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Spring Beauty Tips from a Natural Make Up Artist: Sjaniel Turrel

Interviews Skincare Wellness
Spring Beauty Tips from a Natural Make Up Artist: Sjaniel Turrel
Spring Beauty Tips from a Natural Make Up Artist: Sjaniel Turrel

Spring is in the air, and what better time to refresh your beauty routine than with the guidance of someone who truly understands the power of natural radiance? We sat down with natural makeup artist and nutritional therapist Sjaniel Turrell, whose career spans from the farmlands of South Africa to the creative heart of London. With a passion for clean beauty and holistic wellness, Sjaniel shares her top tips for glowing skin, mindful makeup and how to embrace your natural beauty—just in time for the new season.

Tell us about yourself:

I grew up in the farmlands of South Africa – so I’m a farm girl at heart – but I love the variety and culture of living near a big city like London. I’ve been a makeup artist since 1999 (with a 15-year modelling career in between), and I became a qualified nutritional therapist in 2015. I’ve had a deep interest in health and wellness since my early 20s.


What led you to natural beauty?


While I was studying nutrition, I became very aware of the importance of the products we use on and near our bodies, and I changed all my personal and professional skincare to natural and plant-based brands. I’m so inspired by the passionate, independent brand owners who have spent years developing and perfecting cleaner, plant-based formulas that perform just as well as – if not better than – mainstream cosmetics.

How can makeup be used to enhance one's natural features without masking them?

Skin, skin, and more skin – your skin’s health dictates how all your makeup looks, sits, and feels on your face. Gentle cleansers, super hydrating serums, and nourishing oils and moisturisers are key to glowing skin (along with what you eat and drink, and getting good sleep, of course). I love using Aevi’s Hydrate + Nourish Duo for my dehydrated skin – it’s the perfect combo. Your makeup (especially silicone-free, natural makeup) won’t sit well if your skin is dehydrated or distressed.

I think the key is not to ‘hide’ behind your makeup but rather to enhance features that you love – like using the right eye pencil colour to make your eyes pop, or simply adding the right uplifting shade of blush. Keeping makeup sheer and soft means you still look like you – just fresh and glowy.


Can you talk us through how you prep your skin for makeup?


My top tip for skin prep is hydration! It’s so important for your makeup to look good and sit well. Of course, your skin has to be clean – I usually use a cotton pad and a micellar-like makeup remover or spritz to get rid of any residue. On a shoot, I’ll apply a generous amount of hydrating serum with hyaluronic acid to smooth the skin’s surface for makeup application. At home, I mix a serum and oil (or a moisturiser if you prefer) and massage it into my skin – then give it a few minutes to absorb properly.

I started working as a makeup artist before the ‘primer’ trend, and I personally don’t like using primers as they’re generally thick, silicone-based products. I believe the lighter the layers on your skin, the better. That said, there are some amazing natural primers now – they’re essentially hydrating serums with reflective particles to boost your glow.

Can you share any specific ingredients or products you’re currently excited about?

I might sound boring, but pure organic jojoba oil is my skin health hero – it’s the best all-rounder for everyone and a perfect starting point for stressed skin. It’s also found in many natural skincare formulas.

A newer ingredient I’m excited about is Bidens Pilosa Extract – it acts as nature's retinol but without the harsh or unwanted side effects. It may sound exotic, but it’s actually what we know as the blackjack plant. Over the years, I’ve learned that some of the best plant-based antioxidant skincare comes from what we think of as common weeds.


How do you incorporate holistic wellness into your beauty routines?


Being a freelancer for my entire adult life means I’ve never really had a budget for fancy skin treatments – though I do love a holistic facial. I’ve always tried to keep my skincare routine simple, wholesome, and gentle. I believe our skin understands natural ingredients better than synthetic ones – it’s like giving your skin vitamins.

I avoid anything harsh or stripping, and I focus on moisture and hydration while consciously massaging products into my skin. I’ve also never smoked, I rarely drink alcohol, and prayer and faith are very important to me. I believe all of these things add up over time to help you treat your skin and body well. That said, I’d love to get into a more regular practice of facial exercises or gua sha – they do wonders for both appearance and stress levels.


What advice do you have for individuals looking to transition to a more natural and holistic beauty routine?


Start simple – don’t try to change everything all at once. A gentle cleanser is key, followed by a good serum and a simple face oil (I love a face oil). Switching to a natural foundation can also improve your skin’s health and texture massively.

Once you’ve found the right skincare combo for you, you can start adding in other products. It’s hard to know where to start when it comes to natural makeup – which is why I offer one-on-one consultations to help people transition. I give them a list of products that work for them, which removes the trial-and-error (and money wasted on things that don’t work!).

How do you see the relationship between mental health and beauty evolving in 2025?

Our relationship with beauty and mental health shifts at different life stages. Right now, we’re in a tricky space with AI visuals dominating all platforms. We thought Photoshop was bad – but this is a whole new level of fake, and I believe both the youngest and oldest generations are especially vulnerable to it.

I hope those of us raising young children or supporting aging parents can teach them that almost nothing you see online is real anymore. I also think a wonderful counterculture will emerge in response – one that admires and desires realness. I hope health and wholesomeness become the new beauty standard.


What are your favourite sustainable beauty practices for 2025?


Choosing plant-based skincare and makeup already tips the scale in the right direction. Synthetic ingredients are cheap and easy to produce, but for too long the focus has been on packaging. The ingredients themselves also have a huge impact on the planet.

Less is more. Cleaner brands and ingredients may be more expensive, but you only need three products – not ten. Most of us have way too many things in our bathroom cabinets. If you can’t afford to buy from natural, independent ranges, you can still get a bottle of organic jojoba oil – and that will do a better job than seven or ten products from a high street brand.


Can you predict any emerging natural beauty trends for the upcoming seasons?


For me, the trend is to not be worried about the trend. Holistic beauty is becoming more popular and desirable, but it’s also becoming more marketed – and that comes with buzzwords and branding that don’t always live up to the standards we align with.

It’s easy to be tempted by aesthetics (I’m a sucker for pretty packaging), but staying focused on what actually supports your lifestyle and wellbeing is key. Not everything works for everyone, and staying in your own lane will always be the best trend.



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For more natural beauty tips, skincare wisdom, and behind-the-scenes glimpses, follow Sjaniel on Instagram @sjaniel. Your skin will thank you!

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