Saving face

GROOMING: An actor, a fashion designer and a stylist discuss their grooming routines with ROSEMARY MAC CABE.

Heidi Higgins, fashion designer

I start my day by washing my face with water and putting on moisturiser. I use Johnson’s Daily Essentials Day Cream. I also use La Roche-Posay SPF in 50+.

Generally, I use Dior make-up. I use Natural Glow Foundation, and then a matte powder, Skin Nude Powder on top of it, and Blush in Strawberry Sorbet. It’s a pinky hue. I use Dior Pencil Eyeliner in Black and then No 7 Dream Lash mascara.

I have a couple of Chanel and Dior lipsticks – I’d wear something with a tint every day. At the moment I’m using Tinted Lip Conditioner by Mac in Petting Pink for a hint of colour, and at night I put on a nice pink or red, and a bit of gloss as well. Dior Addict Ultra Gloss is really nice because it’s matte and really holds the colour.

I wear perfume every day, but I do change them around a bit. I love Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel, and Dior Cherie. Another one I like is Viktor Rolf’s Flowerbomb, and the original Stella McCartney fragrance. I love the shape of the bottle.

I nearly always wear nail polish. I use Dior and Chanel polishes, but I buy No 7 as well. It’s very similar to Dior actually. If I have an occasion coming up I’ll go and get my nails done in Bankz in Portlaoise. It’s where I get my hair done, too.

As a general rule, I take my make-up off every night. I use Dior Cleansing Milk, and Johnson’s night cream. At night time, after my shower, I moisturise from head to toe. I try to do it in the mornings as well, especially in the summer – I think it helps keep my legs looking fresh. I really like the coconut body butter from the Body Shop. Now that I’m wearing dresses all the time, I use Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs, it’s great for a bit of colour. It’s basically foundation, but it just takes the stark look off your legs.

I get my hair cut and coloured every six weeks, and I always buy products from the salon. They have Schwarzkopf products in Bankz, and they last so much longer than other products. I don’t really use styling products, except Elnett hairspray, but if I’m curling my hair I might use a curling product, or a hair mousse from Pantene.

I’ve never had a facial. I went to the Lyrath Hotel in Kilkenny recently and had a mud wrap. It’s very rare that I’d go, though; so when I do go, I feel like it’s more beneficial to give your fully body a chance, rather than concentrating on a small area.

See heidihiggins.com

Rose O’Loughlin, actress

I use Aveeno body wash in the shower. It’s really natural, which I like. Then I use Lush Daddyo shampoo and Aussie 3-Minute Miracle Conditioner. On my face, I use the Eau Thermale Avène range – a cleansing milk, a spray mineral water and a moisturiser. Every second morning, I use Angels on Bare Skin from Lush. It’s like a really gentle exfoliator. It smells of lavender and is really, really gentle. It leaves my skin really soft.

When I first moved to London, where the air is really bad, and the water too, my skin seemed to get quite sensitive and sore, so I wanted to get some natural products. Lush stuff isn’t that expensive, so I went in and got a couple of testers. They’re really good at giving samples.

Most of the time I don’t wear any make-up except mascara – and that can be any mascara, although the one I’m using at the moment is Bourjois – and blush. My friend gave me a Mac eyeshadow that I use as a blusher, I think the shade is Sushi Flower. It looks like a bright pink but goes on really naturally.

When I wear foundation I use Chanel Lumière in the lightest shade. I don’t really use concealer, except for Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat under my eyes. I use a brown eyebrow pencil, and Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick for eyeshadow, as well as for bronzer. I don’t really do liquid eyeliner or smoky eyes, but I do use a blue eyeliner on the rim of my eyes.

I’m really good at taking my make-up off at night. It’s one thing that has really been ingrained on me, somehow. I use Lush Ultra Bland, an oil-based product that you put all over your face and remove with a facecloth. It takes everything off and is really gentle.

On stage, I use a L’Oréal foundation, the Dream Matt Mousse foundation, and powder. Then everything is just upped. Whatever blusher or lipstick you use, you just use more of it. On days off, I don’t wear any, I find that’s best for my skin. And I steam my face every so often. I wish I had the time and money to go for more facials and treatments. I went for a facial once; an ex bought me one as a gift, but it’s the only time I’ve ever been. I’m pretty low maintenance.

Rose O’Loughlin is appearing in The Curse of the Starving Class at the Abbey Theatre from August 27th