Ruby, 57, is full of admiration for Victoria Beckham and even used her eyeshadow compact recently to demonstrate a smokey eye look in a YouTube video. “It is a great product. She’s very fussy and knows what she likes. She’s not speaking as a make-up artist but as a woman of a certain age with certain expectations and that’s what she’s brought to her brand.”
She’s been pleasantly surprised to discover that her own brand appears to have cross-generational appeal. “I thought [the target market] would just be the older woman but it isn’t. It’s anyone who likes luxury that is affordable. It is ageless and not elitist.”
One famous fan is the Duchess of Sussex, who first enlisted Ruby to do her make-up three years ago. “She is a wonderful woman,” she affirms. “She does have one of my brushes; she loves it.”
She’s still as passionate as ever about her industry: “I’m still a jobbing artist. That’s my first love; my bit of creativity. I’ve always loved working with people and the collaborative process on a shoot. It’s not about meeting famous people or making a lot of money.”
She’s got more product launches in the pipeline – “things that will be a bit more cosmetic” – but she’s determined to build her business slowly, at her own pace. “I’m trying to be true to myself.”
She’s also enjoying having more time to spend with her husband, Soho House operations director Martin Kuczmarski, and her daughter Reena, founder of upmarket wellness space Urban Retreat, and is currently in the middle of renovating her north London home. “I can be here for my daughter and my husband,” Ruby says. “I can’t do the red eye flight anymore and come back and do a shoot. There are plenty of young people out there and it’s their turn to do that. People benefit from my experience.
“It’s a lovely place to be and I’m very grateful and blessed.”
Ruby’s capsule collection is available from www.rubyhammer.com
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The Urban Retreat, Knightsbridge, London.