Desert Island Beauty: Author and social media influencer Lydia Millen sits down with The Mirror’s Bethan Shufflebotham about the one beauty staple she can’t go a day without
Fresh from her early-morning pilates class, author, content creator and designer Lydia Millen tells me of her must-have beauty essential that she couldn’t be without. Best known for her elegant wardrobe, Karen Millen collaborations and cinematic reels on country living, the 36-year-old – somewhat surprisingly – doesn’t post all that frequently about her makeup or skincare routines.
There’s no denying that Lydia always looks radiant, typically opting for subtly sculpted cheeks with a pop of blush, paired with a neutral eye and nude or pink lip for that ‘English Rose’ aesthetic. But the secret to her glowing complexion lies not in her makeup bag, but in her skincare cupboard.
Everyone has that one product they couldn’t be without, whether it’s a mascara that doesn’t transfer or a particular signature lipstick shade. I sat down with the British beauty blogger (and her cat, Lumi) over a morning cuppa to find out, if stranded on a desert island, what her must-have product would be…
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“At the moment, if I was going somewhere remote I’d need a multi-functional product, so I’d need to make sure it covered multiple bases,” she tells me. It’s immediately obvious that the YouTuber has thought long and hard about this as she jokes “I’m taking this very literally by the way.”
While she’d considered a number of products from her collection, she said there was ‘one that stands out’, and that’s the Advanced Ceramide Lift and Firm Day Cream from Elizabeth Arden, adding: “I wear this every single day and I honestly go through it so quickly.”
Explaining her reasoning, it all makes perfect sense. She told me: “What I love is that it’s got a small amount of SPF in it and if I was on a desert island I’m going to want some SPF, whether that’s high or not, it still needs to be doing something and I can always reapply.”
Described as ‘an addictive fast absorbing gel cream’, the Advanced Ceramide Lift and Firm Day Cream boasts SPF15, making it the perfect addition to summer beauty routines when you want that extra bit of protection on top of your usual coverage. The firming formula uses a blend of anti-ageing Ceramides and Tetrapeptides to replenish the skin’s elasticity, while Edelweiss Extract delivers ‘lifted, firmer and more defined facial contours in just one week’.
It’s not just the sun protection that Lydia is looking for on a remote island, but that boost of hydration, too, which the £71 cream delivers in droves. She said: “It’s one of those products I feel does multiple things, it’s really moisturising, really hydrating but a really beautiful base as well. It’s got a really beautiful luminosity to it even when I haven’t had a good night’s sleep.
“I notice when I wear makeup over the top of it that it really illuminates my skin. So if I was on a desert island, I’m going to want my SPF and to look a little bit glowy to make myself feel better, so I would definitely choose this.”
And Lydia isn’t the only one, either, with the cream having amassed hundreds of five star reviews on the Elizabeth Arden website from loyal fans and skincare enthusiasts. One said: “This product is like velvet going on. It covers everything including wrinkles. It gets an A+” While another added: “Everyone saying that my skin is glowing I really love this day cream so much.”
Naturally, as is often the case with skincare products, it’s not to everyone’s personal preference, with one adding: “I much prefer when it had spf 30. My skin needs more protection from the sun not less and now I need to supplement with inferior products for my skin.”
Lydia is a long-time fan of the Elizabeth Arden brand, having bought her first foundation from them at Boots in Watford. A household name for many around the globe, Lydia had seen generations of women in her family reaching for their award-winning formulas and followed in their footsteps.
She added: “Everyone that is a little older than me – my mum, my Nona, my Grandma – they all made a beeline for Elizabeth Arden and there’s something in that. They all know that’s the good stuff so I moved into using much more of their skincare products and that was something that just felt really natural to me. But the Lift and Firm Day Cream is very much in my routine now and it will take something very special to push it out.”
Other Elizabeth Arden products Lydia has previously featured on her blog include the iconic 8 Hour Cream, Retinol Ceramide Capsules and Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant Stick SPF15.
Her favourite Advanced Ceramide Lift and Firm Day Cream is available from Elizabeth Arden, Boots and LookFantastic , but we’ve also found it as part of a set at Sephora where you can get it even cheaper. The Uplifting Moments 4-Piece Gift Set was £71, but has been reduced to £56.80 and contains a full-sized moisturiser alongside deluxe samples of the Advanced Ceramide Capsules, Hyaluronic Acid Ceramide Capsules Hydra-Plumping Serum, and Advanced Night Cream.
Alternatively, there’s the Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Lift & Firm Set which you can buy direct. Worth £106, features Advanced Lift and Firm Day Cream SPF 15 along with Advanced Ceramide Capsules and Advanced Lift and Firm Night Cream all for £45.56.
Elsewhere, we’re also big fans of the No7 Future Renew Day Cream, which has SPF40 and costs £34.95, as well as the SPF 30 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream from Clinique, which retails for £28. Or shop Lydia Millen’s go-to Advanced Ceramide Lift and Firm Day Cream from Elizabeth Arden here.
