Expert Edit: What the trainer who shapes Oscar winners' bodies always has in her kit

We caught up with celebrity trainer Simone de La Rue – aka Body By Simone – at her new London studio to talk health and beauty essentials and working

While she's known for shaping the bodies of supermodels and Oscar winners with her sweaty dance-based workouts, Australian-born, New York-based Simone De la Rue (aka Body By Simone) is undergoing some body shaping of her own. She’s eight months pregnant with a baby boy, but still teaching the dance-based workouts that have garnered her a huge global following and celebrity clientele that includes Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Chrissy Teigen and Reese Witherspoon. She’s also a principal trainer in the E! Channel’s Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian, as well as helping Hollywood actresses Emily Blunt, Jennifer Garner, Sandra Bullock and Anne Hathaway prepare for major movie roles.

We caught up with Simone, 44, when she came to London to launch her first studio outside the US, where she taught most of the class, bar the cardio, despite being heavily pregnant. We worked out alongside makeup artist Wendy Rowe, one of Simone's long-term clients. Wendy, who is well known for her sense of fun, confided that what kept her coming back was the fact that it was "a laugh", you could mess up the steps, but you always got results. It's true, after a BBS session, you’ll feel like you’ve just danced the finale of a West End Show, with the endorphins and the body to match.

All the trainers are dancers who are also qualified in fitness, taking their cue from Simone, who herself had a highly successful dance career. Expect to upgrade your plank with sliders and feel the burn in arms and adductors with resistance bands, interspersed with arms-in-the-air cardio routines and killer tunes. It’s a dynamic workout that’s designed to safeguard against injuries. Simone is also a pre- and postnatal exercise specialist, and is able to guide new mums through their pregnancy and motherhood workouts.

So when it comes to looking after herself, what’s in her beauty and gym kit bags? "When working out, I like to use light products that do not clog my pores. And since being pregnant I have experimented with a lot more natural products," she says.

Here are her essentials

1) Glossier Boy Brow, £14

"I use this for my brows, I love that it is easy to apply and the blonde is perfect for my skin tone."

2) Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation, £32

"My makeup artist introduced it to me and I love the way it hydrates and illuminates my skin. I have combination skin, often dry due to all the travel and working out. I have found that throughout pregnancy I have had all the good hormones pumping though me, and my skin has been glowing and surprisingly not too dry.Yay!

3) MAC False Lashes Extreme Black Mascara, £20

"I feel like I have fake eyelashes on when I apply it."

4) Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk, £9

"Dry shampoo is an absolute must for me. Working out constantly and sweating, I don't have time to wash my hair in between classes and clients, so a spray of dry shampoo and I feel fresh."

5) ALO High-Waist Moto Leggings, £109

"They are my favourite legging. You can actually wear them out with a pair of boots, so they easily go from class to streetwear."

6) ALO Foxy Sherpa Jacket, £188

"Perfect for the cold mornings."

7) BBS X Newton Running Shoes, $140

"The only shoe I will wear for dance cardio."

(Only available in the US, but try the Newton - Women's Motion £86.61)

8) Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones, £289

"I use these to listen to my playlists before class and sessions."

9) Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel 250ml, £31.48

"Perfect for using in the shower in my BBS studio after a workout."

10) Hatch Maternity Collection Belly Oil, $58

"I am lathering myself in it every night."

(It’s only available in the US, we also love Decleor’s new Cica Botanic Oil, £37)

11) BBS X TheraBand Resistance Band, $18

"The perfect piece of equipment you can use for a full body workout and perfect to pack in your bag when travelling."

(TheraBand Resistance Bands, from £3.35 are a great UK alternative)

12) Supergoop! Daily Correct CC Cream SPF 35, £32

"I have to wear it all year round especially when I am in LA. It has a slight tint to it so it evens out complexion. Growing up in Australia, my skin was exposed to a lot of sunlight, and we were not so educated about sunscreen then, so I have a lot of sun spots on my face from sun damage. I do try and cover those up and do feel self-conscious about them. Lesson learned ladies, wear sunscreen!"

Body by Simone London, 86-88 Delancey Street, NW1 7SA.

Find Simone at bodybysimone.com or follow her on Instagram.