Beauty country style

When Sarah embarked on two-centre living – London and Dorset - in the early Noughties, she discovered the country code had cosmetic nuances she’d never dreamed of. Here’s her account of coming to terms with it, which was first published in a recent edition of a lovely glossy called Country & Town House.

I fancied I was fitting in just fine. I had horses, I wore wellies, I made jams and chutneys. Then I discovered I was best known in my west Dorset village for the fact my wellies sported leopard spots and I had been seen wearing not just lipstick but also – sharp intake of breath – mascara…. In the daytime! On the way to feed my horses.

That town-y behaviour invariably elicited ribbing of the ‘Off to tea with the Queen, are we?’ variety, which is almost impossible to respond to wittily. I tended to blush and make excuses about my Arab horse being a terrible show off – he prances at the click of a shutter – so I felt I had to live up to his looks. (Actually, having seen some of the maquillage on the hunting field – positively Shocking pink lippy paired with an unbridled sweep of blue eye shadow, for example – that didn't seem unreasonable.)

In my case, however, the explanation was more prosaic. After a decade of writing about beauty, primping my face in the morning was as automatic as boiling the kettle. But as I became acclimatised to country living – and a tad fed up with the jokes - I realised that, just as my gumboots needed to change their spots, so I should adapt my take on everyday make up.

It’s not just the people and the scenery that are different to urban living, you need to consider the elements from rain, cold and wind to sun and open fires - and the light; yes, it’s cleaner which is great for skin but it’s also clearer, brighter and more revealing.

Then there was something that had never occurred to me. In deep country like this, you’re surrounded by the lush innocence of Big Nature where a more natural look is not only prettier but also somehow more fitting. (During the daytime anyway; at night I reserve the right to go the full Joanna Lumley if I feel like it.)

So what to do? Given that I definitely need a bit of cosmetic first aid, mainly to even out my skin tone and give me a bit of colour, going totally au naturel was never an option. The trick, I’ve discovered over the years, is to use products that give a barefaced look with no obvious enhancement save a slick of rosy lip balm (to salve those wind-chafed lips) – but the real story is just a little different.

·  First, take good care of the basics. Like well fitting undies, looking after your skin – ditto hair – is imperative. While lack of pollution and general dampness are skin positives, against those are ranged rawness, winds and sometimes – hallelujah! – sunlight. On my bathroom shelf currently are staples from Balance Me; I love this sister-owned, natural British brand – their Tri-Molecular Hyaluronic Acid, £30 for 30 ml, is a godsend for dry mature skin. 

·  For luxe, Romilly Wilde skincare, developed over five years by elegant country dweller Susie Willis, is super effective and proudly 100 per cent free of synthetic chemicals. The Light+Energy Serum Cleanser, £54 for 100 ml, is a revelation, melding cleanser and treatment (leave it on for a bit and marvel at your skin’s plumptiousness).

·  An effective sun prep is non-negotiable obviously – unless you like your skin peppered with pigmentation. For summer, iS Clinical Eclipse SPF50+ Translucent mineral sunscreen £32 for 100 g, is ultra sheer and water resistant, formulated specifically for outdoorsy-types. Late autumn and early spring, I like NEOM Organics Ultimate Calm SPF30 Moisturiser, £40 for 50 ml, with a twist of Balance Me Gradual Tanning Drops, £30 for 30 ml.

Now for the real bamboozling bit!

· Tinted moisturiser can give you a dewy even skin tone and many have just enough coverage to blur blemishes. My go-tos are our two Beauty Bible Award winners. Erborian CC Crème SPF25, £18 for 15 ml, which magically adjusts to your individual skin tone; CC stands for Complexion Corrector and it does just that. Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer SPF15, £68 for 50g, in five shades, earned glowing reviews from our testers ‘for a fresh-looking “no make up” finish that looks much better and more natural than most foundations’.

· Concealer is my superhero product, particularly for those dark violet nooks by the inner corners of my eyes. I like Clinique Beyond Perfecting Super Concealer Camouflage + 24 Hour Wear, in 18 shades; it’s waterproof, easy to blend, works on dark bits, brown patches and thread veins. Dot it on with a teeny brush (a little paint brush does nicely), leave it for a few seconds then blend in with your little finger. You can see our other Beauty Bible Award winners on our website.

 · Back to that mascara thing: to my amazement, I have pretty well given up wearing it for daytime both in country and now town because I mostly look better - kind of fresher - without it. If I had pale lashes though I might be tempted to have them dyed at a reputable salon.

· What makes the real difference is brightening my eye area. So, concealer in the violet nooks and under eyes if necessary, plus evening out my upper lids with the brilliant Perricone MD No Eyeshadow Eyeshadow, £29, which truly looks as if your lids are bare.

·  If my eyes have disappeared (late night or whatever), using a really fine brush to do teeny tiny dots of liquid eyeliner right down at the base of the lashes brings them up again. (Not inside the waterline if you value your sight, whatever the make up artists say). Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner, £20, ticks all the boxes.

· A pop of blush lifts the whole face. Gel and cream versions look really natural - as if you’ve just come back from a seaside walk (or ride) and are pretty goof-proof to apply. Rimmel’s Jelly Blush is a real Beauty Steal at just £7.99. More pricey but longer lasting is Clinique Chubby Stick Cheek Colour Balm, £21. 

These blushers are handy to smoosh on lips as well but, ideally, I keep a Lanolips Tinted Balm SPF30, £7.99, in every bag and pocket; in three pretty tints – Rose, Rhubarb and Perfect Nude – they really could take me to tea with the Queen.

Photo by Mariana Proença on Unsplash

Prize Draws