Paying homage to the most iconic beauty looks of all time and the women that created them

Despite her darling performance as Candy in those Prada Candy ads, I took no notice of Léa Seydoux at first; casting her off as simply another French ingénue with a name no one knows how to pronounce (haven’t we’ve got enough of those already?). But then this magazine cover happened, swiftly followed by this magazine cover and like a fickle teenager on a disco dance floor, my affections immediately flipped in her favour.

How startlingly new to see a young actress on a magazine cover without a wheelbarrow full of make-up on her face, I thought. This was no ‘stars without make-up’ publishing gimmick to sell more copies though, a cursory rummage of the internet – specifically of Léa’s promotional appearances for her forthcoming film, Blue is the Warmest Colour – proved that Léa eschews a concerted beauty look on many a public occasion, if not all.

"She was born genetically rich: in possession of skin as dainty and smooth as porcelain"

Why? Because she can. She was born genetically rich: in possession of skin as dainty and smooth as porcelain (SPF50 every day, I’m guessing), fully-formed -  but not feral – brows which require no extra scribbling and of course, that aforementioned French girl thing, which just automatically makes everything seem just a little bit more enchanting.

But working out how to do this cosmetic sleight of hand thing is as difficult as driving a car with no wheels. It’s hard to know what to do with your hands if they’re not otherwise occupied with a mascara brush, lipstick bullet or at least a flicky brush of pink blusher.

Most paramount of all though, is compromising on the cosy security blanket of an all-over foundation. It has no business being here. Instead, I used a tinted moisturizer mixed with a light, dewy primer. And actually, despite the glare of a thousand pores, I did find some sort of affection for the light bulb, golden-ish glow radiating from my cheekbones, forehead and atop my lips, but the deep yearn for a bit of colour, or a bit eyeliner – something to lead the eye – screamed far louder.

"Léa manages to do ‘lightly glowing’ and ‘angelic’ with utter proficiency and looks like the coolest thing on earth as she does so."

Go too far with the glowy stuff and it all gets a bit Samantha Morton in Minority Report. Don’t go far enough and it’ll just look like you didn’t put any make-up on that day, because, you genuinely can’t much on with this look. Mercifully, blusher is allowed, if only to mimic the post-coital flushed cheeks that come naturally to Léa. My brows remained sparse and unloved, lips (already lacking in any natural colour) began to blend in with my skin like some sort of dead alien corpse.

Which is, of course, not the aim. Somehow, Léa manages to do ‘lightly glowing’ and ‘angelic’ with utter proficiency and manages to look like the coolest thing on earth as she does so. It’s just not that easy for normal people, sadly.

1. Laura Mercier Brow Grooming Brush, £10.50 at House of Fraser 
2. MAC Fall 13 Forecast Palette for Eyes, £38 at MAC Pro Stores
3. Chanel Le Blush Crème de Chanel in Revelation, £27 at Selfridges
4. Topshop Glow Highlighter in Polished,  £9

Photography: Hugo Yanguela