8 Beauty A-Listers Share The Advice Their Mothers Gave Them (And That They Still Swear By)
To celebrate Mother’s Day in many countries around the world, and to champion the pearls of wisdom passed from mother to daughter, NEWBY HANDS asks some of the biggest names in beauty to share the maternal advice they grew up with
Christy Turlington, model
“My mother may have given me the best beauty tip: self-acceptance. It’s important to learn to love what you are born with – and to find beauty in your uniqueness. That – and lots of sleep, laughter and fun!”
Charlotte Tilbury, makeup artist
“My mummy Patsy is a walking beauty bible. She’s so glamorous and has always been my biggest beauty icon. She’s shared so [much] wisdom with me over the years and started me on the path to where I am today as a makeup artist and beauty entrepreneur. She introduced me to the powerful, positive world of makeup and skincare from a young age – I always remember she would never leave the house without her perfectly painted red nails and matching red lip, which inspired my Hot Lips 2 shade, Patsy Red. Her beauty mantra is ‘Lipstick is instant glamour, and it will take you anywhere – just wake up and wear it!’ She also taught me about the importance of skincare and how to look after my very fair complexion. SPF and moisturizer every day was key when I was growing up in Ibiza. Her famous phrase was ‘protect to perfect’.”
Dr. Barbara Sturm, aesthetic doctor
“My passion and my inspiration come from my mother and my grandmother. My mom was a chemist and her mother was a pharmacist, and they both loved milk baths and dry brushing, and would always mix creams for us as children – we would often go into the forest during my childhood and pick medicinal herbs and roots. My mother and my grandmother helped me with ingredient science and formulations, and they are hugely inspirational to me. The most valuable lesson I learned from my mother is to be kind and respectful to everyone. Don’t spend money you don’t have – you have to work for what you want. Negotiate up. And make your dreams come true.”
Pat McGrath, makeup artist
“My mother used to apply a full face of makeup, take a steamy bath, and then let her makeup set into this natural, dewy, gorgeous skin. It inspired me to create Skin Fetish Highlighter + Balm Duo, which gives that glowy finish in an instant. My earliest memories are of watching her apply powders and shadows. She was so glamorous and absolutely impeccable. If she couldn’t find the perfect shade, she would mix it herself – she used cocoa powder to set her foundation because it was the only thing deep enough to match her skin tone. She is my ultimate muse in the way I approach everything in life, from beauty to business. Why wait for someone else to create something you want when you can do it yourself?”
Miranda Kerr, founder of Kora Organics
“I was given a lot of advice by my mom, but one thing she always told me – and that she got from her mom – was, ‘If you are going to do something, do it properly and give it 100%, or don’t bother doing it at all’. And whatever I am doing, whether [that’s] making my celery juice, working on Kora Organics or changing a diaper, I have that in my mind about 100 times a day. Give it your all or don’t bother doing it.”
Huda Kattan, founder of Huda Beauty
“My mother has always been a firm believer in ‘do it yourself’, and it taught me that you don’t need to spend a lot of money on beauty products. DIYs are really important to me because many of them are rooted in Middle Eastern culture, and I love that my heritage has really helped define my outlook on beauty. Women of Middle Eastern descent often have dark circles under their eyes, and my mom swears by sweet almond oil – applying a small amount can help lighten any discoloration in a couple of weeks. My mother used to do this a lot, and she always looked super-fresh and youthful."
Tata Harper, founder of Tata Harper Skincare
“Like with any Latina mother, 70% of the conversations we have are beauty-related. Anything from using vinegar in your hair for added shine, to Saturdays at the sauna to detox the body. She also taught me to ‘be delicate – don’t wipe your face or eyes too hard when cleansing or putting lotion on’. She taught me that what you put into your body is just as important as what you put on it, and that beautiful skin comes from within. You can work out and have lots of facials, but if you eat badly, neither of those will matter.”
Tina Craig, founder of U Beauty
“The best advice came from my mother and grandmother, the world’s most positive people. They didn’t allow negativity in their space and they always reminded me to enjoy every minute. They were always telling me: ‘You’re never going to be as young as you are today, so stop being so hard on yourself. Accept the good with the bad, the easy with the difficult, and recognize you can’t have one without the other. Also, know and remember your worth and don’t devote time to toxic people who make you feel less than you are. It’s OK if some people don’t like you. Love yourself.’”
The people featured in this story are not associated with NET-A-PORTER and do not endorse it or the products shown