The Beauty Cabinet: Amy Elgar

Amy Elgar, Freelance Make-up Artist 

"I never go out without wearing my favourite perfume, Molecules, by Geza Schoen. It combines with your natural pheromones to create a perfume that is your own bespoke scent. I thought it was a total crock before I tried it but I've now been wearing it for years and I still get people asking me what I am wearing all the time. A word of warning though - it never gets less creepy when complete strangers openly try to sniff you.

Because Molecules is such a subtle fragrance you can layer it with others if you wish. I like to wear it with The Beautiful Mind: Intelligence and Fantasy, also by Geza Schoen. I read an article where he said that the fragrance is designed to remind you that "a smart woman is a sexy woman." I love that quote almost as much as I love the perfume itself.

My skincare routine consists of the following: I cleanse both morning and evening with Cetaphil because it’s gentle and not too fragrant. Quite possibly the best thing I have discovered in the past year is the Clarisonic. MAC senior artist Fatima Thomas put me on to it and I will forever be indebted to her. My skin has really changed for the better since I’ve been using it.

The rest of my routine consists of Estee Lauder Idealist Illuminator serum in the morning, and Advanced Night Repair serum in the evening. I also use Advanced Night Repair Eye Recovery Complex. I didn't used to care about my skin care, but as I get older it has become more and more important to slow down the wrinkles before I resort to Botox!

With make-up, less is more in my books. Having said that, I still have about 34 lipsticks in my bag that I carry around on a daily basis, 'just in case'. I’m not sure what emergency situation would require me to have so many different shades of lipstick!

I love a good strong lip colour. My current favourites are MAC Candy Yum Yum, and OCC Lip Tar in Hoochie, but I change all the time. I've had Candy Yum Yum for ages but have only started wearing it recently. 

My everyday products are all MAC: Strobe Creme, Spiked brow pencil, Haute and Naughty mascara, Mineralise blush in Giddy, and Mineralise Skinfinish. These are the products that I don't leave the house without wearing.

I don't colour my hair because I'm too lazy to maintain it. I do love Kevin Murphy products because they do what they say they will, the packaging is super cute and they also smell divine. My wonderful hairdresser, Bex Brent from Willis York, put me on to his stuff and I've never looked back. 

I have been moving around and travelling a lot recently so my make-up cabinet is totally portable at the moment. And all this travel has really made me assess what the real necessities are. And apparently that involves a sonic cleansing system and over 34 lipsticks!"

Photos of Amy by Guy Coombes