Lisa Eldridge—
Nostalgia in Color

(Her Vision, her Brand) Flawlessly drawn cat-eye liner, velvety lips, and naturally glowing skin—Lisa Eldridge expresses her feminine-classic signature style not only through her impeccable looks and tutorials, but also via her eponymous brand, which she founded in 2018. Before that, the British makeup artist shaped strategies as Global Creative Director at Shiseido and Lancôme, and she still works with stars such as Kate Winslet, while delighting fans with her videos on social media.

Lisa Eldridge’s passion for makeup is especially evident in her fascinating collection of nostalgic beauty products, which inspire her own creations—from Victorian powder compacts to an original lipstick owned by Audrey Hepburn, housed in a Cartier case. That very lipstick served as the template for Eldridge’s soft apricot shade “Audrey.”

Maison Ë If your brand were a feeling—what would it be?

Lisa Eldridge Confidence! Makeup is not only a form of self-expression and identity, but also a creative outlet that boosts self-esteem. That transformative and empowering quality of makeup means so much to me. Sometimes we all need a little boost to feel better about ourselves—and makeup can be a great place to start. With my “tools,” I want to instill confidence, so that everyone can experiment creatively and highlight their own natural beauty.

M.Ë Your products often have a vintage touch or pay homage to the past. You’ve even developed a lipstick that exactly replicates Audrey Hepburn’s favorite from the 1960s. Which era inspires you the most personally?

L.E. I love looking back at the many different eras of makeup, but I also think we’re living in an incredibly exciting time right now. Today, we have so much more choice—and that allows for the freedom of individual expression when it comes to beauty. However, if I could travel back to one era, it would probably be the 1960s. So many iconic makeup looks come from that time. I love the focus on the eyes, like cat-eyes, spidery lashes, and the characteristically pale lips of that era.

M.Ë In what way does nostalgia help us escape reality? Or does it, on the contrary, create a deeper connection to it?

L.E. For me, makeup has always been more than just a shimmering surface. It’s an expression of creativity and humanity. You need to know the past to understand the present. When you realize that the makeup in your handbag has a history spanning centuries, it forever changes your perception of beauty today.

M.Ë Was there a moment when you knew: I have to start my own brand?

L.E. After working for other brands for so many years, I was incredibly excited to finally do things my own way. I pour my heart and soul into my products—and I think people can feel that. I always try to create unique shades—ones that are described as “indescribable” or “impossible to duplicate”—and that makes me very happy.

M.Ë Was there a specific product you had in mind before your brand existed—and did it become your debut product?

L.E. Yes! It all started with my True Velvet Lip Colours. The inspiration for these lipsticks literally came from a dream. I kept having the same dream of lips made of real velvet—and that dream inspired me to bring my velvet vision to life. So in 2018, my first lip colors were born.

M.Ë What’s more important in your beauty brand: refining or reinventing?

L.E. I want to create products that feel fresh, innovative, and new, but at the same time, ones that will still work a hundred years from now. Future classics, essentially. I often think of my vintage makeup collection—every piece was iconic, futuristic, and radical in its time. That feeling greatly inspires my own collection.

M.Ë What has been your biggest challenge as an entrepreneur so far? And what is the biggest challenge as a creative?

L.E. Running a business while working as a makeup artist comes with numerous challenges—and many sleepless nights! But hearing the stories of people who love and use my products, and seeing their joy at my counters, makes it all worthwhile.

One particular challenge—but an extremely important one for me at the beginning of my brand—was developing my own exclusive formulas. In the beauty industry, it’s common to purchase existing formulations and make slight adjustments, which is totally fine. But that never really appealed to me. I wanted to create my own formulas from scratch. So I spent many years testing, refining, and curating them. I had to be absolutely certain that they were the best, most high-performance formulas of my dreams—and suitable for everyone. That was my biggest, but also most rewarding challenge.