Read our team’s beauty biographies in our series, My Life in Beauty. From their first encounters with makeup and skincare to the mishaps they’d rather forget, we take a trip down memory lane to hear their unique beauty tales, learn about the products they’d never want to live without, where they get their inspiration from and more.
This month, the beauty lover revealing all is… me! I’m an Escentual veteran; I started almost ten years ago as a Content Assistant, and today, I’m the Campaigns & PR Editor. My job is to help educate and excite our customers and external stakeholders on new products, brands, and the campaigns we’re working on. If you’re a long-time customer, you’ll likely have read my words on our product pages, seen my face on our YouTube or chatted with me on one of our social platforms. I live and breathe beauty – I always have. Here’s my story…
Beauty Past
What’s your first beauty memory?
I have two older sisters, so beauty first became known to me through them. I remember my sister got a nail polish set for Christmas one year, and I demanded that she do my nails with them, shouting ‘nails’ until she obliged. I must have been about 3 or 4. From then on, I was always the ‘girly girl’ of our family. The theme of stealing or, should I say, borrowing from my sisters continued from there; I particularly recall spraying so much JLO Glow in my sister’s bedroom that it wafted downstairs, and I was caught red-handed. As for makeup, I don’t know when I first discovered it as my sisters didn’t wear much, but I do remember watching my mum get ready a few times. She used to wear a bright blue eyeliner that made her blue eye colour really pop.
When did you start dabbling with beauty?
I was a young teenager in primary school when I started dabbling with makeup. Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse was one of the first foundations I tried, and it was a disaster. Its mousse formula did not match my dry, eczema-prone skin. It was patchy, but I wanted to use what my friends used, so my skin type went out the window. As the years went on, I became a regular in Boots, and my makeup bag was packed full of all the high street favourites like Bourjois, Rimmel, and Maybelline. I wasn’t very experimental at that age, and my school was quite strict; it was a decent layer of foundation, lots of unblended bronzer, a couple of coats of mascara, poorly drawn-in eyebrows and lip gloss.
Did you have any beauty mishaps growing up?
What was your first beauty purchase?
Beauty Favourites
What makeup product could you not live without?
Has one skincare product changed your life?
Do you have a signature scent?
It used to be Jean Paul Gaultier Classique Essence de Parfum, a gorgeous amber-floral that combines vanilla and orange blossom – it’s elegant but sexy too, and incredibly long-lasting. Unfortunately, it’s been discontinued, so I am cherishing the 2ml of juice I have left of it. Generally, I lean toward white floral perfumes; I love how confident they make me feel when I wear them. Over the years, I have amassed a large collection of perfumes. So many that I do my best to rotate them so each of them gets loved. Doing so allows me to choose fragrances daily based on how I’m feeling, what I’m wearing or where I’m going.
What haircare product makes the biggest difference in your routine?
Haircare is my beauty Achilles heel. My hair deserves more TLC than I give it, so it’ll come as no surprise that one of my favourite hair heroes is the Klorane Dry Shampoo – it saves me every day! As for what’s made the biggest difference, Hair Gain Gummies, without a shadow of a doubt. I wanted to grow my hair last year for my wedding, and the gummies sped up this process twofold – plus, they’re tasty!
What’s your most repurchased beauty product of all time?
I had to look at my Escentual order history for this one, and it was clear it’s the Eucerin Acute Lip Balm. My lips are ALWAYS chapped and dry, so I go through these like there’s no tomorrow. Plus, I like to have one in my handbag, desk, car – everywhere. I have tried more lip balms than I care to admit; this one works quickly and doesn’t break the bank, especially when it’s in our French Pharmacy promo!
Is there a discontinued product that you wish would make a comeback?
JPG Classique Essence de Parfum before I finish off my last bottle!
What’s the next thing on your wishlist, and why?
One of the best parts of my job is testing out new products before they launch so that I can write their product descriptions. One of the latest launches I have tried and fallen for is the Guerlain Bee Glow Oil. As you’ve read, I get dry lips and have a soft spot for lip care; this looks and feels luxurious and is very hydrating but isn’t sticky, which isn’t always the case for lip oils. It also smells divine, like honey. The shade on my wishlist is 319 – Peach Glow.
Beauty Mantras
What’s your beauty mantra and style?
I like to keep it simple. A less is more approach, always. I like to (most of the time) allow my natural skin to show through and choose colours that compliment my skin’s yellow undertone – peaches, browns, etc. I adore makeup that looks glowing, so I gravitate towards products that say ‘dewy’ or ‘radiance’ on them. My makeup style is quite basic; you’ll rarely see me wearing anything bold apart from a swipe of red lippy or a cat flick liner.
Where do you find beauty inspiration?
Social media mostly. I always click save on posts I want to return to on Instagram – I love that function. And I don’t just look at who I follow; I often venture into the explore pages to find new trends and talking points in beauty.
Who’s beauty style do you admire most?
I had to dig deep for this answer – I have so many. But I think it’s Bella Hadid. Day-to-day, her looks are always natural and glowy, but she plays around for events, leaning into her more glamorous side.
What was the last new beauty trend you tried, and how did it go?
I put my own spin on strawberry makeup. Hailey Bieber is another one of my beauty muses, so I had to give it a go. I don’t normally opt for pink blush or lipstick, but I have to say I liked the result – a more flushed cheek made me look really healthy.
What’s your #1 beauty tip?
Wear sunscreen. I harp on about sun protection to all my friends and family – my now husband even joked about his promise to ‘wear SPF even on cloudy days’ in our wedding vows! Not only does it help to keep fine lines and wrinkles at bay, but it’s vital for preventing skin cancer.
