The base hack Lily Collins swears by for the perfect Parisian glow

It’s no secret that the outfits Lily Collins shows off in Emily in Paris are pretty phenomenal – we wouldn’t be creating nail looks inspired by any old clothing combos now would we? However, Emily Cooper’s perfect top-to-toe style certainly wouldn’t be complete without the stunning beauty looks that take them from good to great.

And while, yes, her tousled waves seem to look incredible even after being washed in the bidet, and her statement lips are utter works of art, there’s still one other thing we can’t stop staring at: her glowy yet flawless complexion.

Her skin somehow strikes the perfect balance between looking perfectly polished and effortlessly natural – she’s definitely got some base going on, but it’s coverage of the elusive radiant and real-looking variety.

Luckily for us, Collins just took to a Vogue video to share her secret for creating said luminous, low-maintenance look, and it's a trick we'll undoubtedly be adopting into our makeup routines immediately…

“Something that I love about the French-girl vibe of the ‘no-makeup makeup’ is [the] fresh, clear skin; I’ve always been someone who’s about less is more,” says Collins. Her affinity for a low-key look comes down to longevity, too: "I’ve always said the less you have on your face, the less there is to go wrong throughout the day," she admits. Fair enough.

“The first step of my makeup routine is Teint Idole foundation which is so perfect for a lightweight feel,” she explains of her favourite formula. “It’s super versatile [so it’s] my perfect partner for the je ne sais quoi kind of ‘no-makeup makeup’ look, but it’s 24 hour long-lasting coverage as well.”

Sounds like a winner, right? We’re equally big fans of Lancôme’s luxurious liquid foundation, but there are also some great bargain buys (like this $29.95 Revlon gem or this $16.99 Designer Brands steal) that deliver similar-style results.

The thing about Collins’ go-to base, though, is that it technically offers a velvet matte finish. This is where her glow-enhancing hack comes in; she likes to mix up her own complexion cocktail in order to add a little extra life and luminosity to her skin.

“What I like to do is take [my base] partnered with the Génifique serum, because it makes it actually more of a medium coverage, and it adds back that healthy, radiant glow, so it’s just the ideal combo,” she explains. Again, if you’re after something a little more affordable, this plumping Glow Recipe guy or this hydrating Sand and Sky option will both do the trick.

The process is super simple: “I take [the foundation] and I put about a quarter size [amount into my hand], and I take the serum, add just a couple of drops of that, and mix them all together. Then I just put a couple of little dots [onto my forehead, cheeks and chin] and take the sponge [and blend]," says Collins of her easy application technique.

"It really does feel super, super lightweight, but I know that it’s going to give me that perfect coverage too, and it lasts so long, so it’s perfect," she confirms. Sounds perfect to us as well!

Main image credit: @lilyjcollins

Searching for the perfect luminous serum to mix with your base? Here’s our edit of the top hyaluronic acid options…