We The People

WHERE — London
PHOTOGRAPHY — Sam Flaherty
IN COLLABORATION WITH — NARS x Christopher Kane

How to look fresh faced and illuminated (in all the right places) without spending a life-time in front of the mirror.

Truth be told my beauty mantra has always been ‘the quicker the better’. I’m all about maximum impact with minimum effort. If there’s a way I can get ready (whether it’s for a meeting or a night out on the town) in less than 15 minutes, I will.

It’s not that I’m lazy per se, and definitely not because I don’t get excited about a face-changing palette or serum (I love a miracle product as much as the next girl) but mainly because there aren’t enough hours in the day to loose an entire one to getting ready.

Re/Done tee-shirt, Christopher Kane skirt, Alexander Wang bag and Schutz shoes

1. Pre-game (and no I don’t mean bubbles).

Of all the skincare products I couldn’t do without, primer will always be at the top of my list. Did I mention I’m not into spending too long in front of the mirror? Enter a killer primer that protects your skin (use SPF 365 days of the year kids) and keeps make up fresh allll day. The NARS Smooth & Protect primer ticks all my boxes.

2. Stay hydrated.

It’s all about the h20. I know everyone from fashion magazines to your mum always harp on about the importance of drinking enough water – but honesty – there’s nothing better. Night out or not, I’ll never go a day without drinking 2 litres of water.

3. It’s all about that base.

As in the perfect foundation. I’m not talking about lay-it-on with a shovel thick, it’s more about finding the perfect shade that illuminated the skin without covering up your natural beauty entirely.

If my skin is behaving particularly well then I’ll skip the foundation entirely and just opt for some carefully placed concealer. I use the NARS Radiant Concealer in custard.

4. Fuel your body.

There’s no point in looking fabulous if you’re going to fade fast. Get that guy on pizza speed dial.

5. Finishing touches make all the difference.

Metallic glitter tones and holographic sheens may sound intimating, but fear not. I always lightly dab highlighter along my cheekbones to fake a sharp jawline, and for a night out I’ll take things up a notch and continue the high-shine application on my lids with the NARS x Christopher Kane Hardwired Eyeshadow Palette.

As for the lip, the NARS x Christopher Kane Holographic Lipstick is the perfect night-out-on-the-town or fancy dinner arsenal; it makes even a white tee and jeans look put together. The trick is to apply it over your favourite liner (I’m all about a subtle nude) and then apply the lipstick in the middle of the bow to create a sort of strobing (aka highlighting) effect.