Isamaya Ffrench is the rule-breaking make-up artist who has built a global name for herself as one of the most exciting, experimental and singular creatives in the beauty industry. This winter sees the release of her second Isamaya beauty collection – Wild Star – a glittering homage to the cowgirl. Here, Isamaya Ffrench gives us an insight into her own beauty routine, sharing her skincare secrets and must-have products.
Yee-ha! Isamaya Ffrench’s second Isamaya beauty collection, the cowgirl-inspired Wild Star, is set to be a glittering, galloping success. The five-piece capsule is a vision of vibrant pinks and blues, feminine nudes and shimmering metallics, that captures the vivacity, glamour and the spirit of the natural world. There’s a Wild Star Pressed Pigment Palette; A LuckyKiss Diamond Lip Glow Lipstick and a Spur Stick Suede Lip Liner, both in three shades (Bluff, Outlaw and Buck); Dazzle Up Highlighter; and the Lash Lasso Lash Wrap Mascara.
“My Wild Star Collection features everything you need for a rodeo-glam look: glimmering eyes, fluttery lashes, glistening skin, and dazzling lips,” explains Ffrench. With a campaign shot by photographer Steven Klein, this is a collection designed to embody glitz and kitsch – and it will no doubt fly off the shelves. Forever inspirational, here Isamaya Ffrench opens up about her own skincare regime, make-up bag must-haves and the London beauty and wellness experts she swears by.
My every day, off-duty beauty look is very low-key. I don’t wear any foundation – when it comes to my skin, I’m not really hung up on imperfections. I like to feel fresh and let my skin breathe; luminosity is important to me. I use Dr Sebagh Luminous Glow Cream (£76), which gives skin a really gorgeous glowing effect. I’ll always wear a minimum SPF30 no matter what time of the year to avoid any sun damage. La Mer The SPF 50 UV Protecting Fluid (£95) is a super-lightweight formulation.
My skincare regime starts with a vitamin C serum, such as Skin 111 Vitamin C Brightening Booster (£100), as it’s a great antioxidant and anti pollutant. I massage it in with a cryo tool from the freezer to tighten and wake up the skin, before applying a moisturiser such as Doublebase (£9.99). It’s an emollient cream that’s often used to treat eczema, so it’s really good for strengthening the skin barrier. At night, I’ll deep cleanse with Eve Lom’s Cleansing Balm (£90), which smells amazing, and Face Halo Pads (£7). I use Retinol about three times a week – my favourites are Medik8 R-Retinoate Intense Cream (£229) and 111Skin’s Retinol Oil (£165). If I had to pick just one skincare brand for everything, I’d go for Skinceuticals, because its products actually work. All of its serums are brilliant.
Not that many people know you need to warm up your skin before applying make-up. I make sure to spend time doing this when I’m prepping skin for a shoot, as make-up always sets and sits better on warm skin. First, I’ll start with a really good cleanse and exfoliate, especially around the nose and lips, as this is often where you’ll find dry skin. I’ll add a layer of my Triple Hyaluronic Glow Serum (£60), which gives intense levels of hydration and makes skin look much healthier and do some facial massage with a Chinese tool, plus some lymphatic drainage to get rid of any excess fluid.
For me, it’s all about the eyes. I always do a little eyeliner flick and lots of mascara – I’m addicted to mascara, which is why I knew I had to include one in my first drop of products. I really wanted one that stretched and curled your lashes, so the Rubberlash Mascara (£35) has a film former in it that lifts the lashes. It also has three levels of pigment, so you get a really intense black. I’ve been using Revitalash Eyelash Conditioner (£129) for a while – it has made my eyelashes grow so much. Eyelash curlers are a must before mascara – Kevyn Aucoin (£17) makes the best ones.
For an instant beauty fix, just add a small amount of concealer around your chin and the outer eye area. Women tend to get a lot of darkness around their chins due to hormones, so that’s where you should target as it really lifts the face. I don’t like too much concealer under the eye as it makes the face look flat. Always use concealer very sparingly with a small brush to gradually cover blemishes. It’s actually much better on the outer corner as it lifts the eye. Laura Mercier Secret Concealer (£25) is my go-to.
When it comes to taking care of my own skin, there are two people I trust. Jasmina Vico is the best facialist in London. I go to her clinic in Fitzrovia for her incredible bespoke Vico Glow facial treatments and laser to stimulate collagen production – the results are long-term, visible and so satisfying. Jasmina is high-tech, but holistic – your skin is glowing for weeks after a visit. I also go to Dr Brian Fu for microneedling and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, which basically involves blood extraction and then injecting your plasma back into the skin to repair and rejuvenate it.
NAD+ therapy is the one wellness treatment I swear by. When I need an extra boost, I’ll get an NAD+ IV drip. NAD+ is what your cells need in order to function at their best – it helps with mental clarity and brain fog, as well as increasing your energy and metabolism and fighting the physical effects of ageing. I always notice a huge difference after doing it.
When it comes to my signature scent, I like strong, earthy fragrances. I adore patchouli and tobacco – I’m not a floral person. I’ve just discovered Queer Magic by Urania’s Children & The Heavenly Garden (£85) who make beautiful but very unusual perfumes. I also love Undergrowth by Rook Fragrances (£99), which literally smells like soil. That’s the kind of scent I’m drawn to.
The beauty mantra I live by is… Sleep. It solves everything. It really does. And I need a lot more of it! You can immediately see it on someone’s face if they haven’t had enough sleep. A good 12 hours at night will sort you out better than any face cream ever could.
The Wild Star collection is available to pre-order now at; isamaya.co.uk
