Beauty Detail
The Products Christine Quinn Swears By To Get That Selling Sunset Glow
And why she’s teaming up with cult British brand Ciaté London.
In Bustle’s Beauty Detail, we dive into the beauty bags of our favourite talents for intel on the rituals that keep them glowing and the MVPs (most valuable products) they can't live without. Here, Christine Quinn tells Bustle about teaming up with cult British beauty brand Ciaté London, the lipstick colour she loves the most, and the secret to keeping her hair as glam as poss.
“Drama Queen” and “Ca$h Fetish” are two lipstick names that only Christine Quinn could come up with – and successfully sell. But that’s why we love her: the brashness, the beauty, the shade. Quinn’s cult-status came as swiftly as Selling Sunset landed on Netflix, and with the long wait for season 4 and 5, the world is clearly gagging for more.
“She’s strong, wise, and persistent,” says Ciaté London founder Charlotte Knight of Quinn. “She fights for what she wants, and when she wants something... she gets it.” (A trait, you could argue, the pair have in common.) Knight started the indie British brand in 2009, hoping to fill the “nail care void” in London. It’s since become one of the most recognised names on the market, partly thanks to its mission to empower its audience, helped by the PETA-certified and mostly vegan-friendly products.
Like the rest of us, Knight was obsessed with Quinn as soon as she saw her on the Netflix series. So, she did what every other entrepreneur wishes they had done earlier: she reached out with a proposition. “Charlotte saw something in me,” explains Quinn. “She wanted to capture both sides of my personality in this collection, and I thought that was really fun, because I don’t ever want to do something that is one note. I want to show all sides of me!”
“It was a natural partnership, and totally love at first sight,” the Selling Sunset star continues. “Charlotte and I would have these Zoom meetings where we’d finish each other’s sentences. It was actually really great to work with people who understood me for once – I don’t always get that luxury in the office.” (There she is.)
The Ciaté London x Christine Quinn collection is a statement in and of itself, full of bold colours and “next-gen” formulations that put the fun back into make-up. The Thermo Lip Creams, for example, go on in one light-toned lick (Ca$h Fetish), turning a rich burgundy (Drama Queen) with a change in temperature. It sounds like it could verge on the gimmicky, but in truth is fiercely fun – exactly like Quinn.
Though the collection is notably missing a sharp eyeliner to recreate Quinn’s signature cat-eye flick, the red lip was never going to be skipped. “My grandmother – who looks identical to Marilyn Monroe – would always wear a red lip,” Quinn says. “Even to go to the grocery store. She introduced me to old Hollywood movies, and stars like Jane Russell. I just fell in love with how fabulous and glamorous beauty can be.”
Now a proud mum to baby Christian, Quinn has also made a name for herself by speaking openly about her plastic surgery. “I never want anyone to go through the body dysmorphia, and the confusion that I went through because of the aesthetic of Instagram. Hell no,” she says.
“That’s why when people are like ‘you look so great’, I tell them, I’ve had this done and this done, and, you should have seen me two hours ago. I never want people to feel less than perfect, less than the perfect version of themselves. It’s important to be transparent, especially when there are young and impressionable people. I feel like it’s something I owe to people.”
Read on to find out which beauty products Quinn keeps in her arsenal at all times.
Her Glow-Getter
“I love this, and had so much fun creating it. I use it on my face, but also all over my body, on my arms and legs and chest – it really gives the perfect sun-kissed glow.”
Her Glossy Finish
“I use it when I get out the shower and it helps detangle any knots. I use it again, once I’ve curled my hair to add that chic, glowly look.”
Her Eye Solution
“They don’t slip and slide on the face, even when taking a nap!”
Her Secret Weapon
“I don’t think people realise how important silk pillowcases and hair ties are for those with long hair and extensions like me. It stops any damage and breakage to the hair, and stops any tangling.”
Her Go-To Face Oil
“The packaging is super cute, and they are all sustainable, which is really important to me.”
Her Fave Lip Boost
“I put it on every morning as it has a great formula that is plumping, and helps your lips feel super hydrated. It’s a beautiful rosy pink red, which can put on alone or on top of lipstick to enhance the colour.”
