What does the woman who chooses the products you buy in Harvey Nichols keep in her own make-up bag? Susannah Taylor had a rummage.
Base
“I like NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser SPF 30 , £28, as it gives a nice light and very natural coverage. I also get dark circles and I’m a big fan of YSL’s Touche Eclat in shade 2.5, £25, which really works at eliminating them.”
Eyes
“Before doing anything to my eyes I like to use Trish McEvoy’s Eye Base Essentials , £21, which makes colours go on so much better and helps them last.
“Usually I put quite a lot of eye make-up on for daytime at work, and tend to use matte eyeshadows rather than glitzy ones. I’m a big fan of El Dorado by NARS , £18, which I use as a base or sometimes at weekends I’ll just wear it on its own.
“At night, I tend to do a more intense or shimmering eye. I love Eyes to Kill by Giorgio Armani in No.14, £26, which is a beautiful black gold. I also love Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Sahara Haze, £62.
“If I’m going for all-out evening glamour I might use false eyelashes, and if I do then Shu Uemura’s , from £9, are the best in my opinion. For mascara, my favourite is They’re Real Mascara by Benefit, £18.50, which is currently one of the biggest selling products in the UK. Why do I rate it? Because it separates lashes, looks glossy and doesn’t flake or smudge.
“Also in my kit I’ll always have Sue Devitt eyeliners , £18, which are so good as you don’t have to warm them up, they just glide on.”
Nails
“I’m a big fan of the intense and beautiful colours you get with Tom Ford nail lacquers. One of my favourites is Carnal Red , £25.
“For holidays I might do the Red Carpet Manicure , £89.95, which is a DIY gel-based home manicure kit that’s exclusive to Harvey Nichols. It’s brilliant as it dries straight away and lasts up to three weeks. It comes as a kit complete with an LED drying cover.”
Lips
“I like something sheer but with a bit of colour such as Chanel’s Levres Scintillantes in 149, £21.”
Cheeks
“I can never get enough of NARS The Multiple in G-Spot, £30. I have it in my handbag and I use it for eyes, lips and cheeks nearly every day, and it lasts and lasts and lasts.”
Scent
“I wear Molecule 01 by Escentric , £64. This is a bestseller at Harvey Nichols – it’s very different as it’s a single note fragrance and is unique to everyone as it reacts with your individual skin. I find it very hard to describe the scent as it’s not a particular flower for example, but what’s interesting is that I can use it as a base for any other fragrance and it actually enhances the smell in them.”
Skincare
For face
“I use Crème de la Mer’s Gel Cream , £100, as I find the original cream too heavy for my skin type. However this one has a texture that’s much more lightweight.
“I also love using Elemis Pro Radiance Cream Cleanser , £29, which you use with a muslin cloth – it’s very deep cleaning and removes all make-up, leaving my skin lovely and glowing.”
For body
“I can’t beat Bliss Body Butter in Vanilla and Bergamot, £20.50. I just love the smell and it’s never greasy so you can put clothes on straight away.”
Haircare
“I couldn’t do without Cloud Nine Straighteners , £109.95, which are so small I can fit them in my handbag when I go out.
“I also can’t live without Aveda’s Smooth Infusion Glossing Straightener , £19, which makes my hair smooth and glossy and gets rid of frizz without being heavy weight.”
Hannah Phillips is Beauty Buyer for Harvey Nichols
Pictures by Kirstin Sinclair
Make-up by Helen Asher at Era Management
Dress by All Saints