To celebrate Mother’s Day, Ayesha Muttucumaru asks our GTG experts and celeb mums for the one piece of beauty advice they’ll be passing onto their children
They say that experience is the best teacher of all, so just in time for Mother’s Day we’ve asked some of the industry’s most glamorous mums to single out the one piece of beauty or grooming advice that they would want to pass on to their children. Ranging from ways of averting future make-up mishaps to avoiding any regrettable hair dye disasters, read on to see what they’ve picked as their most valuable pearl of motherly beauty wisdom. Mother knows best, after all.
Louise Redknapp
“The one piece of advice I would give is less is definitely more, and keep it as natural as possible. Don’t follow trends because everyone else is; once you’ve found what suits you, stick with it. Lastly, try and use products that will benefit the skin both long and short term, as well as giving the final look a more natural finish.” Louise Redknapp is a singer, TV presenter, model, actress and co-founder of Wild About Beauty, www.wildaboutbeauty.com .
Katie Holmes
“I think getting dressed up and wearing make-up is a lot of fun, and I’ve always enjoyed it. In terms of when I became a mother and what I’m imparting to my daughter about beauty, I’m pretty much imparting what my mother and grandmother taught me. What’s most important is what’s going on in your heart and your head. We’ll always have fun with lip gloss and all those things, and she’ll grow up and she’ll wear it like we do, but I try not to have the focus be on looks. It’s definitely more about running really fast, and reading, and that sort of thing.” Katie Holmes is an actress and the celebrity face of Bobbi Brown, www.bobbibrown.co.uk .
Susannah Taylor
“As the great colourist Josh Wood has told me, when it comes to hair colour it's important to stick within your 'family' of colour, e.g. if you are of warm colouring, and suit warm golden tones then stick with other warm colours and vice versa for cooler colourings. These shades will flatter your skin and face the most. Having been someone who has obliterated her natural hair colour before with peroxide, I'm speaking from experience. I look back at those pictures and cringe. Others are, don’t pick spots that aren’t there and ALWAYS remove your make-up at night.” Susannah Taylor is our GTG Editor and co-founder.
Christa D’Souza
"TO HAVE A SHOWER EVERY DAY HOWEVER CLEAN YOU FEEL. This should be tattooed to every boy's palm from birth.” Christa D’Souza is Contributing Editor of British Vogue and GTG’s How the Other Half Live columnist.
Emma Bartley
“I would tell them to make exercise part of their daily or weekly routine. The hardest part is getting started, so make it automatic that they cycle to work or run every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning without fail. They’ll be fitter and look better than if they didn't do it – and they'll feel happier, which is all I really want for them. And P.S. MAC mascara is the best, and with my history of dry skin, they'll probably want to get into Nivea cream at a young age.” Emma Bartley is GTG’s Size 13 columnist and soon-to-be mum, www.emmabartley.com .
Ruby Hammer
“My mother was my inspiration when I was growing up. She was extremely glamorous and very modern for her time. The beauty advice that she passed on to me that I would pass on to my daughter too, is a willingness to experiment with make-up, always paying close attention to taking it off properly though. Thoroughly scrub the skin, be it on your body or your face in order to get the blood flowing and to achieve skin that really glows.” Ruby Hammer is a make-up artist.
Fiona Brackenbury
“Always make sure you have completed your skincare routine before you blow-dry your hair. The heat will dehydrate your skin and if it is bare, will cause stress and inflammation to the skin.” Fiona Brackenbury is Head of Training and Education for Decléor, www.decleor.co.uk .
Anastasia Achilleos
“My three and a half year old daughter and two year old son already use lavender body oil for children to massage themselves after a bath. My daughter tells me ‘Mummy come here, let me massage your face’. It’s such a beautiful ritual and gift to teach children. They will use it throughout their lives; it gives them the innate capacity to soothe, nurture and connect to themselves and others.” Anastasia Achilleos is a Celebrity Facialist and Olay Global Ambassador, www.olay.co.uk .
Rosie Green
“Preserve your precious natural beauty. Don't pluck your brows too thin, don't wreck your hair by over bleaching, perming, colouring and straightening it, don't fry your skin in the sun and don't leave your toenail polish on indefinitely. As for everything else, enjoy!” Rosie Green is Red Magazine’s Beauty Editor at Large and a GTG writer.
Thea Green
“My advice to stop biting nails is to invest in them and stop hiding them - have a regular manicure, wear great nail polish or even get nail extensions. All this investment will encourage them to look after their nails and hopefully help them to stop biting.” Thea Green is founder of Nails Inc, www.nailsinc.com .
Imogen Edwards-Jones
“My one piece of beauty advice to pass on to my daughter is waterproof mascara; whatever you are doing in life it will not be enhanced by great big panda eyes.” Imogen Edwards-Jones is a writer and GTG columnist, www.imogenedwardsjones.com .
Hilly Janes
“Moisturise. Moisturise. Moisturise. My mother told me always to use it when I was 17 and I followed her advice. Years later, a beauty editor explained that many of our wrinkles are caused by sun damage and recommended using a moisturiser with some SPF in it - 15 preferably, plus 5* UVA protection, even in winter, and to try to do the same for foundation.” Hilly Janes is an author and GTG columnist, hillyjanes.com
Millie Kendall
“I would tell my girls that when preparing for a big night out, apply your make-up and then have a bath or shower, obviously avoiding getting your newly applied make-up wet. The steam helps your make-up to settle and it looks more natural and less ‘just done’. I think often if we are going somewhere we can be guilty of over applying our make-up and I think this just safeguards any monstrous looks leaving the house.” Millie Kendall is co-founder of BeautyMART, thisisbeautymart.com
Caroline Barnes
"As a mum of three chaotic boys, I will try and instill in them how simple grooming will be very much appreciated by future partners! I'm a male hand lover; my husband has good man hands yet his feet are indescribable! Years of football and total lack of nail and foot respect means they are best left within a sock! If my boys can take care of their hands and feet then my job is done.” Caroline Barnes is a make-up artist, www.carolinebarnes.co.uk .
Louise Galvin
"As a mother, approaching beauty naturally is always a must for me, using the gentlest products that don't harm my children or the environment. Children's beautiful hair is often turned khaki from swimming in chlorinated pool (a problem adults experience too!). Old fashioned remedies have included slathering tomato ketchup all over hair to rid it of those khaki hues and toxic chlorine. This is messy and not necessarily as 'natural' as we would like and may even cause staining on sun kissed blonde babes. My Louise Galvin Vitox Treatment is a vitamin infused detox for the hair, which opens up the cuticle and gently lifts out any environmental or product build up in the hair leaving it clear and bright, and free from those horrible khaki tones.” Louise Galvin is a Celebrity Colourist (and mother of 7!), www.louisegalvin.com
Arabella Preston
“My best bit of beauty advice is to invest time and effort in becoming a pro sleeper. Our bed is the third most expensive thing we've ever bought (after our house and car) and it was worth every penny. We also don't have a TV in the bedroom and try not to work in bed (hard with iPhones) so as to keep the space as Zen and relaxing as possible. I know how important sleep is for beauty after having kids and experiencing proper sleep deprivation - I've definitely aged faster over the past five years!” Arabella Preston is a make-up artist, www.arabellapreston.com .
Sarah Vine
“Never ever pluck your own eyebrows. Leave them alone and always ensure a professional threads them for you. Otherwise it will only ever lead to disaster.” Sarah Vine is GTG’s Creative Director and co-founder.
Bobbi Brown
“My beauty inspiration when I was young was always my mum, because she was the most glamorous, beautiful woman, and my grandmother, who always said that the lines on her face were evidence of a full and wonderful life. I just thought she was gorgeous because she was so nice and so wonderful. She taught me that being beautiful isn’t about being flawless. It’s about having self-confidence and playing up the qualities that make you unique.” Bobbi Brown is a make-up artist and founder of Bobbi Brown cosmetics, www.bobbibrown.co.uk