14 Beauty Buys The Experts Used At Fashion Week

Backstage at London Fashion Week is the place to spot the beauty products the pros actually use. From gentle cleansers to creamy, long-wear foundations, this is what we spotted in the kits of the industry professionals this season…

1. Weleda Skin Food, £9.37 (was £12.50)

Yes, its yellow formula can be distracting, but it sinks into skin to soothe dry patches fast – especially good on lips. Its light, herbal scent is addictive too. Used backstage at both Victoria Beckham and Phoebe English SS20 shows, it was applied to limbs for a dewy sheen, and dabbed onto cheekbones and brow bones for extra radiance and believable gloss. 

Available at Boots.com

2. Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water, £12.50

Its one-swipe, no-rinse philosophy makes this a backstage favourite. Its super-gentle formula melts away make-up and grime. Cleansing micelle particles suspended in soft water absorb dirt without irritating or leaving residue. You won’t find a make-up artist without it.

Available at LookFantastic.com

3. Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tint, £26

Pros used this backstage to give cheeks a healthy hit of luminosity. Its subtle colour was also swept onto lids to bring the whole look together. Thanks to its silky texture, it works well to sheer out even the most matte foundations and concealers for a natural finish.

Available at BobbiBrown.co.uk

4.Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation, £9.99

We spy this high-street foundation at the shows every year. Loaded with vitamins C, E and B5, its quality is amazing for the price. It performs to a high standard, giving skin a healthy makeover while hiding any signs of redness and scarring. Coverage is light to medium, but you can really build it up on days when you need a helping hand. As for texture, it feels quite gel-like on application and sinks in almost instantly.

Available at Boots.com

5.Bumble & Bumble Sumo Gel, £23

Wet-look hair is set to be a big look for SS20. Backstage, the pros were tapping into the trend with a dollop of this pliable gel, which holds hair in place while enhancing shine. You only need a tiny amount on the tips of your fingers before running it back through your strands for a slick, clean finish. It works particularly well on shorter, mid-length styles; those with longer hair, try scrunching it into your lengths for the best effect.  

Available at LookFantastic.com

6. Erno Laszlo Eye Serum Mask, £32

Whenever time is at a premium (which is always backstage), this eye serum mask always pops up. Loaded with hydrogel and calming seaweed, it fights collagen degradation and takes down puffiness almost instantly – perfect for faking a full eight hours of sleep.

Available at Net-A-Porter.com

7. Lord & Berry Cream Bronzer, £25

The brand is a firm backstage favourite for its creamy formulations that are easy to blend and build. This season, Lord & Berry’s velvety bronzer was spotted backstage at Rejina Pyo SS20. For a fresh, sun-kissed look, the silky texture lends a healthy glow to the skin and lids, instantly livening up a dull complexion.

Available at Lord&Berry.com

8. MAC The Art Of Studio Fix Foundation, £22.95 (was £27)

This foundation stick made its debut at LFW SS20 and was used for many shows. With a moisturising formula, it melts into the skin, leaving behind a veil of weightless colour that skims the skin and stays put for hours. Ideal when you want to maintain your natural texture, just with a more refined finish. 

Available at Debenhams.com

9. Mason Pearson Brush, from £42.95 (was £49.50)

It’s the brush that needs no introduction. With a comfortable handle for speedy styling, its nylon and boar bristles feel soft against the scalp and remove tangles fast, without tearing into the hair. Ideal for blowouts and finishing intricate updos, it’s pricey, but lasts for years. 

Available at AllBeauty.com

10. Maybelline Tattoo Liner, £4.99

Used to create some of the boldest beauty looks for SS20 (mainly inspired by TV’s Euphoria), make-up artists placed these long-wear crayons on the back of hands, then applied directly onto the eyes with their fingers. You might not want to recreate some of the statement looks, but this liner is ideal for creating a smokey eye alternative, while the fine tip offers effortless and controlled application.

Available at Maybelline.com

11. Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray, £27

So many industry insiders and celebrities swear by this – for good reason. Not only does it protect against endless heat styling, it lends strands effortless volume and texture that has a French-girl cool vibe. Perfect for days when you can’t be bothered but need some extra shine. 

Available at Net-a-Porter.com

12. Tata Harper Illuminating Moisturiser, £74

Backstage at Khaite SS20, Gucci Westman used Tata Harper skincare to create natural, dewy skin. The big hero? This new moisturiser that gave models’ complexions a candlelit definition and soft-focus finish. 

Available at SpaceNK.com

13. Uoma Beauty Double Take Stick, £34.50

This ‘Afropolitan’ make-up brand took the beauty sphere by storm this year and it’s already become hugely popular among artists backstage. Dual-ended, Uoma’s glow-giving stick is your easiest route to subtle contouring. With a creamy formula, it gives skin a healthy sheen that stays put all day long, while the darker colour gets to work sculpting. Don’t worry, it’s super sheer, so you never have to worry about overdoing it. It’s also available in six suits-all shades – which is unusual for both contour and highlighting products.

Available at BeautyBay.com

14. Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette, £26

From wearable taupes to smokier browns, this does-it-all palette has everything you need when it comes to creating a multitude of eye looks. Some artists even use the darker tones on the cheekbones to sculpt and add in further definition.

Available at JohnLewis.com

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