My Beauty Back Catalogue: Lisa Eldridge

When I was six, I found an old box of my mum’s make-up from when she was a teenager at my grandmother’s house. Mary Quant crayons, Coty lipsticks, Elizabeth Arden eyeshadows – I was captivated. I wasn’t even interested in putting any of it on my own face, instead I used the vintage products to supplement my crayons. I loved that you could get all these different textures and effects on paper.

My mum always exuded glamour. No matter what she was doing, she would never be without her signature red lipstick – to this day she’s the same. She also instilled in me the importance of facial massage. When I was growing up, she used to sit down each evening, watch TV and massage her face for ages. At the time I thought it was silly, but then I noticed how beautiful her skin was – and she still looks incredible. I always try to incorporate facial massage into my skincare routine now, even if it’s just for 30 seconds. 

As someone who suffered from acne at a young age, I remember how life-changing it felt when I bought my first-ever make-up product, a Clinique foundation. In my teens, I loved Miss Selfridge’s beauty range. The shade names were so brilliant and tongue-in-cheek, they used to send a catalogue twice a year and it would feature these amazing looks that I would pore over. I was obsessed with the purple mascara.

I used to watch old films and loved the silent movie look. My mum had beautiful, expensive make-up, and occasionally when she was out, I would delve into her collection and recreate these epic silent movie star looks on myself. I’d walk around the house and then quickly take it all off before she came home. 

Make-up isn’t just about looking good when you’re a teenager, it’s about finding your tribe and who you identify with. There’s rebellion in make-up at that age; it might not be perfect or pretty, but it’s a reflection of how you feel on the inside when you’re finding out who you are. Growing up is one giant learning curve, and make-up can help with that.

As a young make-up artist in the 90s, I could see the glamour of the 80s was beginning to look dated. Every generation wants to reject what’s come before – we wanted real skin and lived-in make-up. It was about creating something that felt fresh and made a statement, and this ran through every cultural channel you can imagine. From music, (Nirvana), to fashion (Marc Jacobs at Perry Ellis). It was the first time in history that make-up had been so pared back, stark and, at times, brutal.

I was first inspired to create my own beauty line while working on a Teen Vogue shoot. I stuck actual fabric onto the model’s lips, the images came out incredible and have remained iconic. One of the shots which saw red velvet stuck to the model’s lips served as the inspiration behind my first-ever product launch, True Velvet Lip Colour, a velvety, long-wearing matte lipstick. It’s still one of my all-time favourite looks.

If I could go back in time, I’d tell my younger self to wear more sunscreen. Thankfully I think I’ve gotten away with it, but I would travel to hot countries all over the world and just put SPF on in the morning and not reapply it throughout the rest of the day. I got a bit of a wake-up call when I was working in an architect’s office (to make a little money on the side of being a make-up artist) and came back from a holiday, so proud of my tan. The company secretary, an absolutely beautiful Norwegian lady, took one look at me and said: “A tan lasts three weeks, but the wrinkles will last forever.” Harsh delivery, but her words have certainly stayed with me.

I don’t believe there are any products you should avoid just because you’re a certain age. For example, I don’t subscribe to the old trope that you can’t wear shimmer over the age of 40. If you prefer to avoid glitter, you could opt for a subtle shimmer to still give you that flattering light-reflective quality. I recommend cream textures for a fresh look, but you shouldn’t let your age dictate your choices.

For a party look, you can’t go wrong with a hint of sparkle. To keep things modern and chic, let one shimmering embellishment be the focal point of your look and keep the rest minimal. For instance, I love wearing a soft, sparkling eye with a my-lips-but-better nude lip and clean, fresh-looking skin. This will stop the rest of your make-up from looking like it’s competing with your sparkly statement.

Another look I love that feels more offbeat, slightly cooler than Christmas clichés, is a vampy, gothic lip. A slick of blackcurrant teamed with clean skin and a dash of mascara feels fresh and cool, while still giving you that bit of drama.

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