There is something about golden hour that just makes everything look better. The light is softer, warmer, and somehow your skin just looks healthier without you really trying. But I’ve realised it is not just the lighting. A lot of that glow actually comes from what you do beforehand. For me, it always starts with skin.

Skin First, Always

Before any makeup, I went in with the Clé de Peau Beauté Precious Gold Vitality Mask. This is not just a quick hydration moment, it is more of a proper treatment. It is designed to boost radiance, improve smoothness and help the skin feel firmer and more energised.

What I really notice with this is how fresh your skin looks afterwards. It gives that slightly plumped, well-rested look, which makes everything you put on top sit better.

After that, I used the Precious Gold Vitality Serum. This is a really nice step under makeup because it adds hydration without feeling heavy. It is designed to support skin texture and clarity, so over time your skin looks more even and refined.

But instantly, it just gives you that subtle glow that makes your skin look healthy rather than shiny.

SPF, Always

I am very strict about SPF. I burn so easily, so for me it is completely non negotiable.

The UV Protective Cream SPF50+ is one of those formulas that feels more like skincare than sunscreen. It protects against UV damage but also helps keep the skin hydrated and smooth, which is why it works so well under makeup.

It does not feel heavy or chalky, and it does not interfere with anything you layer on top.

“I think beauty comes from feeling good in your own skin.” — Nicole Kidman, Clé de Peau Beauté ambassador.

The Base

I like my makeup to look like skin, just slightly better.

I started with the Long Lasting Hydrating Veil, which helps smooth everything out and keeps your makeup in place, but still lets your skin come through. It just gives you a more even base to work with.

Then I used Clé de Peau Beauté Le Fond de Teint. This is such a beautiful formula. It is more of a cream foundation, so it feels quite nourishing, and it gives that soft, slightly dewy finish without looking too much.

It is designed with skincare ingredients as well, so over time it helps improve the look of your skin, not just cover it.

It is one of those foundations that makes people say your skin looks good, rather than asking what foundation you are wearing.

Glow and Finishing Touches

For glow, I used The Luminizing Face Enhancer in one of the warmer, golden tones.

This is not a glittery highlighter. It is much more subtle. It catches the light in a way that looks natural, like your skin is reflecting it rather than something sitting on top.

Mascara was kept quite simple, just to add a bit of definition without making the look feel heavy.

The Precious Lipstick

Then the Precious Lipstick, which is honestly more of a treatment than just a lipstick.

What makes these feel different is the formula. They are infused with skincare ingredients designed to hydrate, smooth and improve the condition of your lips over time, not just while you are wearing them. So you get that immediate payoff of colour, but also longer term comfort and softness.

They have a really creamy texture that glides on easily, and they do not sit in lines or feel drying throughout the day, which is usually where a lot of lipsticks fall short. Instead, they almost feel like a balm but with the finish of a proper lipstick.

There are six shades in the collection. I went for Amethyst, which is a really easy, everyday tone that still feels polished. Shade No.4, Charming Pink Sapphire, is also beautiful if you want something a softer and more classic.

It is one of those products where your lips actually feel better after wearing it, which is exactly what you want from something you reach for every day.

The Setting

We went to Kasbah d’If, which is such a beautiful boutique hotel in the Agafay Desert, just outside Marrakech. The whole place feels very calm and considered, with everything blending into the landscape around it.

We had dinner at the Pavillon d’Été, sitting outside and looking straight out across the desert as the sun was setting. It was one of those moments where everything just feels very still and quiet in the best way.

What made it even more special was how green everything was. The desert has had more rainfall than usual recently, so instead of the usual dry tones, there was this unexpected freshness to the landscape.

As the sun went down, everything turned that warm golden colour, and the glow in the skin just matched it perfectly.

A Final Detail

As if the setting was not enough, we were each given La Crème during dinner, which felt like a very fitting end to the whole experience.

It felt genuinely quite magical. Mine was engraved with my name, which made it feel even more special, like something you keep rather than just use.

La Crème is one of Clé de Peau Beauté’s most iconic products, designed as a high performance night treatment that works with the skin’s natural regeneration cycle. It helps to support firmness, smoothness and overall radiance over time, using the brand’s Skin Intelligence technology to help the skin respond better to stress and repair itself more efficiently.

But what I love just as much is how it looks. Clé de Peau products are not just about the science behind them, they are also beautifully made. The packaging feels considered, almost like an object you would want to display rather than put away.

It is one of those pieces that naturally sits on your dressing table and elevates the whole space, which makes the ritual of using it feel even more special.

And getting it in that moment, just as the sun had set and everything had slowed down, tied everything together perfectly.

The Evening Wind Down

I finished the day back at La Mamounia in Marrakech, which honestly felt like the perfect way to slow everything down after such a beautiful evening. There is something about being there that makes you want to properly switch off and take your time with everything.

That is when I went in with the Cleansing Foam to take my makeup off.

It is one of those cleansers that feels really gentle but still does the job properly. It removes makeup and impurities without stripping the skin, which is so important, especially after wearing a full base.

The formula is designed to support the skin’s natural moisture balance while cleansing, so your skin does not feel tight or dry afterwards. Instead, it feels clean, soft and comfortable.

Over time, it also helps refine the look of the skin, keeping it smooth and clear, so it is not just about removing makeup, it is actually part of your skincare routine.

Sitting there, in the bath, taking everything off at the end of the day, it felt like everything came full circle. From prepping the skin in the morning to properly cleansing it at night, those small rituals really are what make the biggest difference.

A Final Thought

I think what this really reminded me is that good skin makes such a difference.

Not in a perfect way, but in that way where everything just looks a bit softer, a bit fresher, a bit more effortless. And that is not something you can fake at the last minute with makeup.

It comes from the steps before. Taking the time to prep your skin properly, keeping it hydrated, protecting it every day.

Because when your skin is in a good place, everything you put on top just works better. And you do not need as much of it either.

Disclaimer: Clé de Peau Beauté invited me on this experience. All views, content and opinions are my own.