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The new beauty rules

New year. New exclusives. New routines.

For 2020, we’re pressing the restart button when it comes to beauty. We’re shaking off our old habits, breaking out of our comfort zones and starting afresh with the truckload of brilliant (and exclusive!) make-up, skincare and fragrances at our disposal. So, how are the Selfridges buyers and editors refreshing their routines for the new year? Here are their new beauty rules…

Charlotte Tilbury – Charlotte Darling Easy Eye Palette (exclusive to Selfridges & Charlotte Tilbury)

 #1. Find ‘The One’  

Any beauty editor will tell you: finding go-to, fail-safe make-up products is an almost impossible task to undertake, especially when they’re swatching, swiping and road-testing the newest arrivals on an almost hourly basis. (It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it…) For Selfridges Beauty Editor Grace Gargini, our exclusive Charlotte Tilbury palette has put a stop to her search for ‘the one’ everyday eyeshadow palette. “This is pretty much everything I’ve been searching for in a classic palette,” says Grace. “Neutral, warm shades that are reliable and versatile, too – and the quality is second to none, making quick Tube journey applications so easy. It’s not left my bag since I got my hands on it.”

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SUQQU - Angled Shader brush, Smudging brush, Blending brush, Blush brush and Face Designing brush (all exclusive to Selfridges)

#2. Make a pledge to buy better

We’re pretty proud of the sustainable steps we’re taking here at Selfridges (if we do say so ourselves). Just recently we removed all single-use make-up wipes from our Beauty Halls (read more about that here) – and we’re not finished yet. As part of our Buying Better, Inspiring Change scheme, we want to ensure that at least 50 per cent of our products are better for people and the planet by 2022. For Selfridges Beauty Buyer Clare Lindridge, making little swaps to your everyday items can make a big difference. “In line with our sustainability values, these SUQQU brushes were redesigned to be made from eco-friendly and super-soft materials, rather than the animal fur they used to contain,” says Clare, highlighting the fact that here at Selfridges we banned fur back in 2005. “It’s the product you know and love, but even better. I really like the smudging eye brush for getting right into the crease of the eye.”

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I’m so excited by the changes I’ve seen to the beauty industry over the last couple years. My hope for 2020 and beyond is that sustainability will just be an everyday, part and parcel part of how beauty brands do business. Planet-conscious beauty? No big deal.

– Grace Gargini, Beauty Editor

Thameen – Peregrina / Maison Francis Kurkdjian – L'eau À La Rose / Atelier Cologne – Love Osmanthus (all exclusive to Selfridges)

#3. Harness the power of perfume

There’s nothing more evocative or nostalgic than fragrance, which is why the spritz of a particularly good scent can change our mood in an instant. Beauty Buying Manager Adella Family firmly believes in building up a fragrance wardrobe that helps to enhance the mood you’re in – or bring you into the mood you want  to be in. (And there’s no time better than a brand-new decade to break out of a fragrance rut and try something new.) “A fragrance like Thameen’s Peregrina is perfect for date night,” says Adella. “It’s seductive and alluring – perfect for steadying any first date nerves. Whereas if you’re heading out for a drink with friends and want to put your busy day behind you with a glass of rosé? That’s where a lighter, fruitier fragrance is better.” Enter stage left: Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s L’eau a la Rose. And for a laid-back, switched-off, ‘…and relax’ state of mind? “Love Osmanthus by Atelier Cologne is a fresh, everyday scent – brilliant for chilling out,” says Adella.

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Pat McGrath – MTHRSHP Sublime Golden Opulence eyeshadow palette - available in store (exclusive to Selfridges)

#4. Take more risks

We hear you – it’s easy to get into a beauty rut with your morning make-up. When time is of the essence, a tried-and-tested beauty routine can be a lifesaver – but this is a new year, and we’re taking ‘new year, new me’ quite literally for 2020. Beauty Buyer Emily Saunders thinks the easiest – and most impactful – way to change things up without having to race against the clock, is to add some sparkle. “Shimmer and glitter are definitely not  just for a night out! My favourite way to wear it is during the day – I pat a strong shade from Pat McGrath’s Golden Opulence palette on top of any eyeshadow, focusing on the centre of the eye.” Got a bit more time on your hands? “A strong liner look is also great – smudge the gold shade from the palette along your upper lash line and flick out at the outer corner.”

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NARS – Afterglow balms (exclusive to Selfridges)

#5. Be OK with less (sometimes)

We love make-up – we really do. It has the power to immediately make us feel comfortable, confident, and ready for anything this crazy thing called life throws our way. But we also know there will be days when we just don’t feel like going through the whole process of a beauty routine, and that’s A-OK too. On days like these, when we’re feeling a bit ‘meh’ (and just need an extra 20 minutes in bed), sometimes all you need is a trusty, and brilliant, lip balm. “NARS’ Afterglow balms are the best for the tiniest hint of a lip colour,” says Selfridges Fashion and Accessories Editor Alicia Walters. “They’re so hydrating, too. And, if later on in the day I feel like I need something extra, I dab a little onto the apple of my cheeks for a bit of blush. Great for almost no-make-up days.”

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IT Cosmetics - Confidence in a cleanser (exclusive to Selfridges)

#5. Go back to basics

Yep, we’re well-versed on how important it is to take our make-up off at the end of the night (much to our sleepy chagrin after a late night out), but something Writer and Editor Anna Heaton wants more of this year is to start treating her skin with a bit more love. “After years of relying on make-up to cover bad skin days, I’m going back to basics,” says Anna. “I’m finding a cleanser that’ll work way harder than just removing the day’s foundation.” It Cosmetics’ Confidence in a Cleanser does just that – it works overtime as a cleanser and serum in one, with anti-ageing collagen and hyaluronic acid to hydrate parched skin. “When my skin’s feeling good, my make-up looks even better.”

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