Helena Christensen has given her seal of approval to a $24 eyeshadow she describes as 'actually magical' as the understated no makeup makeup look makes a striking return.
The 57-year-old supermodel is the face of Saie's SuperSuede Baked Eyeshadow collection, a range of 11 neutral shades designed to add subtle definition rather than the heavy, sculpted finish that has dominated beauty trends in recent years.
And Christensen's endorsement could hardly be more fitting. A defining face of the 1990s, she is now championing the same pared back beauty philosophy associated with the decade, but with a modern, more polished finish.
The result is a beauty look that asks women to wear less makeup, not more, while still making their features stand out.
Helena Christensen Says the $24 Eyeshadow Is 'Actually Magical'
Christensen has singled out the formula for its ability to subtly enhance the eyes without looking obvious.
'It's actually crazy when such a thin, fine layer of a very natural tone can bring out your own colours in a way that really makes a difference; that surprised me,' she told People.
The model also revealed that she prefers applying the eyeshadow with her fingers rather than reaching for a collection of brushes.
'It's actually magical touching them with your finger because you almost don't even feel them,' she said. 'You don't need to use any brushes, which I love.'
The SuperSuede collection costs $24 per shade and features six demi matte colours and five low lit shimmers. The shades are largely designed around neutral, wearable tones, making them suited to the subtle eye makeup Christensen is promoting.
Rather than building a dramatic smoky eye or sharply defined crease, the idea is to sweep on a fine layer and allow the natural colour of the eyes to remain part of the finished look.
For Christensen, that simplicity is part of the appeal.
Her approach also reflects a wider shift away from complicated makeup routines. After years of heavily contoured faces, elaborate eye looks and highly perfected beauty content dominating social media, barely there makeup is once again becoming desirable.
Why the 'No Makeup' Makeup Look Is Back
The no makeup makeup trend has never been entirely free from criticism.
Its promise of looking effortlessly natural has long divided beauty fans because achieving an intentionally 'bare' appearance can actually require carefully applied foundation, concealer, blush and other products.
But the latest version is less about pretending not to wear makeup and more about using makeup strategically.
Skin is allowed to look like skin, while subtle colour and definition are used to enhance existing features. That makes Christensen's eyeshadow particularly suited to the revival: it is designed to be noticed only when it catches the light or brings out the eyes.
The trend also marks a return to the understated beauty associated with the 1990s, an era Christensen knows better than most.
'I'm absolutely the first person to talk endlessly about how freaking cool the '90s were in so many ways,' she previously told People.
For Christensen, the beauty philosophy of that era has not necessarily disappeared; it has simply evolved.
Her current look replaces the sometimes deliberately undone aesthetic of the 1990s with softer textures and more refined finishes, while keeping the same fundamental idea: enhance your features rather than hide them.
And with Christensen calling a $24 eyeshadow 'magical', the no makeup makeup revival has found one of its most convincing champions yet.
