The woman behind Victoria Beckham Beauty has launched makeup for midlife women: our verdict on Sarah Creal
A lauded makeup creator for big brands, now Sarah Creal has her own range for women aged 40+. What does our beauty director, 43, think?
Sarah Creal may not be a name you’re familiar with yet, but trust me, you already know her work, and, chances are, a lot of it is probably in sitting in your makeup bag.
For the past 30 years, she has been one of the most influential product developers, or ‘brand architects’ in the beauty industry. She is the woman quietly behind the scenes formulating for brands like Bobbi Brown, Tom Ford Beauty, Prada, Aerin and Victoria Beckham Beauty, the latter of which she co-founded and ran as CEO.
After decades of building other people’s brands, the 56-year-old New Yorker launched her own – Sarah Creal Beauty. It debuted in the US in 2024, and now her makeup, skincare and beauty tools have just landed here in the UK. The range is available in Space NK and from Creal’s own website.
How much does Sarah Creal Beauty cost?
The range of 19 items definitely sits at the premium end, but it’s not wildly out of reach. The cheapest buy is the £5 eye and lip pencil sharpener, while lip products range from £28-£38 and bases from £36-£44. The splurge-worthy showstopper is the Firm Offer 4-in-1 Ultimate Eye Cream at £75. It comes in cigarette lighter-like packaging to appeal to an audience where flipping a lighter lid will feel comfortingly nostalgic and maybe something they haven’t done for 20 years.
But the product everyone’s talking about is the Eyes Up Creamy Kajal Longer Liner, £28. Given how instrumental Creal was in building Victoria Beckham Beauty, and that VB’s own bestselling Satin Kajal Liner (£5 pricier than Creal’s version) has become something of a cult classic, comparisons were always going to be inevitable. So does Creal’s version hold its own against the one she helped create? Keep reading for my full review below.
Who is Sarah Creal for?
Unusually for a brand, Sarah Creal has a very tight, specific customer in mind. Every item has been formulated for what she calls “babes” aged 40 and over, designed around the very real shifts and pain points that occur in skin and in the way makeup behaves on it in midlife. Concealer that creases, lipstick that migrates, blush that vanishes by lunchtime: these are the frustrations Creal set out to solve.
You could say other brands speak to the same market; Merit, Westman Atelier and Jones Road, for example. All are brilliant brands for 40+ skin but none have said explicitly that they are designed for women of a certain age. That’s because many would say it isn’t savvy business strategy; that it’s more economically viable to offer something for everyone. You may know that your core customer is a woman of a certain age, but you don’t say it out loud.
However, this is where Sarah Creal’s stance is not only smart but much-needed. At a time when women over the age of 40 feel like they’re becoming less visible, Creal is essentially saying: ‘I see you, I know what you need and I’ve got you.’
Many women feel like most beauty brands only speak to a younger consumer, and they’re tired of it. Finally, here is a brand that isn’t afraid to speak exclusively to them in the way they want to be spoken to and to talk about the problems they have.
Of course, it’s not that any of the products wouldn’t work or appeal to anyone younger, but that customer probably won’t resonate with the brand’s slogan in quite the same way: We’re Youth Obsessed.
Unsurprisingly, the UK launch has come with a serious side of hype. The question is whether it’s actually deserved? I tried out 6 Sarah Creal buys. Here’s what I thought…
Sarah Creal Beauty: our beauty director’s reviews
Sarah Creal Eyes Up Creamy Kajal Longer Liner in Jungle, £28
There’s no two ways about it: this is an excellent eyeliner. The pencil has been designed to be smudge-proof for eyes prone to watering and transfer-proof for hooded lids, both of which I have and both didn’t happen when wearing this. The texture is very creamy, making it easy to glide along and there is a soft flat brush that you can smudge it with to soften. It also helps release more of the gold pigment, giving the khaki green shade a winning shimmer. Does it compare well to VB’s? Absolutely. I prefer Creal’s brush to VB’s foam smudger and it’s cheaper. There are 12 shades, including black, browns, greys, golds, bronze and copper.
Buy NowSarah Creal Face Flex Concealer and Complexion Enhancer, £44
This is a medium-coverage concealer, in 21 shades, that has a crease-proof and fade-proof formula, so it doesn’t sit in fine lines or require touch-ups. Creal says it’s a “one-dip” formula, meaning when you pull the wand out, you have all the product you need for your entire face and under the eyes (and she’s right). At first, I was underwhelmed, although it certainly covered my pigmentation patches with the same ease as my regular concealer does. But then when I looked at my face as a whole in the mirror, I realised I didn’t need to add my usual foundation on top. My skin look healthier and fresher with just one light layer.
Buy NowSarah Creal The Adults Are Talking Solid Serum Lip Repair in Thriving, £34
Available in five sheer shades and clear, this solid balm is my favourite pick. It feels so nourishing and protective on the lips, plus it contains clever lipids that give the appearance of fuller lips (something all mid-life women are after) without any of that horrible tingling you usually get from lip-plumping products. The packaging is super chic, and the shades are all wearable. I want one for every bag I own so that I’m never without it.
Buy NowSarah Creal Today’s Highlights 12H Peptide Balm Luminizer, £42
This is the most chic and grown-up highlighter you’ll ever find. It has a balmy texture but isn’t sticky or greasy on the skin; it left my cheekbones feeling really soft and smooth. Designed to be long-lasting, it delivers the perfect luminous glow that’s not sparkly or going to accentuate lines and wrinkles. It comes in 4 shades, all golden and bronze in tone. I also think it looks really nice dabbed over the lips.
Buy NowSarah Creal Coming In Hot Blurring Pressed-Mousse Blush, £36
Blusher can be tricky as you get older as lots of formulas can sit on the skin, rather than sinking in, giving off more of a clown vibe than a perfectly flushed look. This has a clever mousse-powder consistency which melts into the skin and delivers a soft-focus finish that blurs onto the cheeks. There are 6 shades ranging from soft pinks, corals and browns with red undertones.
Buy NowSarah Creal No Further Questions High Glide Peptide Lip Gloss, £32
This is very much a high-shine glossy gloss. The packaging is clever – unlike most glosses that come in a long tube with an equally long wand, this is in a short, almost nail polish-sized bottle with a small wand that allows you to be more targeted with your application on lips that may not be as full as they once were.
Buy Now
