Nicola Johnson's Kit Favourites: Skin Prep, Kit Staples and Three Bridal Lip Combos

Nicola Johnson

Nicola Johnson trained as a beauty therapist before she ever picked up a makeup brush. So when she says skin prep matters, she means a proper massage, not a quick swipe of moisturiser.

This is Part 2 of our chat and it's all product. Her favourites, mine, the tools we both rely on and three lip combos she uses for bridal. Here's everything we talked about.

Nicola's personal favourites

La Prairie Skin Caviar foundation Nicola is upfront that this one arrived as a gift. She wears it herself and uses it on clients. She expected it to feel sticky and dewy. It gives good coverage with a satin finish, and skin still looks like skin. The compact has a concealer in the lid and a mirror, so it travels well. She finds the concealer too heavy under her own eyes. Two things to know: it has a fragrance and it's very expensive.

Tower 28 concealer This is what Nicola uses under her eyes, and it's in her kit too.

Nudestix, shade Sweet Cheeks Really creamy, good coverage, and it layers without lifting the foundation underneath. Sweet Cheeks is a peachy shade she loves on redheads. She has decanted it into her kit.

Merit blush in Bespoke and Cheeky Nicola owns a lot of the Merit shades. They have a satin finish, they build, and they look great on bare skin for an editorial flush. Bespoke is the one tied to the "anti-blush" trend, a cool-toned bronzy shade that sits like bronzer on the cheek. She has used it on eyes, cheeks and lips on a single shoot. Cheeky is the peachy one.

Nicola's skin prep

This is the part to save. Nicola goes back to her skincare days for every shoot and every client.

1. Cleanse with Bioderma.

2. Exfoliate. She soaks a pad in a milky toner with a brightening enzyme and works it around the nose. She uses the Naturium Multi Bright Milky Toner right now.

3. Massage with oil. She uses plenty of oil and really works the skin. On a shoot she sometimes sits the model on a low chair, rests the model's head back against her and massages from behind. It lifts dead skin and gets the circulation going.

4. Cleanse the oil off. She says you wouldn't believe what comes off, especially if someone has travelled in.

5. Press in a couple of drops of oil, then moisturise. Even on oily skin she uses one drop, to protect the skin barrier.

Her rule on sensitivity: always check first. Anything with glycolic needs care. If someone has very sensitive skin, she skips the exfoliant and relies on the oil and the friction of the massage.

The oils

• An organic face oil from a SEA60 Noosa range created by a model she used to work with. It's very lightweight, leaves no residue and sits well under foundation.

The moisturisers

• Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream Her OG. It has lived in her kit for more than ten years. She says nobody reacts to it, it layers under pretty much any foundation and it leaves a beautiful sheen.

• Dermalogica Active Moist Oil free, for anyone really oily.

My personal favourites

Anastasia Beverly Hills Impeccable Blurring Second Skin foundation, shade 3.5N I'm not a full coverage girl, and long wear foundations usually go cakey on me. This one blurs, it lasts and it doesn't sit on texture.

Benefit POREfessional concealer I never really wore concealer on myself before this. It's blurring and it's long wear. If you need a new concealer for your kit, look at this one.

Marc Jacobs eyeliner in black Creamy as. I use it on the tightline and a little in the outer corners. It's a true black. Nicola pointed out it smudges nicely if you want a grungy look. I hate a liner that dries.

Huda Beauty lip contour and stain I've tried a lot of lip stains and these are my favourites. I like the wand more than the others. These are for me, not for my kit. It's a felt-tip style wand, and I can't see how you'd use it on clients.

Kayalie Yum Boujee Marshmallow 81 Cashmere Kiss Lip Balm I'm funny with lip balm. I usually want to wipe it straight off. This one has a cushion applicator, it's comfortable and it smells good.

Hourglass lipstick, shade Enigma 40 A twist-up matte that doesn't dry out the lips. Nicola thinks they'd stack well in a kit, and you can decant them.

Nicola's kit favourites

Fenty Plush Puddin A thick lip balm that works like a mask. Nicola puts it on cracked lips and lets it settle while she works. The dispenser makes it a clever kit product.

By Terry hyaluronic mist The label says hydrating and setting. Nicola uses it for hydration. She sprays it on clean skin before her oil, again after foundation if the skin looks dry, and before any touch-up later in the day. If she has over-powdered, it brings the skin back.

By Terry CC brightening serums She uses these under foundation, mixed into moisturiser or mixed into foundation for glow. She has also put them on eyelids for an editorial shine. There are about five shades. Rose Elixir suits very fair skin. Apricot Glow lifts sallow or dull skin and works on deeper and bronzy skin tones.

Hourglass holiday palettes Nicola jumped on these the minute the launch email landed. There are three this year. She bought the lightest, Wish, and a deeper one. Each has a finishing powder, highlight, bronzer and blush. Her tip: use the bronzers on the eyes. She did a whole soft, blown-out bronzy bridal eye that way. I call products like these cellophane. You get the glow, and you can still see the skin through it.

My kit favourites

One/Size Ultimate Powder in Baby Pink I'm not a big powder person. This one is so fine you can't see it on the skin. I use it to take down shine through the T-zone, and I like a pink to brighten the centre of the face.

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant I used this on myself after the Dermalogica event and it's going into my kit. Sometimes a model turns up with dry skin around the nose and I don't want to risk an active. Max shared the tip that sold me: he uses it on lips. Nicola has used it daily for years. She also pointed me to the finer version, the Daily Milkfoliant, which brightens too. On set I'd remove it with a damp cloth and use it sparingly.

MAC Studio Radiance Face and Body The OG. I take it on every job. It's great for men's grooming and for bodies. If I could keep one foundation, this is it, with a concealer. Nicola's tip: rub it between your hands to thicken it, then layer it where you need more coverage.

Make Up For Ever shine control primer I rediscovered this in my kit. I can't make full long wear foundations work for me. So when I want more staying power, I put this through the T-zone under a foundation I love, like Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin. It mattifies without drying the skin out.

By Terry Baume de Rose My go-to lip balm for clients, events and shoots. It feels luxurious, and the products are part of the experience.

Bioderma micellar water I've tried the dupes. One left my skin dry and scaly. I keep coming back to this, and Nicola uses it every day too.

Tools

Nicola's

• A curved metal lash comb Her trick for very blonde lashes: paint mascara onto the comb, ask the model to look down and comb down the back of the lash so the colour reaches the root. It also separates lashes after mascara.

• A heated lash curler For straight lashes that won't hold a curl, and for lifting false lashes. It avoids the bend you can get from a clamp curler, and clients tell her it feels nice.

• A gua sha and a facial roller for massage, when she isn't using her hands.

Mine

• A pump dispenser for my Bioderma, Press down and the pad is ready. I tip the Bioderma in. I want a smaller one for travel.

• My set belt It comes apart into two sections, with a strap for the neck and one for the waist. I wear it most when I'm doing hair. Not available anymore.

• A heat-proof pouch from Creative Styling Systems I took it off the tool belt Kerry Stanley makes and attached it to mine. It holds a hot tong while I work. I'm not sure you can still buy them.

• Straws, in a little case. On set, for brides, for events. You've done the lip and then they want a drink.

• Floss sticks. These matter most in TV, because nobody can retouch food out of someone's teeth in motion.

Nicola's three bridal lip combos

Light Charlotte Tilbury lip contour duo. She contours the whole lip with the deeper end, then puts the lighter end in the middle. On top goes a nude balm that suits a lot of people. Mecca "Top Down".

Pink, her "English rose" bridal combo YSL lip liner in 104, a rosy, rose-gold tone. It's long wear, so she applies it over the whole lip and buffs it in. Then she layers YSL shade 44 , a pinky rose, for a satin finish. You can add gloss, but she goes easy for brides because of the kiss.

Deep Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk Intense, a browny tone. Then a Makeup by Mario lipstick with a satin finish Maurice. Then Fenty in Rose Amber over the top for warmth. She says the Fenty looks good on its own and suits a lot of skin tones.

Listen to the full episode

Nicola's full kit rundown is out now on The Insider Edit, wherever you get your podcasts. Part 1 is her career story will be out next week..

Follow Nicola: @nicolajohnsonmakeup | @nicolajohnsonbridal | www.sydneymakeupartist.com