Libby Reynolds Shares Her Top Skincare Saviours

I’m really excited to share with you my next Inside My Beauty Bag that comes from my friend Libby Reynolds, an editor and calligrapher living in London. (You can take a peek at some of her beautiful scribing skills on Instagram @CalligraphyByLibby).

I asked Libby to contribute as she has the most beautiful, flawless complexion and hair and through her job at one of the biggest luxury retailers, she really knows her stuff – I never miss an opportunity to ask what beauty products she’s using and what’s not worth the ££.

With that said, you would be wise to follow her lead. I hope you enjoy and don’t spend too much money afterwards.

“I’m relatively low-key when it comes to my makeup routine – I suppose I’m what you would call a “no makeup makeup” person. As a base, I use Charlotte Tilbury The Retoucher concealer and Givenchy Teint Couture Balm which has a lovely blurring quality and is light and breathable. It was a Sali Hughes recommendation a few years ago, and I basically consider Sali to be the oracle on beauty matters. If I want a bit more glow and coverage, I prime with Hollywood Flawless Filter or add a little highlighter. I recently bought Glossier Play Niteshine and a little of that goes a long way. I always use beautyblenders to apply my base and have done since I discovered them for my wedding – too much tugging and dragging really highlights the texture in my skin”.

“In an ideal world I would love to always have eyelash extensions, as nothing really beats them for looking instantly bright-eyed with minimal effort, but until then it’s Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Lashes just on the upper lash line. I’ve yet to find a mascara that doesn’t just transfer straight onto my skin when applied to my bottom lashes. My brows are probably my favourite feature, and to define them I use Glossier Boy Brow as I’ve found it to have the perfect balance of tint and hold without making them look too dark or ‘done’”.

“I fall in and out of love with blusher, but when I’m favouring it I wear Clinique Chubby Stick in Amp’d Up Apple as it’s dewy and foolproof to blend. As my skin has quite a lot of texture and can be dry, I don’t find powder work well for me. Though I adore lipstick, it always ends up looking dry on me regardless of how moisturising the formula, so I’ve been enjoying the resurgence of gloss. Favourites are Charlotte Tilbury’s Collagen Lip Bath (noticing a pattern here?) as it has just a slight pink tint, and Chanel Rouge Coco. If I’m feeling fancy, I might amp up my eyes with something glittery like Glossier Play Gelée in Firewalk”.

“Skincare is something I take probably more pleasure in than makeup. I was lucky and never had trouble with my skin as a teenager, but suffer from bouts of (albeit relatively mild) adult acne now I’m in my thirties. I try not to overcomplicate my routine, and I hate throwing things away that I haven’t used, so I do a fair bit of reviewing reading and research before changing anything major. To cleanse I use Votary Clarifying Cleansing Oil with Rosemary and Oat (and a fluffy face cloth), but at the moment I’m switching to the Deep Cleanser by QMS Medicosmetics after a great facial with their head facialist Rowan Hal-Farrise at Liberty. I always double cleanse if I’ve worn makeup or spent a lot of time on the tube – I dread to think what’s working its way into the skin in London! In the day, I layer The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid serum with their Natural Moisturizing Factors. In the evening I layer the same serum but with the 100% Plant-Derived Squalane”.

“I love masks, and my current favourite is Lixirskin Vitamin C Paste to look that bit perkier in the morning. For a cheap thrill though Simple’s sheet masks are lovely and moisturizing”.

“My skin is very fair and burns easily, so SPF is an absolute must in the summer. I’ve found Clinique Mineral Sunscreen Fluid to be light and effective with minimal shine”.

“For body, I use Aromatherapy Associates’ body brush before showering. I’m a big fan of Caudalie for both their Divine Oil (which smells…divine) and Vine Body Butter. REN Skincare’s Moroccan Rose Otto Sugar Body Polish is my scrub of choice, but I also have Malin+Goetz Peppermint Body Scrub as it’s amazing for preventing ingrowing hairs after waxing. I love Margaret Dabbs’ products for feet, particularly the Exfoliating Foot Mousse”.

“When it comes to hair, Philip Kingsley Flaky Itchy Scalp Shampoo is hands down the best shampoo to use if you ever get an irritated or dry scalp. I have blonde balayage (by the lovely and super talented Luke Gilbert at Colorbox Salon in Stoke Newington) and to stop it from going brassy I always try and use a violet toning conditioner. I recently discovered Percy & Reed’s Volumising No Oil Oil which smooths flyaways really well, even when I leave my hair to dry naturally”.

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