Dr Sam Bunting Takes Us Inside Her Makeup Bag

Dr Sam Bunting is one of the most trusted names on Harley Street, having spent the last two decades treating almost every skin condition – from acne and rosacea to melasma and persistent redness. Cambridge-educated and trained in medical dermatology before moving into cosmetic work, she opened her clinic in 2010 and soon spotted a pattern: patients arriving clutching bags of expensive products that were doing more harm than good. Her answer was a YouTube channel to cut through the noise and, later, Dr Sam’s, a pared-back skincare line built around a handful of well-chosen actives.

Her beauty philosophy revolves around consistency. ‘Consistency beats novelty every time because when you change your skin, you change your life,’ she tells C&TH. ‘Treat the concern you actually have with correctly chosen actives, and support the skin barrier so it can tolerate them.’ And in Bunting’s new book, FLAWLESS, she distils that same thinking for anyone building a routine at home.

Below, Dr Sam Bunting talks us through her makeup and beauty routine – including the steps that take her from bare skin to camera-ready and the ingredient she has relied on for 20 years.

What’s Inside My Makeup Bag? With Dr Sam Bunting

Dr Sam Bunting

Let’s start with the bag itself – describe it for us.

For daytime, it’s my Métier Perriand. I love the quality of the leather and the subtle detailing: the braided handles, the beautiful hardware. It’s compartmentalised, so everything is easy to find, which matters when I’m moving between the clinic, meetings and filming. I have it in black, a caramel brown that looks gorgeous with whites in summer, and a deep raspberry. The design is timeless, so they’ve become a constant in my work wardrobe.

For skincare and makeup, I like to use Space NK’s transparent travel bags. They are great, come in a range of sizes, and are perfect for day to day but also for when I travel.

Do you have any non-negotiable beauty rituals?

Morning and evening, the same four steps: cleanse, activate, hydrate, protect. I’ve used that structure with patients for 20 years and it’s the most efficient route to bright, clear skin.

Let’s break down your routine – prep?

I start every skincare routine with a single cleanse using Flawless Cleanser. My morning active is my Flawless Vitamin C NAD+ Serum, to tackle UV and pollution, followed by Flawless Brightly Pro Serum, to keep redness and clogged pores at bay. I moisturise with Flawless Moisturiser Intense, then finish with Flawless Gossamer Tint, which I wear most days. I love the finish and it doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin.

Face?

I’ve recently gone back to Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. It’s a classic, with a beautiful finish that doesn’t clog pores. Then NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. For blush, bronzer and contour I use Westman Atelier. The colours feel elevated, and they’re always flattering and sheer, perfect for a no-make-up make-up look.

Eyes?

Mascara is Vieve Modern Mascara in black. I really only wear liner in the evening, a subtle cat flick, and increasingly in brown; at the moment it’s Charlotte Tilbury.

Lips?

I always slightly overline, with Westman Atelier Lip Pencil in Biscuit, then finish with a nude lipstick. Currently Lisa Eldridge in Kitten Mischief.

Eyebrows?

I always need to draw in my eyebrows as they’re slightly uneven: distant cousins rather than sisters, let alone twins. I’m currently using Benefit’s Precisely My Brow Pencil and Merit Brow Pomade.

Finishing touches?

I only use powder for filming or a very formal event, and then it’s Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder. I always wear Fracas by Robert Piguet.

And your hair?

For events I have my hair blow-dried smooth with a bit of a wave, and at home I use GHD tongs myself. For styling I use Sam McKnight Dressed to Kill to define my waves and reduce frizz, then his texturising spray and hairspray. I also like Larry King.

(c) Dr Sam’s

Which item instantly makes you feel made up and ready to tackle the day?

My brows. Once they’re drawn in, my whole face looks finished.

One product you always carry in your handbag?

Something for my lips. Usually Flawless Lip Tint No. 1, which lives in my pocket as often as my bag.

What’s the most expensive thing in your beauty bag?

My Oribe Gold Lust shampoo and conditioner. Pricey, but so good. I love the products and the way they smell.

And the most luxurious?

My Victoria Beckham tortoiseshell compact for its mirror. It’s probably the most luxurious everyday object in my bag.

What about the hero product you can’t live without, and have used for years?

Azelaic acid. I’ve used it clinically for two decades and on my own skin for years. It treats redness, breakouts and pigmentation at once. It’s in four of the Dr Sam’s actives because it’s that useful – we’re the azelaic acid experts.

Tell us about a beauty trend you love…

Simplification. People are realising that a twelve-step routine isn’t doing twelve times the work. Fewer, better-chosen products used consistently get results. It’s the reason I started on YouTube in 2015 – I saw so many people in my clinic doing more only to end up worse off than when they started. That’s when I realised I had to build Dr Sam’s in a way that made it easier for people to build an effective routine.

And one you can’t wait to see fall out of fashion?

Ingredient hype that runs ahead of the evidence. Topical PDRN is the current example: the marketing is well ahead of the science.

What’s something you did beauty-wise in your youth that you’d never do again?

I was guilty of over-exfoliating with a physical scrub to try and get rid of blemishes, then applying 10 percent benzoyl peroxide on top. A disaster for my sensitive skin. And the hair: a perm at 13, before I’d realised how naturally curly my hair already was. I looked like a poodle.

The best piece of beauty advice you’ve been given?

My mother always told me to leave my eyebrows alone. Wise advice in retrospect.

What item do you think should be in every beauty bag?

A broad-spectrum SPF you like enough to wear every day in the correct amount, a gentle cleanser, and a well-chosen active for your main concern.

What’s next in the pipeline for you?

Promoting my book, FLAWLESS: Your Ultimate Guide To Bright, Clear Skin, which came out on 24 September. It’s the system I’ve used with patients for 20 years, written so anyone can build their own routine at home.

Anything else we should know?

I think managing your mind is a big part of managing your sense of wellbeing. For me, any excuse to be in nature, jump in cold water or meditate is time well spent.

More From Dr Sam Bunting

Keep up with Dr Sam Bunting on Instagram (@drsambunting and @drsamsskincare) or over at drsambunting.com.

FLAWLESS: Your Ultimate Guide To Bright, Clear Skin by Dr Sam Bunting (Hamlyn, £25) is out now. bookshop.org