Interior designer and studio owner Charlotte Bradshaw talks beauty favourites, Irish standouts and longstanding classics
Key beauty staples and cherished favourites I’m never without … “Looking at my shelf, it’s a mix of high-performance science and pure sensory joy. My shelf is curated on a strict ‘must perform’ basis. My Aesop Parsley seed cleanser [€59, at Space NK] I have been using for years – I just love how it melts the day away. Alpha-H Liquid Gold [from €12.06 at Look Fantastic] for the kind of overnight glow that makes you question why you ever bothered with physical scrubs. I’ve been using the dual threat from Estée Lauder –Advanced Night Repair (the classic serum) [€138, at counters nationwide] and the Supercharged Gel-Creme for eyes [€52.84 at Look Fantastic] – since I was in my twenties; it’s like giving my skin a refreshing, anti-ageing nap. Then I top it off with L’Oréal Age Perfect Midnight Cream [€35, at Boots], which I find is just as good as the expensive ones, if not better …”
My best beauty investment … “Surprisingly, it hasn’t cost me a cent – but it has cost me my social life. My best investments are time, sleep and a lack of alcohol. I’ve missed out on a lot of legendary parties because I refuse to negotiate with my eight-hour sleep window. People call it FOMO; I call it preserving my collagen. While everyone else is nursing a hangover, I’m waking up with a headstart and a lack of inflammation that no green juice can mimic.”
What I’m coveting this season … “Crème de la Mer [from €153 at www.dublinandcorkdutyfree.ie]. I am currently in a psychological standoff with a jar of it. I am far too prudent to actually click ‘buy’ myself because the price tag makes me wince. Instead, I’ve strategically placed my empty jar in plain sight on the dressing table, waiting for my husband to notice the void and stage a romantic intervention. It’s not just a cream; it’s a test of his observational skills.”
The loveliest perfume bottle on my dressing table … “On a dressing table, aesthetics are everything, and nothing beats the regal, tasselled elegance of Parfums de Marly [€170 at Brown Thomas]. It looks like something snatched from Marie Antoinette’s private chambers – decadent, heavy and undeniably ‘done.’
My signature home fragrance … “I absolutely love Abd El Kader from Trudon [€95 at Brown Thomas] – it just transports you to somewhere magical, a real luxury. But as we love candles here in the CBI office, my go-to everyday, which is just as exquisite, is Pomelo & Soft Jasmine [€12] by Paul Costelloe’s Living collection for Dunnes stores. It is just beautiful and fills any room full of the scent. The price point doesn’t match the quality – this candle is far superior than its high-street pricetag would have you believe …”
The foundation I swear by … “Haus Labs by Lady Gaga [£42stg at Sephora Belfast]. I will shout this from the rooftops: it is the absolute best foundation I have ever worn in my life. It manages that impossible trick of looking like actual skin while behaving like a professional filter. It stays with me through everything – except, of course, the aforementioned eight hours of sleep.”
Most recent purchase … “My most recent addition is the Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Eyeliner in Copper [€39], a thoughtful gift from my son. It glides on effortlessly and stays put until bedtime – an everyday luxury with impressive staying power. I’ve also recently discovered Bioderma’s Sensibio Micellar Water [from €11.20 at pharmacies], and it has quickly become a non-negotiable in my routine. Gentle, effective and quietly brilliant, it’s one of those products you wonder how you ever lived without.”
Favourite places to shop for beauty … “Duty Free is my ultimate weakness – one of the few places where indulgence feels entirely justified. As I travel frequently for Charlotte Bradshaw Interiors, it’s become my ritual stop for beauty essentials. I also love shopping directly from Victoria Beckham Beauty online for my fix of minimalist, high-performance essentials. It’s a curated approach to retail therapy that perfectly balances travel convenience with a touch of ‘treat yourself’ flair.”
My all-time favourite beauty product … “Without hesitation, Estée Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair [see above] remains my indispensable hero. As I mentioned, I’ve been loyal to it since my twenties, and it has never let me down. It’s the gold standard of serums – reliable, restorative and endlessly elegant. Quite simply, it’s skincare I trust implicitly.”
My favourite Irish beauty product … “Anyone who knows me well will tell you I am a disaster when it comes to tanning my Irish pale skin, but Decadence Gradual Tanning Cream by Lorraine Keane [€40] is my go-to for a natural, radiant glow. I use it as my daily moisturiser. It doesn’t streak, has no smell and it enhances the skin beautifully. Effortless and flattering, it delivers that sunkissed finish all year round. A true Irish gem.”
My favourite treatment …“The Ultimate Esse Experience [€155, 90 minutes] at Urban Escape in Deansgrange is my sanctuary. It restores luminosity, leaving my skin healthy, balanced and visibly rejuvenated. Every visit feels like pressing reset – it’s both calming and transformative. I always leave glowing, inside and out. Tara-Leigh is a facial genius!”
My beauty ethos … “You just cannot beat sleep. You can buy all the serums in the world, but if you’re exhausted, your skin will tell on you. My beauty routine starts with a blackout blind and ends with a Dylan Bradshaw silk pillowcase [from €85].”
