t takes a lot for me get excited about or
even vaguely interested in celebrity
cosmetics. But Jennifer Lopez has
announced that she is doing a beauty
range. That’s all I can tell you about it for
now. She posted a teaser on her Instagram
account saying “#JLoBeauty coming soon”
alongside a selfie in full, honey-dipped Lopez
glory and the beauty internet went wild.
As well as an obscenely fit, yet curvaceous
body that must take a herculean effort to
maintain, Lopez has something most women
over the age of 45 are keen to hang on to: that
signature skin glow. Luckily, this is easier to
achieve than her glutes or abs – all you have to
flex is your debit card and a bronzer brush. We
may know nothing of the 51-year-old’s range,
but you can bet that the hero products in this
line will be bronzer and highlighter.
These are essential to the actress and
singer’s perpetual “6.45pm in Malibu” look.
What Lopez makes us believe is that we do not
have to give up on looking glowy and radiant
after 40 – not even after 50. I imagine that,
after 60, we will still be able to see her
highlighted cheekbones from Mars.
Middle-aged radiance is all about choosing
fine textures and products that are just
pearlescent enough. Everyone looks better
with a bit of bronzer, but bronzing powders can
drag the cheeks down a bit. Cream or liquid
versions are the best way to avoid this. My
favourite is Tom Ford For Men Bronzing Gel
(£39; harrods.com), which I smoosh undercheekbones and around the temples with my
fingers. Oskia Nutri-Bronze Adaptive Sheer
Tinted Serum (£58; spacenk.com), a unique
instant all-over bronzing product with skincare
benefits (peptides and hyaluronic acid), is
another favourite. If you get on better with
powder, try one of the six shades of Guerlain’s
Terracotta (£38; johnlewis.com).
Highlighters are easier to get wrong at this
stage in the game (I have). I would encourage
subtlety but definitely not avoidance. MAC’s
Cream Colour Base (£20; maccosmetics.co.uk)
has a beautiful whispery-gleam texture that
you can layer up if you want a high-wattage
cheekbone glow. I use the “Improper Copper”
shade but there is one for every skintone.
Victoria Beckham Beauty Cell Rejuvenating
Priming Moisturizer in Gold (£92; net-a-porter.
com) is dreamy: a collaboration with the
American skincare guru Dr Augustinus Bader,
it’s a one-stop-shop that moisturises and treats
skin with a hint of golden glint.
If you are clueless on applying highlighters
and bronzers, I cannot recommend Chanel’s
Multi-Use Glow Stick (£33; chanel.com) highly
enough. I’m using the shade Golden Light and
it seems impossible to apply it badly, use too
much or put it in the wrong place.
And remember, squats are useful but not
essential for the JLo look. If you can’t tone it,
tan it. Baste your legs in St Tropez’s foolproof
Tan Express Bronzing Gel (£22; boots.com). ninstagram.com/lesleyjthomasYes, you can glow like JLo after 40
It’s easy if you have the right products
I’ve got highlighters wrong
before – it’s easy to do at this
stage in the game. I encourage
subtlety but not avoidance
The Times Magazine 53Beauty
Lesley Thomas
One-stop-shop for
golden glintWhat Lesley loves Radiance boosters
Chanel Multi-Use
Glow Stick, £33
(chanel.com)Oskia Nutri-Bronze
Adaptive Serum, £58
(spacenk.com)Guerlain Terracotta
Bronzing Powder, £38
( johnlewis.com)Tom Ford For Men
Bronzing Gel, £39
(harrods.com)Victoria Beckham Beauty
Priming Moisturizer, £92
(net-a-porter.com)St Tropez Tan
Express Bronzing Gel, £22
(boots.com)I
TOM JACKSON
Lesley ThomasBest for
powder lovers
Impossible
to get
wrongBronzer that
looks after skinEasy
to apply
with
fingersFoolproof
fake tan