It is particularly tricky to impress a beauty editor these days. The market is flooded with different products promising to do this, that and the other. And I'm not exaggerating when I say I get sent an email daily about a new brand that's about to launch. It's overwhelming and, in truth, boring. This is why I hold a particular place in my heart for those brands and products that truly knock my socks off. The ones that I can't wait to test, to write about, to tell my friends about. One such brand is Westman Atelier.
Founded by famed make-up artist Gucci Westman, the brand is an extension of her signature radiant look that she creates for celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Anne Hathaway and Gwyneth Paltrow. The brand launched in 2018 and beauty editors across the globe were collectively obsessed. It's a luxury brand that's all about enhancing what you already have and elevating the everyday. Even though the brand now has its own make-up brushes, Westman intends these products to be accessible and easy to use, so has always encouraged finger application. I remember trying the first products out when they first landed in the UK and knowing immediately that the brand was something special.
Just having these products in my possession makes me feel fancier. Everything about them feels expensive - the satisfying magnetic click when you replace the caps, the chic muted colour palette of the packaging teamed with metallic accents, and then there are the formulas, which when you apply them you can instantly tell that the ingredient list wasn't cheap. I know that I can always rely on Westman Atelier to give me the complexion of my dreams - I'm talking unrivalled dewiness. The products are formulated with skin-loving ingredients that promote skin health.
From the highlighters and lipsticks that make me look me, but oh so much better, to the new skincare drops that have a firm place in my beauty cupboard, I've rounded up the very best Westman Atelier products.
1. Westman Atelier Squeaky Clean Liquid Lip Balm
If you're looking for a little touch of everyday luxury, I cannot think of a more fitting product. At first glance, the Squeaky Clean Liquid Lip Balm looks like a lip gloss, but true to its name it's a comforting balm that delivers a touch of shine without tackiness. The shea butter and almond oil boost hydration and softness, which make it really comfortable on the lips. There are eight shades - from neutrals to bright pops of colour - and each one gives lips a subtle tint. If you're on the fence about wearing bright lipsticks, these allow you to embrace your playful side without committing too much. On those days, when I want to look put together but don't have the time to do a full face, the shade Pipsqueak - a vivid red - does the trick. Whereas the pink berry-toned Ma Puce is my everyday choice.
2. Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick
There are times when my face is calling out for a traditional bronzer to add colour to my complexion, and then there are the times when sculpting is what's needed. So easy to use, the Face Trace Contour Stick is fuss-free and blends with the warmth of your fingers. It has a matte finish, but because it's formulated with jojoba oil it also adds a touch of natural-looking sheen to the skin. It's a contour stick, so the shades are quite putty-like, rather than warm and golden, so if you're after a holiday-glow this isn't going to deliver. It will however add definition to your face.
3. Westman Atelier Bonne Brow Defining Pencil
I have a funny old relationship with my brows - when it comes to hair removal I don't touch them (except for the occasional tweeze to the monobrow). But I wouldn't dream of leaving the house without filling them in. And this gel eyebrow pencil is my absolute go-to, because of its versatility. Held at one angle you can create fine, natural-looking brushstrokes that help to add volume. I then add definition by turning it onto its widest point to fill in any gaps. At no point do my brows ever look too done - whilst the colour payoff of the formula is impressive, it's lightweight and subtle. On the other end is a spoolie hidden in the tube. Whilst I love having this to brush my brows into place, I would love it even more if it came with a clear gel for that extra touch of grooming.
4. Westman Atelier Skin Activator
In my mind, the entire Westman Atelier range is skincare with make-up benefits, but this was the first official skincare product that the brand launched. But what is a Skin Activator? It has all the hydrating and nourishing elements to make it a moisturiser, as well as 12 actives that make it one heck of a hard-working serum. When my skin is stressed and feels off-kilter, the prickly pear extract and ceramides bring it back to its happy place. It hydrates, which is something that I always look for in a skincare product, softens lines and makes everything a little bouncier again. I don't use this in my everyday skincare routine, I use this more as a special treatment. It also comes with me on holiday when I'm perhaps not as kind to my skin as I should be - exposure to recirculated air on planes, more UV rays from the sun than usual, and not enough time in repair mode at night.
5. Westman Atelier Lip Suede Matte Lipstick
I'm a firm believer that if you're tired, the best way to distract from looking so is to wear a bright lipstick that draws notice away from sleepy eyes. This Lip Suede does that job better than most. I wear Le Rouge - a bright tomato red that's so poppy it commands attention. It's the most nourishing matte finish that I've ever used. It's hands down one of the best red lipsticks I've ever had the pleasure of wearing - and trust me when I say that I've done the homework. It also lasts a good while before needing a top-up. I don't need a lipstick to be too long wearing, that to me equates to a drying formula, which this couldn't be further from. Whenever I wear this lipstick, I am guaranteed to get compliments. And I'm not mad about that. Oh, and it has a teeny tiny mirror in the cap to help with those on-the-go reapplications.
6. Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick
Much like the Contour Stick, the Baby Cheeks Blush Stick is the ideal on-the-go product that adds a flush to the skin in an instant. The creamy pigment blends beautifully and can be built up for a deeper colour. There are nine shades to choose from - I love Petal for that ruddy English rose look and Minette is a beautiful peach blusher that's the perfect summer pick with its warm and cool undertones. This is one of those products that I keep on me at all times for an immediate skin perk-up - at 4pm in the office, as I land after a long-haul flight or when I run out the door in a rush.
7. Westman Atelier Suprême C Vitamin C Concentrate
Right, let's talk about the £300 elephant in the room. This is an incredibly expensive serum. Why? Well, it's formulated with a single ingredient only: Tetrahexyldecyl (THD) Ascorbate - a super potent derivative of vitamin C. It's said to brighten the skin, help fade dark spots and areas of pigmentation, help fix oxidative stress and boost collagen production. Plus, it can be used by all skin types, even those with sensitive skin. When you apply it to the skin, your enzymes turn it into ascorbic acid and it's able to penetrate more efficiently leading to a more gentle approach. Typically mixed in with other actives, Westman decided that she wanted to embrace the full power of THD and bottled it. That's why it's spenny. I'm not suggesting that anyone needs this serum, however if you are in the market for a luxury skincare product here's why I think it's worth it. I have been using this since I first got my hands on it about six weeks ago and I have used it every single day. In that time, my skin has got noticeably brighter and clearer. I have dry skin, so the nourishing gel oil texture, which leaves the skin looking naturally more glowy too, works well to soothe and nourish. In short, this is the most spoiling serum that my skin has fallen in love with.
8. Westman Atelier Liquid Super Loaded Illuminator
I think this might just be my Desert Island product, but I feel like it could be quite divisive. It's a sheer liquid illuminator that gives me expensive-looking skin like no other product I've used before. My skin comes alive when I use any of the three shades. Depending on my make-up look, I alternate between Peau de Pêche - a warm, nude peach - and Peau de Rosé - a cool pink - to add highlight. But it's the Peau de Soleil that I couldn't live without. I like to buff it into my skin with a brush after my facial sunscreen - the bronze glow that I'm left with is unrivalled. That's down to, in part, the sheeny golden pigment, but it's also because of the avocado seed and tsubaki oils, which envelop my dry skin and make it look dewy. I think the texture could unnerve those with oilier skin types. It's not lightweight on the skin, the oils are on the heavy side, which not everyone will be on board with.
A word of advice: shake the tube really, really, well, and then shake it again, before use. If you don't the pigment and oil won't blend together properly.
