Vanessa Feltz's makeup drawer is a testament to her enduring loyalty to classic beauty brands, a habit cultivated from childhood memories of her mother's Helena Rubinstein foundation to her own teenage layers of Max Factor mascara. Despite possessing a vast collection, including 32 lipsticks and 17 eyeshadow palettes, Feltz admits that many items are likely past their prime, a sentiment echoed by Dame Helen Mirren, who reportedly uses cosmetics decades old.
The power of a skilled makeup artist (MUA) is not lost on Feltz. She likens the MUA to the most crucial individual on any TV set, capable of transforming an appearance with expert application. Conversely, she recalls a disastrous 2017 Radio 2 presenters' photoshoot, where the photographer Bryan Adams's vision of 'natural' resulted in a significantly altered look for Feltz and her colleagues, leaving her feeling particularly