Beauty Spot: Aleida Harger
Fashion is in Aleida Harger’s blood, the daughter of the legendary 80s JAG designer Wendy Hall and Kerry Harger, she spent her childhood growing up in her parent’s workroom and had an appreciation for the business from a very early age.
After formally studying at The London College of Fashion she worked at English labels Whistles, Karen Millen and Jasper Conran before moving to Hong Kong, then New York where she consulted on cult celebrity label Habitual. In 1995 moved to the West Coast and launched her own label Louche in Los Angeles (you can buy here too! Check out her website).
She plays beauty with us…
What’s your earliest makeup memory?
Being given a set of mini tester lipsticks from a family friend in the cosmetics industry. There were probably 60 colours so it was just the best gift ever (for a 10 year old).
What was your first perfume? Anais Anais
Now, do you have a signature scent? I have been addicted to Victor and Rolf flower Bomb for the past couple of years. I also like the Comme de Garcons perfumes but they can be very heady and overpowering sometimes..
Describe your everyday makeup look and what products you use: Most days I don’t wear a lot of make up – as long as I have tinted moisturizer, lip gloss and eyebrow pencil I’m comfortable. I always refresh my makeup bag in one go and do the rounds with brands – YSL, Benefit, Laura Mercer, Mac. I would only buy tinted moisturizer from Molton Brown if I could but I have to pick it up in the UK or US.
How do you change this for night? For night it’s always the same. Concealer, light foundation and loose power, blush, smoky, natural tones for eye shadow, liquid eyeliner, eyebrow pencil. Matt, natural colour lipgloss. I rarely wear mascara as it seems to end up under my eyes.
Eyes or lips?
Eyes. I don’t suit strong lipstick colours so it’s all about the eyes.
What was the last beauty product you bought?
Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse (Multipurpose dry oil) – I use it for everything, hair, face, body so I buy 3 bottles at a time so I don’t run out.
What’s on your shopping list to get?
Mac Entice Lipglass
Biggest hair/makeup disaster you’ve had?
Oh so many. I suit short hair and am not afraid to experiment or tinker with it myself, which has resulted in many disasters over the years. The worst was when I asked a friend to trim my hair at the back of my head before my first day of fashion college in London. She cut big baldy holes so I had to go to the barber early the next morning and have a number 2, to even it out. I don’t suit hair that short.
What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about the industry?
How much money people are willing to spend on a promise of a more youthful compleaxion.
Best beauty discovery?
YSL Touche Eclat Concealer
Ultimate indulgence is?
Sleeping in.
What advice would you tell the younger you if you could go back in time?
Nothing, I think I’ve been quite lucky. I’ve always drunk quite a lot of water and I don’t have many wrinkles considering the time I have spend in the sun. I do suspect though, now that I am nearing 40, that if I don’t start doing some regular facial muscle exercise I may regret that in the future!
What are your thoughts on cosmetic surgery – would you? Have you?
I haven’t and it’s not something on my list of to do’s. You can never say never, but I just can’t imagine it would ever be a priority. I’d always have something else more important to be doing or spending my money on.
What’s your beauty routine?
I use a Jurlique foaming cleanser and then a toner. Nuxe multi oil moisturizer.
How long does it take you to get ready?
10-15 minutes. Unless I can’t decide what to wear, and then I m hopeless and can take up to an hour.
How would you change this if you had more time?
I’d organize my wardrobe into outfits so I could find things quickly and not have to make decisions in a rush. This is why I wear a lot of dresses, so I don’t have to spend time co-ordinating.
