For Nina Leykind, the eyes have always had it. So much so that the London-based beauty-industry veteran made them the focus of Eyeko, the brand she launched with husband Max in 1999. Since then the line of highest-quality eye essentials (like mascara that resists the urge to flake, perfectly taming brow gel, and the silkiest liquid liner around) has ended up in the kits of many a professional makeup guru (like Polly Osmond, Kay Montano, and Lisa Eldridge) and the evening bags of many a girl-in-the-know. Eyeko’s cult-favorite status was further cemented in 2013 when London’s premiere style icon and longtime feline-eye acolyte Alexa Chung came on board. Here, the eye-catching Londoner shares some of her local beauty and style haunts.
THE SPA BREAK: Cowshed
“There are a few Cowshed Spas around town, but this one in Primrose Hill is around the corner from my kid’s school, so I can sneak in a massage or mani-pedi before pickup time! I like the Moody Massage best—I’m usually Knackered and often a Grumpy Cow, but of course a very happy bunny once all the knots and tension have been ironed out by the pros.”
115-117 Regent’s Park Rd., London NW1 8RU; cowshedonline.com/primrosehill
THE MANE MASTER: George Northwood
“If you want to experience that done, un-done look us London girls love, then I highly recommend heading straight for Alexa Chung and Rosie Huntington-Whitely’s favorite hairdresser, George Northwood. He is the master of freehand cuts and the un-done do! And shop Eyeko while you’re at it, in his laid-back salon.”
24 Wells St., London W1T 3PH; georgenorthwood.com
THE HAIR HELPERS: Frédéric Fekkai and GHD
“I make my brother-in-laws, who both live stateside, bring me Frédéric Fekkai Brilliant Glossing shampoo and conditioner whenever they visit! It has the best fragrance and always leaves my hair shiny and silky, which is quite an achievement, as the water in London is so hard and drying. I have a keratin treatment once every four months and use GHD straighteners on rainy days…which is often.”
THE BROW TAMER: Vaishaly
“It’s all about getting those Cara-worthy brows, isn’t it? I’ll take threading over waxing any day, and London’s queen of brows has to be Vaishaly, who not only introduced me to the art of threading 20 years ago, but half of London, too. Don’t go before you’ve grown out your brows, though. You can give them a nudge with our Eyeko Brow Gel, which is packed with botanical boosters, and fill in sparse bits with Eyeko Brow Liner, which actually develops on contact for your perfect shade.”
51 Paddington St., London, W1U 4HR; vaishaly.com
THE MAKEUP ESSENTIALS: Eyeko and Hudsalva
“Mornings are always such a rush with the school run and breakfast meetings, so I tend to leave the house with nothing but mascara on. That’s why all my bags have several liquid eyeliner pens rattling around the bottom! Eyeko Eye Do Liquid Eyeliner is perfect for tight lining, which is when you just run the pen across the upper waterline for instant lash definition, and Visual Eyes Mocha is a must for a quick kitten flick. Sport Waterproof Mascara is brilliant as a topcoat to my current wardrobe of mascaras: Skinny Brush for length, especially on those bottom lashes, and Black Magic for adding curl to outer lashes and pitch-black color. Sport locks it all in and lets me add another coat for party time without clumping. I don’t do color on my lips really, but I am obsessed with lip balm, and Swedish Hudsalva is the best! The Swedish army actually have it in their kit and use it for everything from softening dry patches to frying their sausages in…or I guess it would be herrings or something like that, since they’re Swedish.”
THE AU NATUREL MARKET: Roots & Bulbs
“Roots & Bulbs is a firm favorite of mine for cold-pressed juices and yummy lunch boxes. I did purchase a cold-press juicer a while back, but I kept getting my carrots stuck, so I promptly returned it to the store and took myself back to the experts at Roots & Bulbs, who make drinking your greens delicious. G1 GREENS with cucumber, celery, spinach, lemon, ginger, and spice is my go-to.”
5 Thayer St., London, W1U 3JG; rootsandbulbs.com
THE WORKOUT: Psycle
“Psycle is my new addiction, and I guess it’s our version of SoulCycle. It’s a full-body workout on a bike, but, thanks to the disco beat, the dark, and the flashing lights, it feels more like a night out! The changing rooms have Ila products, cycle shoes are provided, and there’s a fridge stocked with coconut water and detox boxes. Lastly, a little shop sells cool workout gear along with Eyeko Sport Waterproof Mascara. I do like a home visit as well, and I have a trainer and yoga practitioner on speed-dial to whip me into shape, otherwise I wouldn’t move from my laptop all day.”
76 Mortimer St., London, W1W 7SA; psyclelondon.com
THE GETAWAY: Mallorca
“Deia in Mallorca is one of our favorite places for a quick break in Europe. It’s a magical little village in the north up in the hills, which Max and I love so much we named our daughter Deia. La Residencia Hotel is the place to stay and relax by the pool with a glass of rosé, or take a stroll up the mountain to feed the donkeys. The beach is tiny and pebbly, but it’s about dining on the terrace of restaurant Ca’s Patro March for me. It looks like a shack, but the food and ambience is perfection.”
Hotel La Residencia, Son Canals, Deia, Mallorca, Spain, 07179; belmond.com/la-residencia-mallorca
THE MOOD-SETTER: Fornasetti
“I love candles and am not particularly loyal to any one brand. I’ve amassed everything from Cartier to Diptyque, Miller Harris to Volupsa, but Fornasetti candles are probably the front-runner. I buy them as gifts and always end up getting one for myself, too. Of course, I love all the eyes!”
THE SIGNATURE SCENT: Byredo Blanche
“ Byredo Blanche is my signature scent, and I like that it comes in a gorgeous leather travel atomizer so I don’t have to decant it when I hit the road.”
