Former beauty journalist and self-declared "skin geek" Emma Hoareau is all about harnessing that golden hour glow, all day long.
The Paris-born London-based content creator has an extremely soothing Instagram feed – packed with al fresco dinners, sunset dips, achingly beautiful retreats and the odd pilates class.
But the space that Emma fills – toeing the line between wellness and beauty – feels unclinical and authentic. In between supplement recommendations and ingredient A to Zs, are chattier collab videos and practical tips, hence why she has garnered a devoted following of over 80,000.
The Beauty Breakdown with… Emma Hoareau
"People think there are 'rules' you have to follow, when actually it's all about having fun and figuring out what makes you feel good."
Her Beauty Philosophy
So why are we so obsessed with watching other people's routines? Emma's content is particularly enticing for those who favour a pared back approach. Day-to-day, the influencer wears minimal makeup, steering clear of a "heavy" effect, preferring instead to lean into the "less is more" maxim.
"I think everyone has a different view of 'flawless' and I want my makeup to look like amazing skin, rather than like amazing makeup," she tells Hello! Fashion. "For me, it's normally concealer, a tint, brow gel, cream blush, lip liner and gloss."
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The former photographer swears by antioxidants in her morning skincare routine to defend her skin against potential damage caused by environmental aggressors. She usually opts for vitamin C, a proven glow-booster, or niacinamide, a protective multi-tasker, in serum format.
In addition, Emma simply "can't start the day without" eye cream and SPF. "I think good skincare prep is key to good makeup, for example, exfoliating so your skin is smooth will help your makeup go on much better," she says. "I have quite oily skin so often my makeup can look shiny. Last year, I found the most amazing primer from Tatcha that helps my makeup stay on and minimises shine."
A natural, soft-focus dewiness appears to be Emma's area of expertise. First, she addresses any imperfections with concealer, Glossier's Stretch Balm Concealer is a particular favourite, and applies it with her finger to "melt" it into her skin.
Then, a "light sweep" of foundation, either It Cosmetics' cult-adored CC+ Cream or Shiseido's "so glowy" Revitalessence formula. "That way my foundation isn't heavy all over my face, it's just reducing redness and pigmentation," she explains.
In her pre-teens, Emma was swept up in the brow trend du jour – super skinny arches – and had to suffer the repercussions. Luckily, the effects of overtweezing abated as she got older and eventually, she was able to grow them back, but as a result, Emma is extremely particular. "Now I don't let anyone touch them – just me and my tweezers!"
"It's taken years of trial and error to get them to this shape, which I love and don't want to risk messing them up again."
On days when she is pressed for time, Emma's holy makeup trinity is concealer, brow gel and a slick of lip oil.
Like most skincare obsessives, Emma subscribes to the double cleanse method, even crediting it as the "best part" of her day."I use an oil cleanser first, on dry skin, which I massage in to remove my makeup and SPF and take it off with a warm flannel. Then I go in with a foam or gel cleanser to cleanse my actual skin cells, and again, remove with a flannel."
"As someone who used to suffer with breakouts and has skin on the oily side, this ritual has helped so much in reducing inflammation, blackheads and blocked pores. Especially living in London, I think it's easy to forget how much pollution gets into our pores throughout the day and the importance of double cleansing before hitting your pillow!"
Emma loves skincare deeply but learnt "the hard way" not to overdo it on the actives. "I switch up between lactic acid when my skin looks dull and salicylic acid or retinol when I'm getting breakouts. I also love doing a weekly 'reset' with an enzyme mask or peel, clay mask and hydrating mask to fully renew my skin and balance the oil once a week."
When it comes to dialling it up for the evening, Emma is all about enhancing her eyes, often in tandem with a bolder lip. "In the day, I rarely wear mascara but for work events I like to use my brow pencil as eyeliner to elongate my eye into more of an almond shape, and wear mascara to define my eyes."
"I've been loving Merit's cream eyeshadow pots – the shade Midcentury is my favourite. It's the perfect brown without being too dark, and the cream texture means it doesn't look powdery which I hate on the eyes. Lancôme's Lash Idôle and Sensai's 38°C are my most used mascaras because they're easy to apply and don't drop down!"
Quick-Fire Beauty Questions…
Are there any beauty hacks or time-saving tips you can share for busy mornings?
"If I'm in a rush, my non-negotiables are cleanser, serum and SPF – makeup-wise, I'd just focus on the basics: concealer, brow gel and lip oil."
What is the most common makeup mistake you see and how can it be avoided?
"I think everyone has their own journey and don't think anything is a mistake as such, but often when I'm chatting with friends, they get scared to try new things or apply products they already have in a new way when I show them how I use mine. Often, people think there are 'rules' you have to follow, when actually it's all about having fun and figuring out what makes you feel good and what is enjoyable to do – rather than making it this big chore. Makeup is for YOU! So do you."
How do you adjust your makeup routine for different seasons?
"For me it's mainly about skin prep because in winter my skin gets drier and that can make my makeup look dry and cakey which I hate – so I would use a richer moisturiser underneath. In summer I love wearing more lightweight makeup products and as that's when I love to use fake freckles, too. Combined with lots of blush, that's my go-to summer look."
Can you recommend any multitasking makeup products that you find particularly useful?
"I love a cream bronzer to use to warm up my face, and I also often use this as my eyeshadow day-to-day or if I'm in more of a rush. I also often use my eyebrow pencil as my eyeliner and recently even lip liner! I discovered this when I was on a trip and had forgotten my lip liner so I tried my brow pencil and it worked really well – I use a light brown."
Which products do you rely on for a glow boost?
"The Sensai Bronzing Gel I've used for years to give me a glow before applying makeup, and I love the Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick in 'Petal' – it's such a perfect everyday shade and works on lots of skin tones. And the classic Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk lip liner is my go-to to define my lips, followed by a Clarins Lip oil."
Are there any upcoming beauty products or trends that you're excited to try in your makeup routine?
"The reason I love beauty so much is because there is always so much innovation, especially in skincare. There's so much technology – both in tools and ingredients – which means there's always something new and exciting to try! At the moment I'm loving my LED mask and microcurrent device the most."