One of the beauty world’s best kept secrets is the bestselling Gale Hayman range of make-up and skin care products. They outsell some of the most famous brands on the market despite being exclusive to QVC. The reasons for Gale Hayman’s success are immediately evident. She is petite, slim and toned as only Hollywood women can be, but it’s combined with understated elegance and a sense of style. As a young girl, Gale trained with the American School of Ballet under George Balanchine, which was where she developed her appreciation of artistic expression. Gale Hayman’s own skin is a testament to a lifetime of sensible skincare, and what would seem to be the result of a natural instinct for choosing the right product. Plus, of course, she has the discipline and good sense to watch what she puts in her body, since part of the Gale Hayman philosophy is, ‘Beauty works inside out as much as it does outside in.’ ‘Caring for my skin has always been extremely important to me,’ says Gale. ‘My mother encouraged me always to look after my skin and, thanks to her, even as a teenager I can remember being aware of how damaging the sun can be - which was pretty unusual back then! Although my Latin roots [her mother was Italian] probably gave me more protection than many of my peers, I protected my skin as much as possible. Nor have I used soap and water on my face, ever - it’s too drying.’ But you need more than genetic good fortune to make a fortune in cosmetics. Bright, intelligent and vivacious, Gale Hayman has an eye for style and for what works and what doesn’t. ‘When I got older, living where I did - in Hollywood - and having started working as a stylist, I came into contact with some of the most beautiful women in the world, movie stars, models, music stars. That was the era when tanning was in and the darker the better. It was shocking to me that many of these women, some of whom were very young, had premature lines and skin problems. It sparked a lifetime interest. It was surprising to me that here we were in the showbiz capital of the world, and there really wasn’t a great choice of reliable products that could help these women.’ The idea for the cosmetic and skincare range was born. Gale Hayman developed a strong sense of independence from an early age. In the 70s, she left her native New York and moved to Los Angeles, where she met and married her first husband, Fred Hayman, with whom she turned a little boutique on Rodeo Drive into an internationally celebrated fashion store. It was her sharp eye for trend and new designers that was responsible in large part for the success of the Giorgio Boutique. In 1981, at the height of her success, they launched the fabulous Giorgio Beverly Hills perfume, which became perhaps the best-selling fragrance of that decade worldwide. By 1987, Gale’s marriage and partnership was over. It is a sign of her resilience that it was she who spearheaded the sale of Giorgio Beverly Hills to Avon for millions of dollars, and set up Gale Hayman Inc. which, at that time, was one of the largest privately owned cosmetics companies in the world. Launching your own company might have been daunting for anyone else but Gale thrived on the challenge. First came Gale Hayman Colour Cosmetics, a smart range of totally wearable eye, lip, cheek colours and treatment foundations in eye-catching leopardskin packaging, followed by the skincare products. Gale worked with leading dermatologists from around the world in a quest to create a unique facial product that would ‘fill in and plump up facial lines’. Gale’s requirements were uncompromising: she wanted a skin primer that would create a smooth canvas over which moisturiser and make up could be applied. ‘It had to be totally natural looking. It had to achieve results instantly because women don’t have time to wait and hope. And it had to have both short-term and long-term benefits.’ The result of this collaboration was the phenomenally successful Youth Lift, dubbed the ‘facelift in a bottle’, which in turn led to a range of treatment cleansers, toners and moisturisers that deliver what they promise. Gale has come a long way since those early days and her loyal and devoted clientele is a testament to the high quality products. It is a fact that her shows are peppered with calls not only from her faithful following, but also from recent converts. Currently, Gale is promoting her latest products, including one for the Millennium - Youth Lift 2000 (212520). Using the most recent technological breakthroughs in skincare, Youth Lift 2000 provides all the benefits of its predecessors, firming and tightening the skin, while offering improved long-term benefits. The two new cutting-edge ingredients included are beta glucan, a natural moisturiser derived from oat extracts, and dismutin, an enzyme which inhibits free radicals and stresses on the skin, helping to repair UV damage and improve resilience. In addition to this state-of-the-art product, there is also the Primer for Eyes and Lips (212432) which is used to diminish tiny imperfections and create a smooth base for make up, and the Deep Moisturising Eye Cream Gel (212522). This product is formulated to help protect the delicate skin around the eyes and is enriched with vitamins A, C and E. Gale puts most of her success down to her practical approach to make-up and taking care of herself. ‘No women wants her beauty regime to rule her life. I like to keep it as simple as possible, but I know from experience that taking good care of your skin will minimise the inevitable effects of ageing.’ Gale is a natural performer, which is partly why QVC is such a good medium for her. But she is sincere and knowledgeable and, as someone not too easily swayed by advertising claims, I am persuaded to try some of the range. While she has cut down on her personal appearances, her distributor in the UK, Adler Marketing, has appointed Alison Young as Gale Haymans’s voice on QVC. Trained by Gale herself, Alison is extremely knowledgeable and a devotee herself of Gale Hayman’s superb skin regime. Please note that stocks of the products mentioned in this article may vary.