In the 90s, English-born Suzanne Paul became a national TV and beauty icon. With her shoulder pads, coral lipstick and eyes like dinner plates, she captured the attention of women across the country with thousands of luminous spheres.
In an era where matte makeup dominated, Paul boldly stood for a Natural Glow. “But you can’t look too fresh faced on TV, or you’ll just look sweaty and shiny,” she says today.
Paul has always been a master of self-presentation. A teenager of the 70s, she wore bright blue and turquoise eyeshadow with cranberry lipstick to art class. In the 80s, a deep tan, Estee Lauder Youth Dew and curly perms followed.
By 1992, Paul’s look was definitely being captured. If you lived in New Zealand and owned a TV, there was no escaping her French twist, wispy fringe and bronzed complexion. The infomercial queen did her own makeup for telly for years – and her own wedding makeup, three times.
To this day, nothing makes her feel more powerful than Chanel No.5, and she says a smile is as good as a facelift. “I want to look as good as I can, for as long as I can, but still look natural.” At 67, Paul has long figured out what works for her, but that doesn’t mean she won’t give new things a go. “I don’t want to be stuck in an era. I keep up with what’s out there, and then decide whether I can get away with it, and if it will work for me.”
Below, the TV presenter, author and content creator – who is about to appear in the latest season of Celebrity Treasure Island (screening on TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+ from September 9) – opens up her archives and shares her luminous life in beauty.
What is your earliest memory of beauty?
Watching my mum get ready to go out. I would have been about six. She used to wind up a Max Factor Pan Stik Foundation, draw her eyebrows on with pencil, and her mascara was in a block that she had to keep wetting. Then she’d backcomb her hair all over and spray on hair lacquer until it was solid. I thought she looked beautiful.
As a public figure, most New Zealanders know you for your Natural Glow era. But take us back: how has your look evolved over the years?
In the early 70s I wore quite a lot of eyeshadow – mainly blue or bright turquoise and lots of mascara. I don’t have any photos, as I didn’t have a camera and of course there were no iPhones to capture the look.
I was 23, and I only wore a bit of face powder and some pink lip gloss. My eyebrows are just natural and I’d wear a bit of pale brown eyeshadow.
I’m 27 here and I had a curly perm. I sold sunbeds for several years, so I was always very brown. I’d wear dark brown eyeshadow, face powder, and a bit of pencil on my eyebrows.
This was my first TV appearance selling my makeup, Natural Glow. I did my own hair and makeup, and always wore it in a French pleat for TV, with a wispy fringe. I used a sponge-on cream foundation from Elizabeth Arden, with Natural Glow on top.
In the mid 90s, I had my hair cut short with a reddish tint on it, and was still doing my own makeup for TV. In the late 90s, I was going for a very full bob with a fringe. I also started using a makeup artist for filming, so the eyebrows are fuller and the lipstick a lot brighter.
2005. This was at my second wedding, which took place in Fiji. I’d gone blonde and had a clip-on hair piece. I did my own hair and makeup.
2009, a photoshoot for the launch of my book, But Wait There’s More. I think this is my favourite look of all time. I love everything about it.
Who are your biggest beauty influences?
My teenage years were in the 70s, and my makeup looks came from what I saw in magazines, the TV show Top of the Pops, and the model Twiggy. I’d spend hours copying her look. It was lots of blue eyeshadow, big lashes top and bottom and a cranberry coloured lipstick. My art teacher said, if I spent as much time as I did painting my face, on my art homework I’d get top marks! Then he’d send me to wash it off.
Now, I’m lucky enough to have makeup artists for filming and magazine shoots, so I’ve been able to see what they do, and how they do it, and then I’ll do the same look. Also of course Instagram and TikTok are great references.
What was the first beauty product you fell in love with?
Nivea Face cream in the blue pot, my mom used to use it. Even the smell of it still conjures up childhood memories. I wore it for over 20 years.
What’s the first fragrance you ever owned?
Estee Lauder Youth Dew. An Auntie bought it for me, and I loved it and wore it for years.
What fragrance do you wear now?
I mix it up depending on my mood. I wear Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf during the day or Caribbean Dream by Jakob Carter. For work or business meetings I wear Chanel No. 5, as it makes me feel successful. My evening fragrance is usually Coco Chanel.
What is your ethos when it comes to beauty? Has this changed over time?
I try to buy New Zealand made whenever I can, and I look at the ingredients, rather than the packaging. Definitely not tested on animals. In the old days, they never told you what was in the products. It would just be a gorgeous woman in the advert saying, wear this and you will look and feel beautiful. Nowadays people want to know more about the company that makes the product as well as what it’s made of.
Do you follow beauty trends?
Not so much. At my age, I know what suits me and what doesn’t – I’m not going to have massive feathery eyebrows because it’s the trend. On the other hand I don’t want to look old fashioned and stuck in an era, as that can be very ageing. I keep up with what’s out there, and then decide whether I can get away with it, and if it will work for me. I did quite a bit of research on hyaluronic acid in face and body creams, and now I’m obsessed with it.
Are there any beauty looks you would love to try that you haven’t yet?
Not really. I saw all these celebs with a choppy bob hairstyle, so I had that done the other month. I didn’t really like it on me, so I’m growing it longer again.
Beauty is inextricably tied to youth in our culture. What has been your approach to ageing, personally?
It’s a fine line between ageing gracefully and looking old. I personally don’t like to see women in their 60s or 70s with their face and lips all plumped up with fillers – I’m thinking Madonna. I don’t mind a few lines on my face, and some years I’ll have a bit of Botox and others I won’t, it depends if I’m filming or have something special on, like when I got married a couple of years ago. I want to look as good as I can, for as long as I can, but still look natural.
Do you have any beauty must-haves or tips when you’re on telly?
For TV, false eyelashes are a must and you can’t look too fresh faced, or you’ll just look sweaty and shiny.
What is your most sentimental beauty product and why?
Chanel No.5 because when I first wore it I was at the top of my game in the 90s. As soon as I smell it I feel happy, powerful, strong, successful and flooded with happy memories.
What is the most important beauty lesson you’ve learnt?
Smile. It’s like an instant facelift – it takes years off you!
What beauty item or look makes you feel like your true authentic self?
I’ve always liked a bit of a glow to my skin. Even when it was very fashionable to go matte, I didn’t.
If you could create or collaborate on your own beauty product now, what would it be and why?
I’d relaunch Natural Glow! It was such an iconic product, that everyone wore and loved. It would be great to give it an update, a modern twist.
What’s on your current beauty wishlist?
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream, $123 for 30ml
Emma Lewisham Illuminating Face & Body Oil, $90
Ultraformer III neck treatment, $650, from Shine Aesthetics
Kiss imPress Press-On Falsies, $35
Emma Lewisham Supernatural Vitale Elixir, $158
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