The Fashion Week Beauty Edit
Image: www.irmasworld.com
I’m most envious of minimalists. Those girls who stretch a week with three pairs of clothes, two pairs of shoes, and a tiny sachet of beauty products, all tucked into a neat carry all. Thankfully, they make up a small percentage, and most of us struggle with excess baggage, especially during Fashion Week. For me beauty comes first, so for the longest time, I carried cases of make-up, skincare, face masks, lotions and fragrances. But these days I try to carry not more than 10 cosmetics items because after a few Fashion Weeks I’ve learnt what works and what doesn’t. Mostly I look for multi-taskers that make me look like I’ve had eight hours of sleep (even if I’ve been dancing all night). Here’s my list:
- An Illuminating Serum
Days with not enough time to drink plenty of water, and nights filled with alcohol are simply disastrous for the skin. To make my face look fresh, I like to load it up with a hydrating, brightening serum. The Darphin Lumière Essentielle Serum promises a glow but without being sticky. - A Face Oil
I top up my serum with a face oil to seal in the moisture. Chanel L’Huile de Jasmin contains multiple plant oils with extracts of jasmine and squalane, which works even for the oiliest skins. This oil gives you an instant glow and can also be used for a quick face massage to reduce puffiness on those nights when you’ve had more than a few drinks. And I also use it as a hair serum in a pinch. - A Multitasking Mask
Heal a red, angry complexion with a soothing face mask that can be left on overnight. I love the Chatecaille Jasmine and Lily Healing Face Mask that can also be used as a night cream. - Two Lipsticks
One red, one nude. You can get a whole range of colours just by mixing the two. I recommend Chanel Rouge Allure in Angelique (nude) and Clé de Peau Extra Rich Lipstick in 311 (bright red). You can also mix the two to use as a blush. - A Beautiful Fragrance
Something that is unusual and grown-up. Tom Ford Soleil Blanc has bergamot, cardamom, ylang ylang and pistachio – notes that make it extremely out of the ordinary. - Mascara
I like my lashes to be thick and chunky. The Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Plump Perfect Mascara looks fresh all day and can be removed easily with water. - Make-up Remover
If you want your skin to look amazing during Fashion Week, then this is the most important step. Pixi Double Cleanse is a convenient tub that holds a solid cleansing oil on one side and a cleansing cream in another. - Brows
How can you look perfect without groomed brows? The Diorshow Brow Styler Precision Pencil comes in the most beautiful shades to make your brows look naturally full. - Multitasking Base
Instead of carrying a separate foundation or concealer, I like to carry pigmented drops such as the Clinique BIY or the Cover FX Custom Cover Drops. They can be used as a CC Cream (after mixing into a face oil), concealer (in a pinch) or even foundation (after being thinned out). - Hair Brush
If you have a good quality hairbrush you will never have a bad hair day. I like the Mason Pearson or Shu Uemura Hairbrush to tame unruly hair, add shine and smoothness.
I wrote this article for www.irmasworld.com, where it appeared first.