Whether you know Gillian Anderson from The Crown, The Fall or her role in the crime series The X-Files, we’re all on the same page in thinking the actress has seemingly defied ageing. The 56-year-old had practically the entirety of Sex Education’s 2.75m viewers in a chokehold thanks to the allure of her character, Jean Milburn and, if you ask us, doesn’t look a day over 40.
Naturally, we wanted to explore how the two-time Golden Globe winner achieves her effortless beauty – so we did some digging. As it happens, make-up artist Florrie White is behind a lot of Anderson’s red carpet looks, as well as catering to the faces of Meg Ryan, Sienna Miller, Uma Thurman and many, many more.
Speaking with The Independent, White told us all the products and techniques at play during an Anderson glam session, including some seriously affordable products. Scroll on for all her secrets beyond the good genes.
The secret behind Gillian Anderson’s youthful appearance
In short, White told us that everyone should “spend more time prepping the skin than actually applying make-up.”
As a celebrity make-up artist, she understandably stocks a good haul of premium skincare for her clients’ face prep, but we were surprised to find a few affordable faves in her roster. “Lip balm is a major player in my kit as dry lips scream dehydration which is not youthful,” she explains.
She details the five balms she has in rotation, including an affordable favourite from French pharmacy brand, La Roche Posay. The product, cicaplast baume (£6.80, Sephora.co.uk), generated a cult online fanbase with social media users showcasing the formula’s ability to transform cracked and flaky lips. The transformative powers are down to the moisture-rich ingredients list, including shea butter, fatty acids and antioxidants to both nourish and soften the lips. This is a must-have in any bag.
Also nestled within White’s lip care stash are Dr Paw Paw (£5.94, Amazon.co.uk); Blistex (£2.69, Boots.com); Omorovicza’s perfecting lip balm (£35.50, Sephora.co.uk); and Irene Forte’s pistachio lip balm (£40, Facethefuture.co.uk).
Alongside a bit of lip TLC, White cleanses and tones the skin before applying eye cream and moisturiser. She lists no less than three beauty tech tools in her arsenal and sings the praises of her Chok Beauty ionic skin perfector (£99, Chokbeauty.com). After taking us through its multiple functions, including deep cleansing and a thermo frequency (skin tightening) mode, we’re entirely sold on the device.
“It opens pores to boost the absorption of moisturisers so they can really reach the lower layers of the skin.” This, she elaborates, “also helps products to absorb so foundation and concealer settle better on the skin.” And, as for the clincher for more mature skin: “The micro impulses quickly trim and tone the muscles.” Sign us up.
After prep, she explains she uses make-up products to “accentuate and enhance the natural features and architecture of the face.” As a result, her clients end up awash with compliments regarding how they look and not about the make-up atop their skin.
How to avoid make-up sitting in fine lines
As well as skin prep, which leaves the “surface of the skin smoother and a better recipient for foundation and concealer”, White stresses that “product consistency and application is key”.
For application, White – who’s also in her 50s – admits she’s “finally embraced” the Beauty Blender sponge (£17, Amazon.co.uk), adding that “good make-up brushes also help application and finish,” with My Kit Co. brushes (from £14, Mykitco.uk); Surratt J-beauty brushes (from £40, Spacenk.com); Otis Batterbee brushes (£90 for 12, Fenwick.co.uk); and trusty old Mac (from £12.50, Maccosmetics.co.uk) among her favourites.
The brushes “need to be washed and cared for so that they can work efficiently, your products stay clean and the brushes last longer. Lecture over!” Consider us told.
Her signature make-up look is “a light fresh finish, covering only where required.” She relies on Kosas products, namely the revealer skin improving foundation SPF25 (£35, Spacenk.com) and the revealer concealer (£26, Spacenk.com), the latter of which she reveals was originally formulated as an eye cream.
“I like to apply the concealer onto the eye area and then buff it in with a stippling brush,” while “any other broken veins, blemishes or scars can be pinpointed with Lisa Eldridge’s new pinpointing concealer pencils (£27, Spacenk.com) – they’re magic!” This is the second instance a high-profile make-up artist has cited Eldridge’s latest release as a step in their routine, with Joanna Lumley’s MUA, Mira Parmar, echoing White’s sentiment.
Do you feel you need to spend more money to achieve youthful-looking skin?
In a nutshell, no. “I have often heard clients and friends say they’ve invested in a very expensive cream but they don’t want to use it up and so only keep it for special occasions. The cream isn’t going to do anything for your skin if it is just sitting on your bathroom shelf so either use it or buy a brilliant affordable cream and invest your time in using it day and night.”
Within the realm of affordable beauty, White pinpoints Face Theory, Beauty Pie, Weleda skin food (£6.71, Boots.com), No7, and The Inkey List.
Lastly, she recommends learning some skin massage and effleurage (a type of light massage) techniques online. “Time yourself and you’ll see it only takes a few minutes every day. It’s a better use of time than playing Candy Crush or doom scrolling, or do it while you binge watch TV – however you do it, just do it and you and your skin will reap the rewards.”
Read more: How to repair your damaged skin barrier, according to a dermatologist
