As a pillar of the British beauty industry for 17 years, GLAMOUR magazine’s Beauty Director Alessandra Steinherr, or Alex as she is known to her friends and followers, knows a thing or two about products. The tips and tricks she shares with her hashtag #AskAlex have generated a huge fanbase and made her the go-to source for product advice (so much so that her editor Jo Elvin made this digital dialog a regular feature in the print edition). And here is the best bit: she actually answers! “Well, if you’re going to ask Alex, she better answer,” Steinherr explains.
Don’t just use ANR at night!
To fill in some background, Alex is the ultimate beauty obsessive. She confesses to having black and white Estée Lauder ads with Paulina Poritzkova plastered on her wall as a teenager in the 90s, instead of boy bands or classic Hollywood pin-ups: “I found the images so iconic. I was never a size zero, but I always felt that anyone could wear makeup. Beauty is very democratic in that way.” She also loves products and tries everything, documenting not just what works for her, but what she thinks will work for others.
Alex has made her personal Instagram account @AlessandraSteinherr the vessel for honest, genuine, real beauty advice – check out a few of the questions (and the subsequent answers from her) and you will understand why. “People know that I don’t just talk about what’s new, I talk about what’s good and they like the honest feedback. Social media has enhanced my job in that I can have a proper conversation with my readers and that’s what I love about it," she explains.
It makes you dewy and glowy
What do people ask her about the most? “Skin! It’s still women’s biggest concern." And it’s the love of a certain little brown bottle that has remained steadfast in her ever-evolving routine. “Advanced Night Repair is probably the product that has been in my skincare routine the longest. I started using it in my 20s and I will always go back to it because I love how it makes my skin look and feel."
Here, Alex shares with The Estée Edit her top tips on how to use Advanced Night Repair – the crux being, it’s not just for nighttime:
1
Don’t just use ANR at night! Use it in the morning to help protect
skin's appearance during the day, and at night when it helps renew
skin for a younger look.
2
I like to use it to dilute my foundation when it feels too heavy and
want a slightly lighter finish.
3
Sometimes I put ANR in my brows, because I like my brows to look
natural and it makes them look glossy.
4
When I get what I call "4 o’clock face," I put a tiny drop in the
palms of my hands, close my eyes and press my hands into my
face. It refreshes my skin instantly without disturbing any makeup.
5
Before going out, I use it as a highlighter. It’s great for when you
don’t want to be too shimmery or have your makeup look too
obvious. It makes you dewy and glowy as the hydrating properties
make skin look plumper.
6
Use it as a mask! Slather it on and leave to sink in.
7
To plump your lip look, put ANR on the edge of your lips where
you would apply lip liner and lipstick and then apply lipstick and
your lips will appear fuller. I swear this works!
And what’s the one question Alex wants to ask? “When are we getting a whole ANR line extension?”
