Written by Hanna Ibraheem
Welcome to Stylist’s Pretty Damn Good, a weekly series in which different women share the one product – across hair care, skincare, make-up, body and fragrance – that remains a forever staple in their beauty routines.
Within the world of make-up, there are so many talented artists with seriously impressive credentials and Lans Nguyen-Grealis sits among the top of the list.
Born in Ireland, Nguyen-Grealis studied fashion at the prestigious Central Saint Martins before teaching herself how to do make-up. She then began pursuing a career in as a make-up artist. Nguyen-Grealis quickly became a regularly name at London Fashion Week shows and soon started contributing her skills to countless editorial shoots on publications, including Stylist. She has also worked with some of beauty’s biggest names, such as Tom Ford, Burberry, Kryolan and L’Oreal.
Over the years, she has gone on to win countless awards and has a reputation for being able to deliver fresh, creative and daringly out of the box make-up looks that look beautiful – just take a look at her Instagram page. She also appeared as a guest judge on BBC’s make-up artistry show Glow Up, where the contestants worked backstage at a fashion show in a bid to impress Nguyen-Grealis.
Nguyen-Grealis, who is based in London, is also an author, having written Art and Make-Up in 2015 and, more recently, ProMakeup Design Book in 2019. And she isn’t stopping there: Nguyen-Grealis is currently working on two exciting projects (watch this spacE) – all while expecting her second child. It’s fair to say she’s very busy.
So as an expert in beauty, what does a powerhouse like Nguyen-Grealis rely on day-to-day to make her routine as easy as can be? Here, she tells us about the one product she can’t go without.
“The beauty product I cannot live without is Egyptian Magic’s All Purpose Skin Cream, £30. I discovered it over 10 years ago, when a friend of mine mentioned in conversation that it was brilliant for dry skin, so I had to try it.
“I tried it first on my chapped lips and was instantly hooked, thanks to the way it instant absorbed into the skin and its visible results. It didn’t sting or smell and also, it’s texture was easy to work with. I’ve been using it ever since.
“I love it because it’s an all-purpose natural skin cream. It really does the trick for so many things and I actually use it everyday in my job as a make-up artist. It’s like having a mini skin expert in my pocket – and I like that there is a small travel pocket size as well as a bigger size.
“There’s so many ways that I have been able to use it. For myself, I use it to moisturise my skin, especially in the winter when I get lots of dry patches. I love rubbing it around my cuticles and elbows, too. I also like using a bit on my hair to either get a wet look finish for a slick ponytail, tame the fly always or moisturise my dry ends. As it’s a very light textured product it doesn’t weight it down and a little goes a long way.
“To me, it so important to have comfort in knowing that by using this product, I can solve all these little skin dilemmas all year round.
“On set or for my clients, I often can use it as a moisturiser and primer. I massage it onto their skin to really help the formula to absorb and plump the skin. It gives a lovely glow and dewy finish.
“I also use it to prep their lips or as a subtle balm over a lip tint for a beautiful no make-up, make-up look.If I want more of a shine on the skin, I tap it onto the cheekbones and warm it between my hands before applying it to collar bones, hands and body. Often, I will mix with a light liquid highlighter to give extra dimension or a shimmering product if I want a more reflective finish.
“I even like to use it through the brows for hold and on eyelids. I tap the it onto the centre of eyelids to give it a wet, glossy look. If I’m doing a creative make-up look, I will take more product and create a wet finish over a dark smoky eye for an oil slick grungy vibe.
“For those with dry or blemish-prone skin, make sure you give the product a little bit of time to absorb before adding your make-up on top, especially around the under eyes and chapped lips.
“Also, it’s brilliant for removing make-up, especially for breaking down stronger pigments. A great all-rounder.”
Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin Cream
Shop Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin Cream at lookfantastic, £30
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Main image: Lan /courtesy of brand
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