Hi I’m Kate; a lazy girl who loves her dachshund, Beau, and tries to wear makeup as little as possible. Most of the items on here are an attempt to make my beauty regime as short & simple as possible by avoiding having to ever wear makeup. As a London native living in Los Angeles, the sun is very important to me and plays a large role in my beauty routine. I work a lot, as a curator and gallery director, as a result my leisure time is mostly spent reading in bed with a face mask on.



Aesop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser

Let me start by saying, I have never been more pleasantly surprised by a product. More than anything else, I have had trouble finding a good cleanser. Either it is unable to properly remove makeup leaving me smudgy and forcing me to, begrudgingly, add another step to my beauty regime, or is oil based and leaves me looking marginally greasy by the day’s end. This gem of a product does neither of those things, smells good and is reduces my skin to a clean neutral state. The perfect base for morning and night.

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By Terry Cellularose Micellar Water

This cleanser/toner leaves your face feeling clean and smelling like a rose. I catch myself using it at least three times a day, as it is the perfect refresher. Perhaps not  the most life changing of my products but it is indulgent and I simply couldn’t do without it.

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Vinter's Daughter Active Botanical Serum

I have always been quite lucky and never had trouble with my skin. Growing up I thought ‘good skin’ meant no spots. It wasn’t until using Vinter’s Daughter Serum that I realized how dull my skin really was. This serum brightens and evens my complexion, promoting natural shine while cutting oil. I was skeptical about the price but you only need to use a little a day so it lasts. It has been so worth it.

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Bain De Soleil Orange Gelee

Some of the most gorgeous, tanned and elegant women I know swear by this product. My beautiful Brazilian friend brought this out one beach day and told me that this was the permanent smell of her grandmother, as she was always covered in a layer and carried more for top ups in her hand bag. My Italian friend told me her mother became irrationally worried that they were going to discontinue the formula and bought 60 of them as stock, and kept this unlimited supply “just in case”. Now having used it, I might be inclined to do the same. This fragrant Gelee gives the most perfect and even tan with the best color. The sense of nostalgia and beach history passed down from generations of sun worshippers has been captured in the smell and texture; it makes me think of nude bathers at Ramatuelle beach or on the Amalfi coast wearing only large straw hats. There is no beach day without it.

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When it comes to style and especially skin care, my mother imparted with my three sisters and I the ‘less is more’ mantra. We were taught from a young age that skin was #1 and the now infamous Glossier slogan ‘Skin First. Makeup second’ ruled our household. I was taught from a young age how to do my makeup tastefully, without ever looking overdone. To this day, you will never catch me experimenting with wacky colors (it even takes strength for me to do a red lip without wiping it off before leaving the house). It is for this reason that I do not wear much make up. See below for the items I do use, almost every day.

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Nars Blush (In Deep Throat)

Despite my aversion to adventurous color use, one place where I believe color is natural and even essential is cheeks. My favorite blush is from Nars in the color ‘Deep Throat’; the result is far less explicit than its’ playful name. This product brings color to my face making me look fresh and awake, even after the latest of nights.

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Lucas Pawpaw Ointment

This Australia import made from fermented papaya can be used for many things, such as cuts, scrapes, lip balm. I use it as a highlighter/moisturizer on days where I’m not wearing any makeup at all. Placing it on my eyelids and tops of my cheekbones, creating a dewy glow while also giving my skin a break from makeup. Another reason you can’t wear makeup with this product as it is oil based and will literally melt your makeup away. Warning: Mascara + Papaw as eye shadow will turn you into a raccoon.

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Benefit Cosmetics 24 HR-Setter Shaping & Setting Gel

I have always had thick eyebrows. In the early 2000s’ (when I was a preteen) this was not fashionable like it is now. My sister begged me to pluck them when I was 13 calling me ‘wolverine’. As a result, until age 16 or 17 I looked like some kind of ‘bad gal’ with very arched and thin brows making me appear permanently ‘pissed’. Moving away from this teenage look, I embrace my wolverine brows and hardly pluck anything from them. Instead, I used Benefit 24 Hr Clear Gel to brush them up and extenuate them. This product doesn’t make them look or feel stiff and crispy, as many other products do. It also genuinely lasts 24 hours. This is the first and sometimes only makeup item I use every day.

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Leahlani Mermaid Mask, Dr Jart Brightening Solution Sheet Mask & Aesop Chamomile Anti-Blemish Masque

I know this is a lot but I use facemasks a lot and in terms of favorites I could only whittle it down to these three. My main goal with skin care is to glow and together these three achieve this goal. Aesop Chamomile is the simplest. It smells delicious, cuts oil and brings my skin back to a neutral when it is threatening to act up. Leahlani makes the best all natural products; the Mermaid Mask, which is honey based and honestly so delicious I always eat some during application, is an exfoliating and replenishing skin food that restores my skin. Dr Jart’s Brightening Sheet Mask does exactly that. It is amazing. I leave it on when I go in the Sauna’s at the Korean spa.

Words, Kate Eringer.