Singer, dancer and radio presenter Ashley Roberts fills us in on her beauty essentials and why working out is non-negotiable for her
If you were a teen in the mid-2000s you probably had a few Pussycat Dolls songs on your iPod (Buttons, Don’tcha and When I Grow Up were the soundtrack to many-a night out) and most likely best know Ashley Roberts, 39, as a member of the band, who were set to reunite this year (now postponed to 2021). I’m a Celebrity… viewers will know Ashley from her stint in the jungle in 2012, while dance lovers may know her from Strictly in 2018 where she was runner up.
Nowadays, while waiting to head out on tour for Doll domination, Ashley works at Heart Radio on the breakfast show with Amanda Holden and Jamie Theakston. Here she fills us in on her busy work schedule, her daily workouts and the beauty she buys on repeat.
My typical day
For the first time in my life I have a regular work schedule and I love the routine; I work Monday to Friday, 6:30 am to 10 am for Heart as the showbiz reporter. My day starts with dry body brushing and then a cold shower to get me feeling alive and vibrant with a bit of a ‘jhuz’ for life. It wakes my brain up and gets it running to start processing what I need to do. I have breakfast halfway through the show, normally about 8 am. It’s usually some kind of eggs, avocado, spinach, I kind of mix it up, sometimes I’ll add peppers in with my eggs or other times feta in an omelette.
After work if the sun is shining I head to the park and take a walk in nature then I either do a Tabata style circuit workout at the park where I get my heart rate pumping or I train with personal trainer Dalton Wong over Zoom, with his mini bands and sliders to make the exercises extra intense.
When studios are open I love spinning. I go to Boom Cycle, it’s one of my favourite studios. I love exercise; it’s not only for my physical health but it’s for my mental health so it’s very important to me. My mom was a personal trainer when I was younger; she did step aerobics in the 80s so it’s kind of set in stone that it’s part of my lifestyle. Even when I go home and visit her – which has been a while – we do yoga classes and hike together.
My weekend
I sleep in, which is such a luxury after my weekday wake up calls. I usually Facetime my mom too. I go for a lot walks and I've been colouring lately to calm my busy mind.
Wellness from the inside
Because I get up so early for work, I’m normally in bed by 8:30 pm (lockdown was great because it meant I got no FOMO!). I usually read a book in bed such as Glennon Doyle’s Untamed , £12.99. It sets my brain in a positive space before I knock out. Supplement wise, I take magnesium powder at bedtime. My choice is Biocare , £11.80; it’s supposed to help with sleep and I think also a bit of gut health so I drink that in water before I go to bed.
Another supplement I take is Om Lion’s Mane , £19.99, which is a mushroom for memory and focus. I also add Bare Biology Skinful Pure Marine Collagen Powder , £35, to my smoothies sometimes to get a bit more collagen to the skin.
The best advice I’ve ever been given
When you’re feeling low put on some music and just wiggle your body; even if you’re not feeling up for exercising if you do some kind of movement it gets the endorphins going. That was something I did naturally but as I’ve got older dance isn’t necessarily part of my life like it was before. If you’re feeling a bit low put on some music, bounce around and not to quote Taylor Swift but ‘shake it off’ and I’m telling you, you’ll feel better, even after just one song. And drinks lots of water, we’ve got to hydrate.
My top beauty and wellbeing buys
Hourglass makeup
This was the first vegan makeup line I was introduced to back in LA and I still love it to this day. They’ve got amazing lipsticks and concealers. I’ve got this brown lipstick that I absolutely love but I've used it so much the shade name is unreadable on the bullet!
CurrentBody Skin Oh My Glow Collection, £285
This skincare kit means you can have salon-worthy facial results at home. It includes an LED mask, AHA Tonic, a Clarifying Clay Mask, Foaming Cleanser, Hyaluronic Acid Serum and three Hydrogel face masks – everything I need for a full skincare routine. I like that the mask doesn't need to be plugged in so I can do other things while wearing it, such as catching up with friends on FaceTime (even if it does make you look scary).
Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra-Longwear Concealer, £25
This is one of my go to products when I know I will be wearing make-up for a long period of time or need a flawless finish for shoots and when I am on stage.
Le Labo Santal 33, £189 and The Noir 29, £130
I’ve been wearing Le Labo for years, I go between Santal 33 and Noir 29. They're both amazing scents but over the past year, I’ve also been in love with Portrait of A Lady by Frederic Malle , £245. It’s delicious. I usually tend to go for scents that have some freshness to them but also has some earthiness to it; kind of like something with some depth.
Urban Decay eyeshadow palettes
Urban Decay has so many amazing palettes. I love them because you can create so many different looks and they’re amazing quality - they are super easy to blend and last all-day.
Huda Beauty Legit Lashes Mascara, £24
For length, curl and volume this is the one mascara I'd always go for – the fact that it's double-ended with different brushes and formulas means it has it all!
Glossier Boy Brow, £14
Keeps the brows in check all day. I use shade Brown. It’s the perfect one-step product, it makes my brows thicker, giving me instantly groomed fluffy brows.
This is my go-to when I’ve got long filming days/shoots as it keeps my make-up in place & looking perfect for over eight hours. It also comes in a mini-version so it’s something you will always find in my handbag when I need a make-up refresh.
Ashley Roberts is the ambassador for Current Body’s Oh My Glow Collection, £285