As Royal Ascot enjoyed a day of glorious British sunshine, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, quietly demonstrated exactly how to adapt your beauty routine for warmer weather. Looking fresh-faced and radiant, the royal showcased one simple summer makeup swap that can help create a more youthful-looking complexion in your 60s, and it’s a one the beauty experts approve of, too.
Sophie looked incredible as ever as she enjoyed Ladies Day at Ascot, stepping out in a navy blue ensemble and a sleek, side-swept updo. However, here on the GH beauty desk, our eyes were drawn to one thing: Sophie’s glowy, ultra-light base with her natural freckles shining through.
‘Rather than trying to mask her face or hide behind heavy products, Sophie is enhancing her natural features,’ says celebrity makeup artist Ruby Hammer, who’s just as obsessed with the Duchess’s look as we are.
‘A lightweight, sheer base like this acts like a soft-focus veil,’ she says. ‘It blurs imperfections without flattening the face’s natural dimensions.’
‘Heavy foundations can separate and look patchy in the humidity, and are incredibly unforgiving on mature skin,’ explains Ruby. ‘Opt for lightweight skin tints or CC creams,’ she says, namechecking Armani Luminous Silk and Erborian CC Crème as favourites in her kit.
Beyond being flattering on midlife skin, a lighter base feels right for summer, too. ‘For a base like Sophie’s, apply your base gradually. Try building thin layers only in the areas that need evening out (like around the nose or chin).’
She adds, ‘Always remember to enhance, not mask. Going in heavy-handed completely hides the natural vitality of the skin.’
Ruby also notes that the subtle flush of colour on Sophie’s cheeks contributes to her glowing complexion. ‘Blush adds a vital, healthy energy that lifts the entire complexion,’ she explains.
So, alongside swapping out your heavy foundation, she also recommends incorporating a cream or liquid blusher into your routine to keep things seamless. ‘Powder can settle into fine lines,’ she says. ‘A cream formula, like my Ruby Hammer Cheek Colour, adds a hydrating flush. Smile and apply it to the apples of your cheeks, blending upwards and outwards to add a subtle lifting effect.’
Ruby Hammer Ruby Hammer Cheek Colour
Proof that in your 60s and beyond, less is more.
