If you wondered where Louise Redknapp has been since the days of being voted the ‘Sexiest Woman of the Decade’ by FHM in 2004 and gracing the covers of magazines, wonder no more. She’s back with a brand: Wild About Beauty.
I cornered her for a chat and found myself delighted that a woman who is married to a footballer and whose mantelpiece could be littered with accolades celebrating her sex appeal was a girl’s girl, and just as happy to natter away about the benefits of reflexology as she is to don a killer dress to hang out with showbiz – and real – royalty. Here’s what she had to say about beauty, switching off and not being a WAG:
“After having my first son I suffered from pigmentation quite badly and struggled to cover it without looking caked. I needed nourishing makeup which also performed well. That was the starting point of Wild About Beauty and, as anyone who has had a child will understand, my skin looked great during pregnancy, but afterwards bore the brunt. It made sense to develop something which approaches from a more holistic angle. My make-up artist and friend Kim Jacobs also wanted to make something which focussed on the quality of what you put on your face.
Before the Sheer Glow Moisture Tint from the range I struggled to find anything to bridge the gap between day and night. I wanted coverage in the right places and dewy skin without being too glossy or glittery. I like to look golden and fairly neutral so I feel pulled together, and for this the Multi-Purpose Tint has been my hero product from the line for some time – I use it in ‘Lynne’ during the day and ‘Sandra’ during the evening. My look doesn’t massively change from day to night – I tend to just intensify it with a little more eyeliner, so the Eyeshadow Pencil Duos have been quite handy, too.
In terms of grooming I also like a simple routine and am not someone who believes in using tonnes and tonnes of products. I’m allergic to fake tan, so achieving glowing, healthy skin is a focus – I use a Dr Frances Prenner Jones face wash and then Dr. Hauschka’s Rose Day Cream, which I love as it never irritates my skin and you can put your make-up on straight over it. I’m really lucky as I don’t need to visit spas for treatments as my mum is a trained reflexologist. I’ve found it really helps when I have a lot on or am shattered. I also like the comfort of being in my home and the fact that if I’m talking too much mum will tell me to relax and just enjoy it! Finally, I always wash my hair in the morning or I don’t feel ready for the day.
My ultimate girl crush has to be Helena Christensen. She looks so effortless and uncontrived. We live in a world where so many people take such a lot of time to look the way they do and she looks like she is groomed and polished, but naturally beautiful. Despite not everyone looking that good naturally, I think looking well put together is key. It is something I hope Wild About Beauty will help women achieve. I want it to be affordable, achievable make-up looks. This isn’t about plastering my face across every product – I bring my experience of make-up to the range and this is really the first time I’ve found using make-up easy and enjoyable.
I’m really lucky to be married to someone who understands my passion for my chosen career and supports me in my endeavours. Fortunately, when we first met it was before the trendy ‘marry a footballer’ thing – Jamie just happened to play football for a living and I was busy with my music career. We try and avoid the trappings of being a ‘celebrity couple’ and when the door shuts, our family comes first.”