Louise McSharry: Products to give pale skin a natural glow

As you know, I firmly believe that everyone should do what they feel when it comes to their body/face/skin, but this statistic still makes me a little sad. So many of us have the fair complexions of Celtic ancestors, and it can be so incredibly beautiful if we embrace it rather than fighting against it. With that in mind, today I want to recommend some products that work brilliantly on pale skin.

Vieve Modern Radiance Cream Bronzer in Light (€38 via Brown Thomas) — Being fair doesn’t mean you need to reject all bronzing products, and this gal is perfect for the palest of complexions. It’s not overly warm, but adds a hint of it to the face. It is relatively sheer when applied but is easily buildable, which means there’s no danger of applying too much, and it leaves a naturally radiant finish.

Saie Glowy Super Gel in Starglow (€24.80 via cultbeauty.com) — Unfortunately, some highlighters have a base colour which is too warm for very fair skin, but this one works beautifully on even the palest face. It melts easily into the skin and delivers a subtle but radiant sheen, giving you the lit-from-within effect we all crave. ​

Huda Easy Bake Powder in Sugar Cookie or Cherry Blossom (€36 via boots.ie) — In theory, translucent powders are just that and therefore should work on all skin tones. In practice, people with skin on either end of the colour spectrum know that’s not the case. Fortunately, this finely milled setting powder in Sugar Cookie will finish your make-up beautifully without adding any colour or warmth. Pale gals with pink undertones may enjoy Cherry Blossom, which is the palest pink and gives a brightening effect.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Or Florale Shimmering Multi-Purpose Dry Oil (€28 via meagherspharmacy.ie) — Pale girls deserve to have glowing, radiant skin on their bodies as well as their face, and this product is perfect for achieving that. Gold shimmer may not sit easily on fair skin but this rose gold shimmering oil enhances it beautifully. It looks beautiful on the legs or decolletage, and smells delightful as well.

Nars Afterglow Liquid Blush in Behave or Insatiable (€40 via arnotts.ie) — These blushes are sheer enough that you don’t need to worry about overapplying, a common struggle for pale people when it comes to highly pigmented products. They blend out easily, so even if you apply more than you intended to, you’ll be safe. Behave is a cool-toned pink which suits pale skin beautifully, while Insatiable is a berry tone. Berry tones look beautiful on fair skin, and give the effect of a rosy cheek on a cold day.

Buying Irish

If there’s one thing I love, it’s an SPF stick. They are incredibly handy for holidays, as they are compact and won’t spill in your handbag. They’re also great for lashing on small children’s faces and extremities when they’re wriggling around. Bahama Skin, the youth skincare brand by beauty entrepreneur Suzanne Jackson, has just launched Glow Sun Stick (€19.95 via bahamaofficial.com). This SPF 50 stick offers protection on the go, with easy application and no white cast. . I will be keeping this in my bag all summer long.

Something old…

I’ve been using Burt’s Bees Lip Balm for a very long time now. So long that when I thought about it there, I physically shuddered (ageing is a privilege, etc, but sometimes the idea of having used a product for literal decades is simply too much). The balms have existed since 1991, really deliver on comfort and hydration, and don’t break the bank. The tinted versions are truly excellent. Formulated with natural ingredients, including shea butter, coconut oil and beeswax, they hydrate and nourish the lips leaving them with a balmy, matte finish and a hint of colour. Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm (€7.99 via boots.ie) is available in six shades of peaches, pinks and berries.

... Something new

I have loved Clarins’s Lip Oils for some time, thanks to the gorgeous hint of colour they deliver along with moisture and shine. Now, the brand has launched Lip Oil Balms (€31 via clarins.ie), a reinvention of the OG product, which has a more lightweight texture but still delivers a tint to the lips. The formula is 99pc skincare, meaning this will nourish your lips as well as adding to their appearance. Key active ingredients include hazelnut oil, which protects the lips from dehydration; nourishing jojoba oil and comforting sweetbriar rose oil. Lip oil balms are available in six shades, from pale pink to fig (a raisin shade) and almond (a nut shade). If you want some colour without having to worry about maintaining it throughout the day, a tinted lip balm might be the one for you!