The Essential List 13. Fiona Stiles’ Travel Beauty Kit

The celebrity makeup artist shares her favorite red lipstick, a chic travel mirror, TSA-proof body oil, and how she discovers and evaluates beauty products.

Today, I’m excited to feature Fiona Stiles, a makeup artist with over three decades of experience working with the world’s most recognizable faces. In 2014, Fiona launched Reed Clarke, an e-commerce site that is an insider’s resource for the best-of-the-best in beauty. I recently came across the website and was amazed by how brilliant it is. Everyone knows the beauty market is incredibly overwhelming and who better to curate the best in beauty than a woman who has spent the last thirty years trying every single product on the market? On top of expert curation, the detailed product descriptions and pro tips are everything you could want in a beauty recommendation.

Fiona’s vision for Reed Clarke aligns perfectly with the Essential List ethos and I was thrilled to connect with her. First, Fiona shares her essential beauty products for travel. Then, I share our conversation about the meticulous process of curating Reed Clarke, her passion for unearthing rare beauty finds, and her dedication to promoting products by fellow industry professionals.

15% off at Reed Clarke — I asked Fiona if she was willing to share a discount for Essential List readers and she generously offered 15% off through midnight August 1st with the code ESSENTIAL. So, if you have needs—stock up on her expert picks!

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Noto Multi-Benne Stick in Five As a makeup artist I have a special love for multi-use products. And as a traveler who rarely checks a bag, a product that does double duty is always awarded a space in my purse. I love this perfect dirty mauve color for cheeks, lips and even eyes—it’s the perfect travel companion.

Arpin Travel Mirror Being a person of a certain age means that I desperately need a magnifying mirror to apply my eye makeup. To not have one is a recipe for disaster. This stunning mirror (the tassel is my favorite detail) from Paris makes you feel super chic when you pull it out to apply or touch up your makeup. No one will think you need a magnifying mirror—they’ll just be dazzled by your incredible taste.

Ponaris Nasal Emollient Here’s a travel tip that will serve you for years to come: using a nasal emollient will go a long way in preventing you from getting a cold when you travel. I first found this at a 100 year old pharmacy in New York and I’ve used it when I travel ever since. (Fun fact: it used to be included in the medical kits for astronauts!)

Ponsont Incense Papers I’ve been carrying these incense papers with me everywhere I go for years - I always have a pack or two in my purse. They smell beyond amazing, are easy to travel with (they can’t break or crumble) and always elicit a round of “Oooooh, what’s that incredible scent?” when I burn them. Plus you can make any hotel room feel like home in an instant.

Proshine Solid Body Oil TSA has taken so many beauty products from me over the years—it never fails that I have something that’s over 3.3 oz in my bag. This solid body oil is TSA-proof, smells incredible (notes of petitgrain & jasmine create a heady scent) and guarantees soft, supple skin on my travels. TSA be damned (but thanks for keeping us safe!)

Julie Hewett Lipstick in Femme Noir No matter what happens when you travel…flight delays/cancellations, lost luggage, room not being ready and you’re supposed to be going out to dinner…applying the perfect red lipstick is like a salve for the soul. You instantly feel pulled together, like you have a purpose, and like you’ve made a choice to embrace elegance, even if you’re wearing the same clothes as yesterday because you’re in Iceland, but your bag’s in Ireland. I don’t go anywhere without this perfect blue-red lipstick for that very reason.

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An Emmy-nominated makeup artist and a regular insider for A-list talent, Fiona’s clients include Jennifer Garner, Gwyneth Paltrow, Natalie Portman, Jessica Chastain, Elizabeth Banks, Lily Collins and Gabrielle Union. She regularly creates looks for leading brands such as Lancome, Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Living Proof, L’Oréal, and Revlon. Fiona has been published globally in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, ELLE, W, InStyle and Vanity Fair.

Tell me about your background and what you’re doing today.

I kind of fell into doing makeup after graduating from art school. I was living in New York and just stumbled into it and I never looked back. It's what I've done ever since for almost 30 years.

I moved to LA 20 years ago. In New York, I was mostly working in fashion and a bit of music, but I wanted to diversify and work with celebrities, which is a major focus here. I primarily work with celebrities, handling their promotions after they wrap a project. This includes red carpet events and press junkets where they support the film or project. I don't usually do film and television work unless my clients are doing a commercial or something similar.

I launched Reed Clarke 10 years ago. It's a little bit of a quiet storm. I've heard from friends all the time that makeup shopping is very overwhelming. I'm exposed to so many products and when something really sparks something in me, that's what makes it on to Reed Clarke.

There are a few categories that everyone seeks out, but most of the products on Reed Clarke are unique, featuring textures I had never experienced before or exceptional efficacy.

People in my chair would often ask me about products I used, and if they weren't readily available, I couldn't really say where to get them. This was the impetus for starting Reed Clarke. I kept telling people about these products, and when they asked where to buy them, I would say, "I got this one at a pharmacy in New York," or "This is something I found in Japan."

What interests me are these small, hard-to-find brands. The hunt for beauty products has always been special to me, and that's what inspired the creation of Reed Clarke.

How are you discovering new products?

It’s kind of a boots on the ground process. I also do a lot of online research and if I'm looking for something in a specific category I'll just buy the products, then if I really like something I reach out to the wholesale department. I also love going into any stores—health food stores, tiny little gift shops—and seeing if they have something. It's pretty sporadic. Sometimes I'll find five things that I want to carry and immediately put them on the site and sometimes six months go by without introducing anything new.

There are also distributors whose products I carry. They send me new items they think I might like, and if something clicks with me, I'll carry it. If it doesn't, I won't—even if it's a really popular item.

What does your makeup kit look like? Is it seasonal? Does it vary by client?

I'm not the type to build my kit around a client, as it would take too much extra time to constantly remove and replace items. I carry a 70-pound bag of makeup everywhere, along with another 40-pound bag of brushes, lashes, and other essentials. I just need to have everything with me. My kit is pretty set, but new items do come in all the time, and they don't leave very often, which can be problematic.

Are there any small brands you love and think more people should know about?

Yes, a thousand percent. Ritual de Fille  is one of my favorite brands. I've been carrying them almost since the beginning. They have something called the Ash and Ember Eye Soot that is a cream, but it has a very dry texture and the colors are very subtle and pretty. I love the way that they live on the skin because it's not a powder.

There's a brand I used to race to anytime I was in Tokyo called Addiction, and they recently launched in the US as Addiction Tokyo. Their attention to detail in formulation is beautiful; their powders are very finely milled with subtle, gorgeous shades. I carry their blushes and a few highlighter sticks. The subtleties might get lost on some in the US market who are used to more dramatic payoffs, but I believe it's one of the most exquisite lines on the market.

One thing I love about Reed Clarke is being able to support hair and makeup professionals who have gone beyond their jobs to passionately create products they deeply believe in. For instance, Jo Leversuch’s brushes, Proshine by makeup artist Ciara O'Shea, and RŌZ from Mara Roszak. I truly enjoy supporting fellow industry professionals, and their products are incredible. These are people who have dedicated their entire adult lives to this profession, understanding the subtleties of what works on a multitude of people. I think that such experts should be celebrated.

Are there specific product types that you think are worth investing in more than others?

Brushes. The way that you apply your makeup makes such a big difference in the finished product, so I’d say to invest in good brushes. I have maybe 400 in my kit alone—it's an outrageous number of brushes.

Do you prefer using brushes over finger application?

I do a little of both, but I really prefer using tools—I feel like I can finesse it so much better. I don't carry an entire line of brushes because I'm not Sephora—I'm not where you go for your products from A to Z, I carry specialty items.

I carry a couple from Surratt that are excellent brushes that really make a difference— one is a concealer brush, and one is a powder/highlighter/contour brush. The other ones I carry are from RÓEN, one's a double-ended eye brush and one's a face brush. They are great because they really do double duty.

I also carry some very interesting brushes from Untitled No. 1 that were developed by a makeup artist in London named Jo Leversuch. One is a teeny pencil brush, one is a lip brush that has a cap so you can throw it in your bag—you can use it for concealer, you can use it for detail work on the eyes, and I use it for lips. She also has an interesting shaped, smaller, natural hair brush that is really nice for doing spot powdering. I find her products very interesting and specialized, which is what speaks to me.

I don't carry complexion products because finding the right foundation or concealer is deeply personal. People want to experience that in person, unless they're replenishing, so I don't carry that category.

For instance, I'm still looking for the perfect cream bronzer. I haven't found it yet. If it's not on the site, it's because I haven't found one that I think is the most user-friendly. Many bronzers are too orange, and I don't love the color. I don't want someone to get it and be disappointed. I want every product that arrives on someone's doorstep from Reed Clarke to be exactly what they want.

Have you developed any of your own products or do you have plans to?

I had a makeup line in 2014 called Fiona Stiles Beauty. It was short lived, unfortunately. It was a really wonderful experience developing all those products and I look forward to having the opportunity to do it again—whatever that looks like.

Reed Clarke Gold 4” Hair Pin

I always have this perfect hair pin in my purse. I have long hair and there’s a 90% chance that I’ll put it up at some point in the day. This makes my bun look elevated and never, ever slips out.

The Hair Pin is something I import and then have gold-plated, so it isn't technically something I developed, but I found it and made it better. It is our best-selling product—I’ve sold thousands and thousands of them. This one will 1000% stay in. It will hold the finest hair and the thickest hair. It's the waves in the clip that make it really stay. All of those other ones that are just U-shapes are very beautiful, but they won’t hold your hair.

Cindy Crawford bought several hundred a few years ago as gifts, and I have a client who buys them and hands them out to her friends. She always has one on when I go to her house to do her makeup, and she’ll have to take the hair pin out for the hairdresser.

I have to try it. Is there a common mistake you see people doing with their own makeup?

I really try not to be judgmental with people and their makeup. A lot of women I speak to in my daily life are intimidated by makeup. They do the same makeup they did in high school and often ask me, "What can I do?" I don't fault people for just trying to get by with makeup. I find that many women find it a bit overwhelming.

The one thing I like the least in beauty right now is microblading brows. It often looks very dense and heavy, and there's not much room for correction. While I understand the convenience and the appeal of waking up like this, I think people should just take the time to do their brows.

When you're evaluating products or looking for new products, are there any hero ingredients that you look for and that you love?

I’m less ingredient-focused and more efficacy-focused. I like everything from the cheapest drugstore makeup to the most exclusive luxury makeup. I do check if a product is loaded with PEGs; if polyethylene glycol is the second or third ingredient, I find that a bit unnecessary—there are other ways to achieve that slip in a product. In my kit, I just need something that works. That's the most important thing for me.

What are your thoughts on clean beauty? Is this something you pay attention to when evaluating a product?

There was a time when I was very clean beauty-focused, about 15 years ago when there were fewer offerings. I do look at all the clean beauty brands, and they have come so far—there are some really amazing formulations out there. The reason Reed Clarke isn't exclusively clean beauty is because I didn't want it to be limited to that. Surratt’s liquid eyeliner is the most amazing liquid eyeliner I've ever used. It's not clean, but it works the best. When I say it's a hero product on Reed Clarke, it's because it truly is the standout SKU in that category, in my opinion.

What is the last thing you bought that you feel really good about and how did you find out about it?

The Madewell Harlow pants—I have them in six colors and wear them with everything. Old Navy has the perfect tank top right now. It's a white ribbed tank, which isn’t hard to find, but this one ticks all the boxes for me. Expensive clothes aren’t very important to me—my passion is jewelry (unfortunately for my bank account).

And our Fellow Kettle—we had a pour-over kettle, but neither of us do pour-over coffee anymore. My husband used to, but it’s a struggle making tea with it every day, it’s so slow! Having an actual kettle has made such a big difference. It's also very beautiful.

I've used the Graphic Image notebooks for my calendar for at least 20 years. Every year around this time, they start releasing the next year's notebooks. It's a leather-bound journal—I’m a very paper-and-tape kind of person and can’t do a digital calendar. I get my name embossed on it every year, and I just love it.

Japanese ballpoint pens from Sarasa are another favorite. I’m left-handed, so I need a pen that doesn’t smudge across the page. I just think Japanese products are phenomenal.

Thank you, Fiona! Reed Clarke is brilliant—I’m so excited to have discovered your store and cannot wait to try your recommendations.

Follow @fionastyles and @shopreedclark on Instagram for more from Fiona.

15% off at Reed Clarke — If you missed it above, Fiona is generously offering 15% off through midnight August 1st with the code ESSENTIAL. So, if you have needs—stock up on her expert picks!

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