The September issue
Amal Clooney shines in Venice, Victoria Beckham's new "midi-bob", it's Rouge Noir season, and Elle Macpherson’s memoir launches.
Happy September! Hope you had a great weekend (and Labour Day, for friends across the pond).
A big welcome to those who’ve joined us since Friday, I’m so glad you’re here.
As promised, I’m going to open up The Midlife Beauty Edit Chat later this week, where paid subscribers can drop in, share beauty hacks and product finds, and connect.
It’s just one of the ways I hope to offer added value for those who support my writing in this way—thank you!—and watch this space for more. And all paid subscriptions are still 50% off, as part of a 6 month anniversary offer.
Please just shout if you’d love to be part of the community in this way, but a paid sub isn’t feasible for now. (Hit reply to this email, or DM via the website or app).
Amal Shines In Venice
Following last Friday’s edition hot off the red carpet at the Venice International Film Festival 2024, more stars have been (carefully) stepping out of their water taxis at Venice Lido.
Amal Clooney’s hair stylist, Dimitris Giannetos, took his inspiration from the OG Italian movie queen for the “Italian Sophia Loren blowout” he created for an event with Cartier.
The makeup, courtesy of Steeve Foussard, was created using Charlotte Tilbury products.
It was a Hollywood red Tilbury red lip yesterday, too.
Speaking of hair, Victoria Beckham has revealed her fresh new “midi-bob” cut on a family trip to Vegas.
Billed by British Vogue as “one of 2024’s most in-demand haircuts”, the shoulder-skimming cut - which has also been seen on Penélope Cruz - is pretty much a suits-all look, and a great way to sharpen things up, style-wise, for autumn - especially if summer has taken its toll on dry ends.
When it comes to boosting volume in midlife hair, Nigella Lawson recently shared her love for Fulvic Shampoo, which is claimed to help stimulate hair growth, Davines’ VOLU Hair Mist, ColorWow Xtra Large Bombshell Volumiser, and GHD’s Curly Ever After.
Deciding to keep it real, Nigella followed up by posting the pic below to Instagram yesterday, with the caption: “Ever since I posted about my hair, hair products and styling yesterday, I’ve been rather worried about having to live up to it, since mostly I do nothing and go out looking a complete mess. So I thought I’d redress the balance by posting a photo of what my hair more usually looks like!” LOVE.
Are we Rouge Noir-ing yet?
If the mid-nineties was a nail polish, it would be Chanel Rouge Noir.
Come autumn/winter, 30 (HOW?!) years on, same.
As made the case last week at , the most timeless beauty trends — including the inky-deep, iconic polish - are precisely that. “The blackberry shade matched my Doc Martens and my mood; longing to discover myself as I was currently an advertising exec by day, grunge concert attendee at night,” she writes.
For myself, at the time of its launch, I was a twentysomething starting out in magazines, living in a top floor flat in Covent Garden, with no heating and ancient sash windows (listed building). I’d like to think it had a Parisienne, artist’s garrett feel. In fact, it was just freezing.
I remember meeting the late Heidi Morawetz, the veteran makeup artist who made beauty history by mixing red and black nail polish to create Rouge Noir (Vamp in the U.S.), with Chanel’s then-director of makeup creation, Dominique Moncourtois, in Paris.
But what I recall most about Heidi was her impossibly cool, sooty-dark and very French kohl eye makeup.
6 ways to get the look for less
Essie Wicked is one of the best, super-deep alternatives (UK friends, I just spied it at Sainsbury’s for £7.99).
No 7 Gel Finish Nail Colour in Mulberry.
Sephora Collection Nail Polish in Black Wine (currently less than £5).
Barry M Gelly High Shine Nail Paint in Black Cherry.
(Barry M will always have a place in my heart - see this 80s beauty memory).
Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy in Heartbreaker.
Nails Inc. 73% Plant Power Vegan Nail Polish in Deep Purple.
Elle Macpherson’s new book launch
I’m thrilled that we have a growing number of friends from Australia in The Midlife Beauty Edit community (hello waves!).
Fittingly, Elle Macpherson’s new memoir, elle (Penguin Australia), makes its hardback debut in Australia today, 3 September.
“Arrived in Oz for my launch of my book ‘elle’ …. I’m so excited to share it with you all,” Elle wrote on Instagram. “I hope to offer powerful tools and helpful perspectives on resilience, recovery, self trust and authentic love that empowers readers to value their own uniqueness, embrace life, and love unconditionally.”
In the book, for the first time Elle shares some of the story behind her diagnosis with breast cancer, seven years ago, and the journey it has taken her on.
Elle is due to release elsewhere in a few months’ time - Amazon UK is taking pre-orders, for a 19 November release.
Last but not least, thanks so much to Jane, at, for so kindly mentioning The Midlife Beauty Edit, among others, in her post today, about reading and writing at Substack (as a longtime UK beauty journalist).
And thank you so much for reading, and clicking the ❤️ Like button below. It really helps to make The Midlife Beauty Edit more visible on Substack, and I’m hugely grateful.
See you later this week!
So glad we connected last week — and thank you for the s/o about Vamp! Another fave alternative is OPI Lincoln Park After Dark.
I am looking forward to reading Elle's book.
xx
Rouge Noir forever. Am I the only one who does not think Amal looks old school glam? She used to. Her new look is Kardashian/generic insert-name-here influencer all the way. It is just so normalized that we no longer see it as what it is.