In Part II of our one-on-one with Zoë Foster, she chats about her top tips, teaching Hamish a thing or two about beauty and whether she'd create her own make-up line.
If you were only to pick one, dating or beauty guru, what would you choose?
I love them both equally. With beauty, there’s constantly new things happening - new exciting products and trends and that’s what keeps me constantly passionate about it. And the same with dating. You’re always going to have a girlfriend going through a break-up that you need to help out or someone who’s going through something exciting that you’re fascinated by.
Are we likely to see more books from you giving beauty tips and tricks in the future?
Absolutely out of tips! Used them all. It’s hilarious because when I was writing the book, I still had to do my blogs for primped and the TV stuff and always come up with fresh content, and I was completely out.
What are some of your top beauty tips?
There are so many! I’m really loving the effects of face brightening and whitening to fade dark spots and pigmentation because it’s just been incredibly good for my skin and made me be able to wear less make-up. Also, just seeing everyone wake up to how important eyebrows are, which is something we beauty editors have been talking about for a while. Urging women to stop wasting money on pedicures and blow-drys and just getting their brows right first as it makes an incredible difference to your face.
Are your favourite products constantly changing?
They are constantly changing but the less I’m in the office now and travelling, I’ve really got to know what my basics are. I have edited to going from using seven or eight steps a day back at Cosmo and Harper’s, to using one, two or three. I’m enjoying a really good facial sunscreen with high broad spectrum and moisturiser in one, my brow pencil, a coral cream blush from Bobbi Brown that I’ve loved for years and a Clinique mascara with lash powder.
Have you been teaching boyfriend Hamish a thing or two about beauty?
He’s the worst, bless him. He’s lucky if he cleanses his face. He doesn’t wear sunscreen. He’s got pale skin and he goes out in the sun a lot – so this is a constant battle we have. He’s not a great candidate for a beauty editor’s boyfriend I guess! But at the same time, I don’t really want a boyfriend who’s super into all that stuff.
Has he picked anything up?
He loves day spas. He’s like What is this magical world where you get to walk around in a robe and you have a spa and then a sauna and people massage you?”. He’s a real spa pig, but that’s probably it.
Would you ever consider making your own make-up line?
No. I’m a big believer in doing what you do well and letting other people do what they do well and then the world gets on in a happier place. I think I’ll stick to writing!
You’re writing is very comical. Do you consciously try and make people laugh?
No, it’s amazing thing to go back and read some of the shit I’ve written! A lot of it is fuelled by coffee. An interesting person invades me for those 15 minutes after a coffee – she’s quite wild! Most of it just comes into my head or similarly I think of on the spot and is probably inappropriate and silly but somehow gets through. How I talk is how I write and vice versa. You can’t fake it! People sense that. That is important to me, to be the same person. That was my thing about beauty - I can’t change how I write just because I’m writing about face creams. Making beauty fun was my main thing… maybe if they’re laughing, they’re not noticing that they’re learning something.
Zoë Foster, a look behind the books: Part I
Amazing Face is published by Penguin Australia and is priced at $39.95.