Suzie O’Neil in person

We caught up with the woman behing Irish based and Irish owned cosmetics company Ayu -renowned makeup artist Suzie O'Neil. Here’s all you need to know.

First time to wear makeup?

I used to play with my Mums make up all the time when I was younger but probably the first time I wore it outside the house was when I was about 16 and it was a practically white face powder from the pound shop that I applied with a far too heavy hand and looked like someone had thrown a bag of flour at my face! Thankfully I’ve honed my skills since then!!

Beauty / Style icons?

Someone I love is Anine Bing for her natural and easy style. She never looks done up and exudes cool confidence.  I love that when she is wearing makeup it looks like she has nothing on yet but still looks flawless. It is a real art in getting that balance right I think. 

Biggest beauty mistake?

Wearing the wrong shade of foundation. Often women will wear a foundation that is too dark for them as they want to warm up their face but it would look better and more natural to warm the face with bronzer rather than foundation. I also think that we need to embrace our real skintones more, I find a lot of people who are pale just warm the face and so then it doesn’t match up with the rest of the body. The finish is so much more natural and healthy looking when you have the foundation shade right. My motto is “get the base right and everything else will come together”. 

Absolute hero product?

I know its biased but our Ayu Instant Undereye concealer is an absolute winner to me. I worked for years to create a formula that would cover dark circle, brighten the eye area and would not crease. Over the years I have meet and thought thousands of women and their one make up bug bear was always undereye concealer so I made it my mission to create one that would solve all their issues. It is a self-setting product so it ensures no dry or heavy patches. It is super hydrating too! 

Budget buy or splurge?

I am a bit of both but I would never mind spending on quality products. As I get older I am intent on keeping my skin in as good condition as possible so I will always look at the ingredients and spend on what I know will work for me. Being in the industry I know the cost of quality ingredients so I always think it is worth it! 

Go to haircare products? 

I am a big Kevin Murphy fan. I use all of their shampoos, conditioners, masks and sprays. I could set up a little shop I have so many but they are worth it. Until a few years ago I would’ve used anything but when my hairdresser explained it to me in terms of skincare for the hair it made realise that what we use on our hair is as important as what we use on our face. I have very fine hair which used to be very hard to style but using products that suit my hair type and are not heavy has made such a difference!

Go to skincare products? 

I am a big Neostrata fan. I use their Enlighten SPF 35 daily, and Cellular Restoration cream at night. I also love the Glycolic Microdermabrasion Scrub two to three times a week and it is amazing for leaving the skin super smooth and shrinking pores. I searched for years to find a skincare routine that worked for me and can honestly say that using Neostrata has changed my skin no end. 

Straight hair or wavy? 

I wear tape extensions so tend to wear my hair with a bit of a curl most days as I love the soft finish of it. I have naturally curly hair too so I think that it suits my face shape better too. 

Investment buys? 

Skincare every time. You wear your skin everyday so I would always advise to invest in the best care you can for it! 

Best beauty advice?

Look after your skin from the inside out. I take Revive Active everyday and as well as keeping me in great health it has done wonders for my skin and nails too. I would also advise you get yourself a skincare routine that works for your lifestyle and that you will be consistent with. 

Business highs / lows? 

A huge high we experienced this year was the launch of our first foundation Ayu Fresh Skin. It was so much bigger than we could have very imagined and sold out in 10 minutes! We have had such amazing feedback about it which makes me very proud. A low was our foundation selling out so fast- crazy as it sounds it was a very difficult time in business too as so many missed out and were left upset so trying to manage that was hard but a great learning curve. 

Business plans for 2021?

We have just moved into our new premises which is so exciting, we have gone from a 60sqm office to a 7,500sqft premises. It’s been a big leap but we are excited to have everything under one roof and a central hub where our ever expanding team can all work together. This year we have over 15 new products launching this year and are expanding our bases in the UK, Australia and America so lots happening!