“I hardly wear makeup, I honestly don’t love the feeling of it on my skin. I always feel most like myself without it. To me, beauty is about how kind you are, how warm, how easy you are to laugh with. That’s the real game-changer, whether it’s a first date, an old friend, or with your family. A great laugh will always be the most beautiful thing in the room and no amount of skincare or makeup can ever give you that.”
What does Beauty mean to you?
In Beanie's Cabinet
“I’ve fully swapped tinted moisturiser for concealer, and honestly, I’ll never go back. A tiny dot under the eye, swept upwards to the temple, plus a little under my contour, makes me look instantly more awake. I love that the Ilia formula feels lightweight, never cakey, never masky (I hate feeling like I’m wearing makeup). The shade match is also spot on, no weird orange tones, just skin but better.”
“The ultimate classic. It’s the kind of product that doesn’t need selling, everyone knows. I love how chic it feels to pull out that oversized double C compact. A forever staple!”
“This one is pure Phoebe influence (my best friend and my official makeup guru). I used to watch her swirl her brush across all four pans, blush, highlight, bronzer, and in two seconds she’d look impossibly glowy, but never glittery. Just goddess energy. It’s my go-to when I want to level up an everyday face to evening, and it’s perfect for on-the-go touch-ups, even in the back of an Uber or on a bumpy tube ride.”
“I can’t smell (long covid things), so perfume is entirely vibes-based for me. I go off two metrics: if my boyfriend likes it, and how often strangers ask me what I’m wearing and based on that very scientific method, I’ve landed on this one.”
“I know it’s rich, but weirdly it completely clears any breakouts overnight. Totally old school but totally magic.”
On Skincare
I only really got into skincare when I started working more closely in the beauty space, shout out to the beauty PR teams who’ve converted me. I do have to give credit to my best friend Phoebe who is a beauty encyclopedia – she is always my go-to whenever I need to know more about anything skin or beauty related, she really is the best and super knowledgeable! Now I’m a full-blown Rhode girl. I’ve got duplicates of everything, scattered across bathrooms and bags – the face wash is probably every bathroom that I frequent. My forever secret weapon is the Neal’s Yard Jasmine Enriching Cream, I know it’s rich, but weirdly it completely clears any breakouts overnight. Totally old school but totally magic. My boyfriend has finally gotten me onto SPF, I like the 47 Skin Daily SPF and also Klairs All-Day Airy Sunscreen. For cleansing, I’ll always go back to Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm (my mum has sworn by it always), but recently I’ve been loving the KOBA Skincare Oil Cleanser from. I used to think you had to layer ten steps to get good skin, but now I really believe less is more. A couple of great products is all I need. I have an artwork by Blondey Mccoy up in my room which is a mirror so I use that as a sort of mirror but because of the stickers on it I can’t fully see what I look like so I’ve got quite good at guessing where things go on my face and hoping that it sticks and works!
On Makeup
Right now it’s the Makeup by Mario Bronzing Serum, Ilia concealer, any Rhode blush, Refy lip liner, and any Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment. My friend Phoebe who I mentioned got me onto the Dior Backstage Face Palette and I have recently been introduced to Saie and I love the powder. I used to be religious about mascara but weirdly I haven’t touched it in ages. I will always have some form of lip thing in my bag and always a perfume (most probably Byredo and Zara) are usually the two that I layer. Always Hermes nail colour and Gucci Bronzer for in my bag on the go – can you just say how mega that turquoise and gold packaging is!
On Haircare
I’m very low-maintenance when it comes to hair, but one thing’s for sure, I’m a blonde girl forever (even if my roots would argue otherwise). I recently had it cut and coloured at SALT London and I’m loving the short, bright blonde moment. The Tangle Teezer brush has seriously changed my life, and I’ve just tried the Amika Anti-Frizz Treatment – it’s incredible. Serious results. If I do ever use hair product it always has to be OUAI – the hair gloss, the shampoo, all of it is utterly amazing and totally worth the hype! I have never, ever been fussed about fancy shampoos or conditioners as to me they seem a bit of a waste of money however I have been totally proved wrong by Davines – the ‘Heart of Glass’ conditioner is probably the most life changing hair product I have ever used and makes the most noticeable difference – super impressed and now have to eek it out!
On Health and Wellness
I’m not sure if this counts but I really hope it does and this might sound dramatic, but acupuncture has genuinely changed my life – I want to give a big, big, massive shoutout to Tilda Ruck who I owe so much to (please, please look her up on IG!). I used to go every two weeks, now I try to stretch it to once a month, it’s the only thing that’s ever helped me manage anxiety. It’s shifted something in me, for real and if you have ever been to the pub with me I will always, without fail try and convert you (from a self-proclaimed converted sceptic!). I recently got invited to the Loewe tomato event at Selfridges and very kindly got gifted their tomato candle – hands down Loewe does the best home fragrance and also their colour selection is impeccable – the tomatoeyness colour of the candle holder is spot on! I just love the Costa Brazil packaging and the genius of it all, and the Mothers Made Lion’s Mane is mega – not only is it great for someone like me that has long-covid but the founders are the sweetest in the world! A bit shout out to Wilder, created by Rachel Landon who lives a couple doors up from me. My boyfriend gave me the Aesop Body Balm which I love, I really love when people gift you products that you can use as it is always a little reminder every time you use it which I always think is very sweet.
On Fragrance
I actually can’t smell (long covid things), so perfume is entirely vibes-based for me. I go off two metrics: if my boyfriend likes it, and how often strangers ask me what I’m wearing (honestly the amount of times people have come up to me whilst I am queuing for the Post Office). Based on that very scientific method, I’ve landed on two holy grails: Byredo De Los Santos and Zara Elegantly Tokyo. The Zara one amazingly lasts all day and sometimes trumps Byredo but I will forever love Byredo. I also have a soft spot for Diptyque, the bottles remind me of my mum and I just love seeing them on the shelf, it is the nostalgia and the associations that draw me to them.
A beauty tip you swear by?
I always lift my face by drawing a clean line from under my eye out toward my temple with bronzer or concealer, instant facelift energy. And I never overline my lips. They’re naturally quite full and too much just tips it over.
Beanie's Directory
I have never really had any beauty treatments which is slightly mad – I recently and very sweetly got my nails done properly for the first time with Hermes. They used a clear/nude nail varnish with a hint of glitter which isn’t usually my thing but I am slightly converted. I now wear Hermes Les Mains Nail Polish in Blanc Orage everyday. I have to give massive props to Tilda Ruck (shoutout again!) who is my acupuncturist. I say it to her all the time but she really has saved my life.
“I was never a blush person… until now. Rhode has fully infiltrated my routine, skincare and now makeup. My favourite hack is misting a little setting spray onto my Refy brush, picking up the blush, then dabbing it on. It sheers out the pigment and leaves this dewy, almost-highlight finish. The shade itself is the perfect not-too-scary pink, fresh, pretty, and just so easy.”