Trinny Turns 60

In February, skincare and cosmetics brand founder Trinny London turned 60, and we had the opportunity to speak with her about birthdays, beauty and more! —Vita Daily

Trinny London has seen remarkable success since its inception. What inspired you to start your own beauty brand, and what sets Trinny London apart from other beauty companies?

I spent 20 years going all around the world making women up, and the question that I was most asked was “what colours suit me?”. The first thing that a woman can accept in herself in a makeover is the change in her makeup, and I realised then the impact you could have by switching up her makeup. The idea for Trinny London was born from the inspiration of these women – to offer portable, personalised makeup that was joyful, effortless and inspiring.

Could you share some insights into your business ethos and the values that drive your brand’s mission and vision?

I’d say it’s important to have community as a focus because it’s the heartbeat of your customer. You need to have the greatest understanding of how your customer feels about what you do, what you deliver, what you produce and what your messaging is. A normal customer generally might get in touch when they have a problem with an order or something is out of stock, but the community will talk about what they feel most passionately about when it comes to your products. They will give you far more information than a typical customer. Your community is going to be your biggest champion and your harshest critic. You’re going to find out the most from them about what the customer is really thinking.

Aging is a topic that you’ve addressed openly and positively. How do you personally feel about the aging process, and how has your perspective evolved over the years?

Anti-aging is a word that is banned at Trinny London. We never use it in any of our communication, we never like to use this word because it’s inferring that you’re only good if you don’t age. Every woman ages and every woman has a personal choice to decide how she ages, whether she wants to dye her hair or let it go naturally grey, if she wants to get botox or let her lines naturally develop. That should always be an individual choice but I don’t like messaging in any brand that might dictate this might stop you aging and use words like anti-aging.

I think the most important words we use are about having energy in your life and how can you have a makeup routine or use skincare products that make your skin look alive and full of energy, because that’s what depletes if we don’t give it enough attention and that’s what we focus on.

In your opinion, how is aging portrayed in the media and on social media platforms, and do you think there’s a need for more diverse and authentic representations of aging?

I would like to change the role models that we have or the faces of brands when we might no longer be 20 but we might be in our 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and yet there is an 18-year-old girl modelling something for us. It’s been around in beauty since beauty began and it just doesn’t live and sit comfortably in today’s world.

Skincare is a topic of interest for many, especially as we mature. What are some of your top skincare tips for individuals navigating the changes that come with maturing skin?

It’s looking at what ingredients you specifically need, and the ingredients and formulations you need may be different from those of your best friend. It’s not being influenced by somebody else, as you need to think “is that my issue as well?”. We generally have one issue we think about more than others, whether it be uneven skin tone, pigmentation, if their lines concern them, or if they feel their neck is sagging.

It’s about investing in where you need it the most, but also supporting it with a really good skincare routine. You can buy an amazing serum, but if you’re not exfoliating your skin, that serum won’t penetrate – it’s like putting polish on a table with dust on it. You do need to prep your skin for those very active ingredients, which is why we strongly recommend at Trinny London a routine where one product really correlates with the benefits of the next product.

Are there any skincare ingredients or products that you believe are particularly beneficial for mature skin, and why? What’s your personal regime these days?

It’s prevention, the most important thing you can do is apply an SPF. We have our SPF 50 and that will help prevent those signs of ageing. And it’s about making a conscious effort to look up and not look down because we just have this default positioning of our neck and it affects our posture and ultimately it affects your health when you have a bad posture. So it’s really important to just consciously look up. I think having the right ingredients will help with having the right ingredients to target these areas is crucial.

With my personal regime, taking care of myself first thing gives me the energy to get up and go. I wake between 6.30 am and 7 am and start with a massage using Trinny London Be Your Best Enzyme Balm Cleanser, and my Foreo Luna 3 Facial Cleansing Brush, I wipe it off with a warm damp Trinny London T-Towel Muslin Cloth, leaving my skin feeling lovely and awake.

Next, I work out, then have a shower before applying Trinny London Tiptoe In PHA Exfoliant, Trinny London Boost Up 30% Vitamin C Serum, and Trinny London Energise Me Niacinamide Moisturiser, that acts like a supercharged shot of hydration for my skin. I follow with four pumps of Trinny London BFF SPF 30 Cream Skin Perfector. Anyone using retinol must use SPF. The difference between an SPF 30 and SPF 50 is only about two per cent but you have to top up SPF 30 more often. I reapply mine at lunch using more of my BFF. It can go on top of makeup – I just press it in and it reinvigorates my base again.

Trinny London has seen incredible growth. What about your new product, The Elevator, excites you the most?

That it’s taking neck care to the mainstream, providing an alternative to a neck lift.

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for the future, both personally and professionally?

What’s next is, what is next…

You’ve been an advocate for empowering individuals to embrace their unique beauty. What message would you like to share with people who may struggle with self-confidence, particularly as they age?

We notice things more than anybody else does. So don’t be too hard on yourself and invest in products that make you look in the mirror and feel that you are full of energy.