Nicole Smallwood

“I love my job! There, I said it. I’m currently working as a fashion and celebrity stylist in London’s hectic fashion industry but I’ve been fortunate enough to work with a variety of exciting clients and companies from the very beginning. After graduating I spent 10 years working for Marie Claire Magazine as a stylist, and latterly as the face of Marie Claire TV. I took on a number of T.V. roles following on from MCTV, even working with Mary Portas on the launch of her clothing range teaching her staff how to become stylists.

Working in the Fashion industry means I now have cupboards full of amazing lotions and potions, but I’m definitely not a snob when it comes to beauty products. The first product I ever bought was a Clinique pressed powder. I don’t wear it anymore but I grew up watching my Mum use Clinique so it was an obvious choice. Like any young girl I loved playing with my Mum’s make up and this meant I saw what pressed powder could do. I’ve always had freckles and really hated them when I was younger so it was the perfect product to dumb them down a little. I’ve moved on to fake tan and bronzer these days and I now use MAC loose powder instead of a pressed one but my love affair was great while it lasted.

I have a rather unique relationship with foundation, I’ve only started wearing it in the last few years because I’ve never felt the need for it before. I love Lancome Teint Miracle foundation. It’s so fine – not quite a tinted moisturiser but also not as heavy as standard foundation.

It’s important for me to be able to transform my look from day to night with relative ease, this is where MAC Glitter comes in handy. I sweep some of this over my eyelids and I’m ready to go. I use Eve Lom Kiss Mix lip balm to fix the glitter in place, it works perfectly and it’s something I always have in my handbag.

A little-known product I think everyone should discover is Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre. It’s not widely available in the UK, but if you try hard enough you can find it – I always stock up when I’m visiting Paris, it’s so much cheaper. Nearly every makeup artist I have come across has a tube of Creme Concentre in their kit bag, it’s a bit of a wonder product. It doesn’t look much from the outside but I can’t tell you how great it is. You can use it as a primer, makeup remover, after-shave balm, or just a moisturiser, it really is a fabulous product and one of my favourites.

One product I’m definitely happy to spend a little more on is Creme de la Mer Lip Balm. A friend recommended the serum to help heal some scars, and then I fell in love with the balm! It’s the most affordable thing from the whole range and is 100% the best one I’ve ever used.

Makeup and skincare can be a minefield but I’ve been lucky enough to pick up almost everything I know from makeup artists, and shoots I’ve worked on – like I said, I love my job!”

If you want to know what Nicole carries around with her day-day, take a peek in her handbag…

Photo courtesy of Sabrina at ‘A Little Obsessed’