The Business of Looking Good
Sharmadean Reid MBE
A champion of working women the world over, Reid is an entrepreneur and author, a creative consultant and the founder of The Stack World – a media company and female-first community. She has established herself as a compelling female figurehead and an influential advocate for women in business.
sharmadeanreid.com
I’m usually Zooming at my desk, so I like to have a one-swipe lip and cheek blush for when I need to freshen up for a call. I love Byredo Lipstick in Worship Her, a gorgeous deep brown that I also dab onto my cheeks as I can sometimes look washed out on calls.
I love the Loewe Tomato Leaves Candle for the scent of nature it delivers while I’m slogging away at my desk. Skye Gyngell told me it was her favourite smell in her greenhouse at Heckfield Place, so I gifted her one.
Lip Balms are an absolute must on my desk as AC really dries me out. I always have a Fenty Beauty Treatz Hydrating + Strengthening Lip Oil, which is halfway between a balm and a gloss, and not sticky but gives a gorgeous shine. I also love a tiny tub (not a tin) of Vaseline, which I can only seem to get at American drug stores.
I am paranoid about bacteria from my filthy keyboard getting on my face so I regularly clean my hands and face with Thayers Rose Petal Facial Mist. I love the iconic design and fresh scent.
I adore masculine scents, which I spray directly onto the skin on my chest. Then, throughout the day, I get a whiff as my body heats up. Right now I’m obsessed with the new Le Labo Eucalyptus 20 fragrance, but I am also into their Patchouli 24.
Anya Hindmarch
A founder, author and CEO, Dame Anya is globally renowned for the chic and witty accessories she produces with her eponymous brand. A true force of nature, she balances business life with multiple advisory roles, from emeritus trustee of the Royal Academy of Arts and the Design Museum to Greenpeace ambassador.
Anyahindmarch.com
I don’t carry that much with me day to day, but my Anya Hindmarch Logo Make-Up Pouch is great to keep on my desk. It’s got a pocket to keep my brushes separate and plenty of space for all my favourite products.
I love Gucci Westman’s makeup – especially this Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick. It’s compact to carry around, easy to use, and it looks and feels very light and natural.
Jones Road Mascara is a makeup bag essential for me.
The Mason Pearson Popular Hairbrush is the best there is, and I love the fact that it’s made entirely from plane, apple and beech trees originating from London squares.
Santa Maria Novella is an exquisite perfumery in Florence, one of the oldest shops in the city I think. Everything is beautiful, but I particularly love the fresh and floral Rosa Gardenia Eau De Cologne for summer.
Céline Talbaza
Businesswoman Céline is the CEO of Noble Panacea, the luxury beauty brand she co-designed with chemistry Nobel prize winner Sir Fraser Stoddard. Their mission? To use revolutionary technology, ground-breaking green science and ethical innovation to create exceptional skincare.
Noblepanacea.com
Fueguia 1833’s La Joven Noche is my favorite fragrance. I discovered the brand during an escape to Jose Ignacio in Uruguay, and I’ve kept on replenishing since then. The brand is from Patagonia and is built around paying tribute to scientific exploration. You know how I much I love science!
My best ally in the drive to wake up to healthy, gorgeously plump skin is The Exceptional Chronobiology Sleep Mask by Noble Panacea. Used once or twice a week, it works in sync with your skin’s biorhythm, releasing potent actives in sequence throughout the whole night. That is the ultimate beauty sleep!
The beauty of the skin is highly dependent on hormonal balance, and cortisol is certainly one to watch out for in our busy lives. I make sure I keep my cortisol in check with Electra supplements by Superlativa – a brand founded by women in business for women in business.
I use sauna and lymphatic-drainage massage on top of dry brushing and gua sha as often as I can. I am very diligent, and I make a point to include these skincare workouts in my schedule (on top of fitness workouts) – they reduce fluid retention and make your skin glow. After this routine, I rely on a LOT of water with fresh ginger, which I load into my LARQ Filtered Flip Top bottle.
I love the discreet rosy sheen I get from Rose Hermès Rosy Lip Glossy Enhancer, and the packaging is just sublime. Hermès is a brand that reminds me of my childhood and I always keep it in my handbag for this reason.
Daisy Knatchbull
A fashion designer, entrepreneur and brand founder, Daisy became the only women’s tailor to have a shopfront on the traditionally male Savile Row with her eponymous label Knatchbull. A committed cheerleader for female founders, she is also the editor in chief of Kultura magazine, the voice of modern entrepreneurial women.
Everyone feels better with a tan, and Chanel Les Beiges Bronzing Cream gives me that sun-kissed glow all year round. I tend to prefer a more natural makeup look and I am always on the go, so this is the perfect desk-side essential for me.
With hydration being so key to glowing skin (amongst its other benefits), I am really trying to get better at drinking water. So I got this gargantuan 1.8L Chilly’s Water Bottle in an effort to help me!
HPA Lanolin Nipple Cream is not what you think! I swear by this lip balm, especially during the harsh winters that we have here in England, and this is my beauty hack to avoid dry lips. Don't knock it until you’ve tried it!
Nothing makes my office feel more calm than the scent of a Diptyque Baies Classic Candle as it burns. It creates the most heavenly atmosphere, bringing a little bit of home to the office (and we always have them burning in my store, too!).
My absolute favourite smell is Dominique Ropion’s Carnal Flower Eau de Parfum by Editions Frederic Malle. I do one spritz in the morning, and it lasts me all day. It’s such a fresh but familiar fragrance, and people always comment when I wear it!
Wendy Rowe
An internationally renowned makeup and wellness expert, and a published author, Wendy has collaborated with a roll-call of top-tier brands, working across every sphere from product development to creative direction. She’s a red-carpet favourite with the A-list, and her skills as a makeup artist have as seen her collaborate with the world’s finest photographers, publications and fashion brands.
Wendyrowe.com
Sarah Champman Skinesis Skin Insurance SPF 30 is the ultimate glow-up secret – delivering radiance, protection and a flawless finish, all in one. Perfect if you're into fresh, healthy-looking skin with a no-makeup makeup vibe. Effortless, natural and totally skin-loving!
The 111Skin Y Theorem Bio Cellulose Facial Mask is your skin’s ultimate rehab – whether it’s post-laser, post-treatment, or just post-long-day. This soothing, healing mask is a must-have for stressed-out skin, bringing it back to life with serious TLC.
Santa Maria Novella is Italian fragrance royalty – the brand behind 800 years of pure chic. If you haven’t tried it yet, you’re missing out. Their Acqua della Regina Eau de Cologne is an absolute classic. And now it’s available in the perfect travel size, so you can take that timeless elegance anywhere. Plus, it’s all sustainably produced – from ingredients to packaging. Luxe, but with a conscience.
Westman Atelier’s Sun Tone Bronzing Drops are faux-glow perfection: the formula is flawless, the size is perfect, and you get fresh, sun-kissed skin in seconds. No sunbathing required! Bonus: It works on hands too, so everything matches.
The LYMA Laser works wonders – it lifts, helps with sun damage, and fits into any schedule (5-to-30 minutes, your call). Plus, zero downtime means you’re instantly glowy, lifted and ready for anything. Who knew great skin could be this easy?
Rose Ferguson
One of the original ’90s Britpack supermodels, Rose stepped away from the camera to become a nutritionist and functional medical practitioner. A global wellness expert for Dior Beauty, she is a published author and the founder of The R Heath Club, an online holistic health community. It’s a wellbeing resumé that has seen her crowned The Queen of The Reset. Roseferguson.com
Night or day, Ilia’s Lip Wrap Overnight Mask is a great lip treatment and I use to it keep my lips from drying out while I am working. I am a lip-biter, and this stops them peeling!
Orveda is one of my all-time favourite brands. I do the whole Youth Glove Protocol with its trio of products when I have time, and use the hand cream throughout the day when I don’t.
I love Shane Cooper’s Hyaluronic Mist. I use it between patients to give a little refresh to my skin – it works wonders.
I drink herbal tea all day, every day. My flask is never far away when I am at my desk. The one I use isn’t made any more, but I’ve found another similar option – the Cole Thermos from Nordic Nest – which I like the look of!
I am not a massive makeup person, but I do like the Rhode Peptide Lip Shape contouring lip shaper in the soft, peachy shade called Bend. I use it with my lip balm daily ATM.
