‘I’m So Into Skincare’: Lydia West Talks Beauty And Reveals Her Favourite Buys

Lydia West is a bona fide beauty obsessive. The actor might be best known for her portrayal of Jill in Russell T Davies' groundbreaking It's A Sin- which earned her a Best Actress BAFTA nomination - and for her most recent TV hit Inside Man, a crime thriller in which she stars as journalist Beth Davenport alongside David Tenant and Stanley Tucci, but there's no denying it. Lydia is a skincare geek at heart and when I speak to her on Zoom she spends the majority of our call excitedly flitting from bathroom cabinet, to dressing table, to make-up bag as she showcases her product arsenal and gets granular about beauty. First though, we have to touch on Christmas. Too early? Not when you're the star of one of the most iconic festive adverts to hit the small screen this year. November sees Lydia take centre stage as Holly in the Boots' TV 'spectacle', an uplifting seasonal short set to the tune of 'You Make My Dreams' by Hall & Oates. Watch the film in full below:

Watch: Lydia West Stars In The Boots 'Joy For All' Christmas Advert

'Christmas is my favourite time of the year and like Holly, I enjoy the feeling of picking a present for someone that I know they are going to love,' says Lydia, 'my time on set filming the Boots campaign got me feeling festive and excited to think about what is going to make my own friends and family smile on Christmas morning.'

And Lydia's fondness for Boots doesn't begin and end with this Christmas advert. 'I have very early memories of Boots,' she says, 'of bing a kid and going shopping with my mum. I used to dance and after dance class we'd sometimes go to this huge Boots superstore. Then, in secondary school I remember being obsessed with Soap & Glory when that range hit the Boots shelves, my sister and I would buy the eyebrow pencils.'

On Her Current Skincare Routine

'I use the Kiehl's Daily Reviving Concentrate, £35.70, which smells of ginger, I think it's lovely. My day cream changes all the time, but I always use Supergoop's Unseen Sunscreen SPF 30, £32, on top, it's so clear and weightless. In the evening I always cleanse with a Kiehl's Cleanser, and I use their Midnight Recovery Concentrate, £48.45, at night, as well as the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Omega Rich Cloud Cream, £34.85. I'm so into skincare. A couple of years ago I wasn't using anything, but working and filming so much with heavy make-up for camera led to me breaking out a lot. A make-up artist told me that I needed to start cleansing and creaming and caring for my skin. I started with a few of their recommendations and that was the start of my love of skincare. I'm all about healthy, dewy, hydrated, plump skin.'

On The Contents Of Her Make-Up Bag

'I have a tiny make-up bag, and only ever use around five items on any given day. I love Glossier's Ultralip, £14, and I useLancôme's Lash Idôle Mascara, £21.60, with Byredo's Eyeliner in Technical Black, £32, the nib is so small and sleek, I can get a great line with it, and I also carry a Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder, £36. I used to think the more make-up the better, but now I'm all about seeing real skin. I like to show what's real. I love it when a make-up artist takes the time to highlight my freckles too.'

Shop: Lydia West's Favourite Beauty Products

Lydia West stars in the Boots Christmas campaign for 2022 titled ‘Joy for All’. Shop Christmas gifts across beauty, home, food and lifestyle at www.boots.com.

Main image credit: Instagram @lydiawestie