Siddhartha is a make-up artist and just back from a lovely vacation. After a pretty busy period of two weeks in Copenhagen with Ilse de Lange (indeed, the Song Festival), the fashion shows in New York, Milan, and Paris where she worked backstage for Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler, Chanel, and Céline, and beautiful editorials for various magazines, that vacation was well-deserved. And now she is back and shares beauty tips and tricks with us.
Morning ritual
“I can't start the day without coffee and a glass of lukewarm water. Additionally, I tore my ankle ligaments in January during Fashion Week. Painful, and as a result, it’s quite stiff in the morning, so I have to do exercises to loosen everything up. Now that I'm at it, I've decided to add 20 push-ups and 90 seconds of planking. After that, I dry brush my skin completely with a dry brush. Not every morning, because it is a bit of work, but I've been trying to do it more often lately. After the brushing ritual, I take a shower and always finish with cold water. After such a cold shower, I feel completely refreshed, and cold water is also good for firm skin, against cellulite, and good for circulation. I cleanse my face with a mousse from SoPhyto, which smells very pure and is natural with olive leaf, and the Clarisonic. After cleansing, I apply a serum from Susanne Kaufmann to my face. I discovered it in Copenhagen, and it is a natural brand that makes your skin glow immediately. The hydrating mask from the same brand is also very nice, smells good, and is very soft.”
Makeup
“For myself, I don't use many make-up products. What I always do is brush my eyebrows up with the gel from Anastasia so they are well-shaped. Additionally, I always curl my lashes and apply a bit of lip balm on my eyes and cheekbones. Depending on how fresh I feel when I wake up, I might choose the lipstick in the color Ruby Woo from MAC Cosmetics. It’s a color that is not orange, not pink, but really blood red. The color looks good on everyone, is matte, no one gets yellow teeth from it, and it gives an instant radiant look. With such a color, you always look classy.”
Red carpet essential
“I find it important that attention is paid to the skin. And by attention, I mean a radiant, glowy, and healthy skin. You should have a fresh appearance and not create a caked effect. What often works to achieve that is the Strobe Cream from MAC Cosmetics. It has a beautiful pearlescent shine that gives you instant glow. Of course, you don’t want that all over your face, but with foundation or concealer, you can cover certain spots. What also works is to do a stimulating facial massage beforehand, which also gives you a nice glow. I often do that with Ilse when she has had many performances or has slept poorly.”
Favorite brands
“I really enjoy working with MAC Cosmetics. In terms of colors, they have such beautiful and deep pigments, and the texture of the eyeshadows is nice. For the base, I use different brands like Dermacolor, Armani, and Laura Mercier. The Secret Camouflage from the latter is a great product.”
Eyebrows or lashes
“On the street, I look at eyebrows faster than at lashes. I usually find eyebrows more important. Not necessarily that they need to be filled in, but they should look well-groomed. If I see a few hairs hanging down, I immediately get the urge to comb them.”
Million Dollar Tip
“The Clarisonic facial cleanser. It’s very good because it really polishes the skin. With this, you no longer have to deal with dry flakes or a dull layer on your face. By cleansing well, you get baby-soft skin. Baby skin glows, and as a result, you look cleaner, more awake, and prettier. Additionally, a well-cleansed skin is a good base for make-up. If you have really cleansed well and are blessed with beautiful skin, a base is hardly necessary.”
Favorite perfume
“From Maison Martin Margiela, I love the scent Replica Beach Walk. The description is a sunkissed salty skin. It’s a scent that can be compared to a day at the beach where you’ve lain on the beach, swum, dried off, swum again, and applied sunscreen. That combination is so nice. Especially in winter.”
Undiscovered beauty product
“Vaseline or lip balm. It doesn’t matter what kind of grease. Many people often only apply it to their lips, but you can also put a bit on the moving eyelid or the cheekbones. Your skin then looks nice, and you get a beautiful glow.”
Never leave home without
“I won’t leave the house without an eyelash curler because I’m really addicted to it. I have straight lashes naturally, and if I don’t curl them, I have those sleepy eyes. Curling gives everyone an alert and awake look. I recently didn’t have it with me and immediately ran to Etos to buy one. Normally, I have it from Kevin Aucoin.”
The look of Ilse
“With Ilse, I find it important to make her lashes really jet black. She is a blonde, and her lashes are also blonde, so if I don’t make them black enough, she can come off a bit pale. Additionally, I always use a nice blush and a lot of glow on the face. She has a beautiful porcelain-like skin that you can enhance in a fitting way. I always add that glow to everyone because it looks so nice and fresh.
