Beauty Little Black Book: Nilam Holmes
Beauty Little Black Book: Nilam Holmes

Beauty Little Black Book: Nilam Holmes

As an A-list facialist and founder of cosmetics brand Eyebrow Queen, Nilam Holmes knows beauty inside out. From the facial she swears by to the products she’s never without, these are the places and products she returns to time and again, as well as the lessons and rules she swears by.
By Rebecca Hull

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Haircut & Colour

“I always go to Inanch London for my cut, colour and styling. My hair is naturally so straight and silky – which I know most people want – but it never holds its style well. I tried a soft perm there last year and my hairstyles have lasted so much longer.”

Nail Appointments

“My nails are mostly unpolished for work, but if I am filming for TV or I have a special occasion, I tend to have a long-wear natural polish as opposed to gels or acrylic. In these instances, I’ll see Sharon Baker – who also does Nicole Scherzinger’s and Victoria Beckham’s nails. We have worked together for years and share many clients.”

Go-To Facial

“My go-to facial has to be the Dermaspa Lux Facial we offer at my clinic. It’s a combination of Collagenwave and Hydrafacial. I always use this to prep my celebrity clients for the red carpet. The collagen wave is great for lifting and tightening while the Hydrafacial exfoliates, resurfaces and deeply cleanses the skin.”

Quirky Treatments

“I am lucky to have been mentored by Dr. Saleh who always seems to be ahead of the newest treatments in the industry, so I’ve tried lots of different things. I once had stem cell and exosome therapy many years ago – I loved it. It was seen as weird at the time, but now it’s being considered as the future of skincare for its ability to increase skin collagen six-fold.” 

Brow Maintenance…

“My brows are my best feature. I use a combination of treatments to keep them looking how I like them – full, groomed and fluffy. I also have brow lamination done because my hair growth goes downwards. A tint is essential to help them look fuller then I wax, thread and tweeze to create definition and shape. It sounds like a lot, but it only takes me 20 minutes once every four weeks. Plus, it’s worth it – done right, your brows can really anti-age your face.”

…& Brow Essentials

“Brows are a big deal to me, which is why I launched my brand Eyebrow Queen. I designed all the products with some amazing scientists and manufacturers, but the ones I am most proud of are the Brow Pro Pencil and the Brow Fix Setting Gel. The former is the product I get the most compliments on and it has a huge fan base. I love seeing it used by so many leading make-up artists. Our bestselling Brow Fix is innovative because it sets brow hair into place – there’s nothing else like it on the market.”

Skincare Shelf

“Skincare is so personal and my top tip is always to find a routine and products that are realistic for your schedule and budget. A good routine should involve a cleanser, a hydrating product, a formula that ‘treats’ – like an essence or exfoliator – and of course a cream and SPF. I personally have problematic skin and have always struggled with acne and scarring, so I use an exfoliating face wash. I’ll use Puromist to purify and balance my skin, then I’ll apply a hyaluronic acid – I love iS Clinical’s Hydracool Serum – to lock in moisture and calm my skin. I swear by Dr’s Formula Antioxidant Serum when I want to minimise inflammation. To seal everything in, I always turn to Augustinus Bader’s The Cream. At night, I’ll use Caroline Hirons’s Skin Rocks Retinoid 2. Skincare aside, I recommend looking into NAD+ supplements. I swear they made my skin look and feel much younger.” 

Transformative Procedures

“The only person I trust with my Botox is Dr. Saleh – if he wasn’t at my clinic, I would travel for him! Other procedures I have done include Lumecca, Collagenwave, Morpheus8 and some lasers. Morpheus 8 gives some seriously impressive results – it lifts and tightens – while Lumecca can transform sun-damaged skin.”

At-Home Tools

FOREO makes great home devices. My favourite is its Luna 3 Cleansing Brush. I would recommend adding this into any cleansing routine – no matter the skin type. I also love the FOREO Bear and the FaceGym Pro for toning and firming muscles in the face.”

Make-Up Must-Haves

“Victoria Beckham Satin Kajal Liner in Cocoa is always in my make-up bag, as is Charlotte Tilbury’s Foxy Brown Lip Cheat Liner and Pillow Talk Intense Lipstick. I can’t live without my Puromist product either as it keeps my skin clear, hydrates it and is also a natural disinfectant – which is good as I’m a clean freak. I love the Rose Inc Cream Blush in Foxglove, as well as Huda Beauty’s Legit Lashes Mascara.” 

Haircare Favourites

“I am a creature of habit, so my haircare products are things I’ve used for years. I love L’Oréal’s Tecni.ART Pli Spray and Elnett hairspray, which I think everyone has used at some point. I always keep Oribe’s texture spray nearby, as well as Kérastase Elixir Ultime Rose Hair Oil. I use Inanch’s Gold Class Shampoo. I used to have hair extensions and I’ve been using the shampoo since then as I loved it so much for its ability to hydrate and soften.”

Downtime Details

“Downtime isn’t something I get much of, but I want to learn to meditate – I haven’t mastered it yet. I struggle to switch off because nowadays our phones give us access to everything at any time, so I am trying to read more and get into a good TV series. I just finished Yellowstone and loved it so much – I want to become a cowboy and live on a ranch. I love to get away too. Thailand is my favourite place. I don’t know what it is, but it’s the only place I’ve ever been able to truly disconnect. Finally, I am good at taking supplements and having drips. I use Effect Doctors and Nutrizen for the latter. I also have sessions with my friend James Davies who is an incredible osteopath – he has helped relieve my tension and stress.” 

Desert Island Product

“The sun is one of the worst things for your skin. I avoid damage from it at all costs, so a desert island essential would be a shipment of La Roche Posay’s SPF50++. I don’t want to be wrinkled and sun damaged when I’m rescued. If I could have two more things, it would be Kérastase’s Elixir Ultime Rose Hair Oil to keep my hair conditioned and shiny, then finally Pärla Toothpaste Tabs. I am obsessed with oral hygiene and I could never not clean my teeth.” 

For bookings & appointments with Nilam, visit DermaSpa.co.uk 

Get more beauty advice & skin tips by following @NilamHolmes on Instagram.


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