some of the more effective or multitasking products that have emerged. I am not suggesting wholesale change, but perhaps widening your search when you run out of your old favourites. While you could have a new thing for every minute of every day, in reality, a few well chosen items will fit the bill for every eventuality. Keeping things simple means that you will probably get good value from your choices, and save on space in the bathroom.
You will be able to find many sources of inspiration and advice, whether in person from a beauty practitioner, wellness therapist, makeup counter or online from a myriad of individuals and businesses who specialise in this area. In my view, much like your wardrobe, a curated collection of things that work for you, for most occasions is what most women need. Innovation is good, when it applies to something you use, but if you are being attracted to something that hasn’t been a part of your regime before, perhaps think twice before committing too much money.
As a woman, and a designer, I have always been interested in how women approach ‘beauty’, and how it can affect the whole idea of image and persona. Taking the time to enhance your appearance is something that is as old as the human race. Just look at the tombs of the Pharaohs if you want to see some serious eyeliner! Whatever you choose to do, should be just that, your choice. If you want to experiment, within all budgets and all ranges, you will find something that works for you, lots of colour and deep pigment, or a barely there natural look, and everything in between.
So, what have I learned by talking to clients and doing my own research over the years?
The first is that there is so much on offer, just about everyone is confused about what will work for them. Are expensive brands automatically better. What is a natural ingredient? Can a cream or serum really remove wrinkles?
The second question that comes up again and again is just what constitutes a core collection?
faq’s
Let’s approach the confusion first. Paying more for a product doesn’t automatically mean that it is ‘better quality’. All skincare has to conform to a vast number of regulatory demands at whatever price point. The luxury brands also have luxury packaging, marketing, modelling, and merchandising costs to cover. Many affordable brands are also owned by the bigger conglomerates and you can’t tell me that they don’t share information. My advice is to do some research and to use what suits you, at whatever price point works for your budget. In personal care more than any other aspect of your image, only you need know what you choose to use.
When it comes to a ‘Natural’ ingredient, much like in the food industry, in the beauty business there doesn’t seem to be any regulation around the term, so it is used loosely. What does ‘made with natural ingredients’ actually mean? As if you would advertise ‘made with unnatural ingredients’? So if it matters to you, then I’m afraid you will have to research the manufacturer, or look at their ethos and branding to gain an insight into how ‘natural’ their take on the beauty industry is.
Sadly there doesn’t appear to be anything, bar surgery or other medical treatments, that can remove wrinkles once you have them. Moisturisers and serums can help to plump the skin so that fine lines appear fewer, but as in many things, prevention is more effective than cure. Wearing an SPF daily, eating a healthy diet, and keeping to a simple cleanse and moisturising regime will probably work better than spending a fortune on specialist creams.
I think most women will practice some form of cleanse, tone and moisturise. However, there now seems to a recognition that a double cleanse works well…remove your make up with a makeup removing lotion/cream, and then cleanse your skin. Then do you tone, or rebalance your skin with a tonic? That appears to be open to personal preference. Many people will now add another step in the regime, and use a serum. There are so many available, that all seem to be targeted at one skin dilemma or another, that if you choose to use a serum, there is definitely one out there for you. Now you can use your choice of moisturiser. For this I think you can only be guided by whatever texture, fragrance, or brand, you prefer. While I’m sure there is a vast difference in the claims of the manufacturers, any moisturiser must do what it says on the tin, moisturise. The one that works best on your skin is the one you should be using in my opinion.
When it comes to makeup, how much is enough, and how much is too much? I think we are in the how long is a piece of string territory here. If you wear lots then you probably have a full collection. If you hardly wear any then perhaps you could look at some of the multitasking products out there?
Whether you have a large or small amount, one thing is vital, you must make sure you don’t keep things beyond their lifespan. The Mayo clinic has a thorough article here:
so do please read it.
However, for a quick summary of how long it is safe to have these things in your drawers or handbag, see below:
Mascara and liquid eye liner: Keep for 3 months…yes 3!!
Eye pencils: Ok for I year
Foundation: Oil based 18 months, water based 12 months
Cream based blusher and foundation: Renew after 6-12 months
Powder products: Kept well they will be fine for 2 years
Lipstick: 1-2 years, gloss 6-12 months
Obviously if something smells strange, and doesn’t look right for whatever reason, then just get rid of it. Your skin health and your general wellbeing are worth more than an out of date mascara. When you look at these numbers, will you actually get value from spending a lot on your makeup. Perhaps this might be the hint you need to take a closer look at more affordable brands, and to slim down your collection generally.
Finally, don’t forget to wash your brushes and applicators weekly, or at least very regularly. Do this with your normal cleanser if you wash, or body wash/shampoo and rinse very thoroughly. and allow to air dry That way you will know that your skin is tolerant to the cleaning chemicals, and you shouldn’t have any adverse reaction.
What constitutes a core collection will obviously depend on your individual circumstances. Are you a someone who wants a 2 minute routine, or do you like to take 20 minutes to get your foundation perfect? I will assume that if you take hours on your appearance then you will know so much more than I do on the subject. For those of you that want to revamp their routine, or perhaps haven’t really thought about this aspect of your image much, creating a small collection of trusted favourites can be very useful.
Thinking back to your core collection. Why not look at some of the increasing number of items that are multitasking? Foundation and concealer in one, highlighter for cheeks and eyes, creamy colour for cheeks, lips and eyes, plus mascara, eyeliner and a brow pencil, and you’re all set with only 6 products. Perhaps you will want to add a fine setting powder, another eyeshadow palette and a bronzer, and you still haven’t got to 10 items.
You don’t need a whole dressing table full of stuff, or a extra large handbag to lug everything around, just stick to the things you know you will use, and practice being creative.
my own go-to products
The following are some of the products that I have found that work for me. These are things that I use, and I am not paid or influenced in any way for my opinion.
Skincare: I use a mixture of Elemis, L’Occitane, Christian Breton and I have just started using Prai neck cream, which appears to be very moisturising.
Hair: My favourites are Tweaked by nature products, that seem to be very gentle and nourishing
Makeup: I rarely use foundation, but I love the new tinted moisturiser/bronzers that are around now. The Clinique version is very good. My favourite blusher is Nars the Multiple, and I use Jones Road blusher balm. I also use Clinique eyeshadows as the pigment intensity is very subtle and suits my no-make up makeup style. I have used the Clinique Quick eyes ‘pencil’ in Intense Clove for years and have never found anything to match it. I have no great loyalty to a mascara brand as I find that they work, and then they don’t… Lipstick is something I hardly ever wear. Years of working with fabric has meant that it isn’t a habit that I have got into. Lipstick is just so easy to transfer, and irreparably damage the garment I’m working with.
Body care: I love Tropic soap bars as they are really moisturising and I have recently been given some Molton Brown Fig products that are very indulgent. For every day, I have been using CeraVe for a while, the shower creme and a moisturiser. That seems to do the trick for my ever drying skin. And talking of drying skin, I am never without a tube of Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour cream. I really don’t know whether any of the claims of skin lotions and potions stack up, so using something that keeps my skin comfortable is what works for me.
Perfume: I haven’t mentioned this before, as I feel it is an intensely personal thing. My all time favourite was Helmut Lang which was just wonderful. I now use Si by Giorgio Armani, but again, much as with lipstick, working with fabric rather curtails being able to wear it. My clients don’t want their clothes to smell of my choice of fragrance.