Australian model, brand ambassador and actress, Ellie Gonsalves, is about to become a household name. Her first Hollywood feature film is set for release this year, she’s modelled for Guess (twice!) and has over 1.6 million Instagram followers. But Ellie is more than just an ‘Insta girl.’ Ellie is a global ambassador for the Steve Irwin Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors charity and has launched her own health and fitness program, Body By Ellie, a guide to transforming your body and life.
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We spoke to Ellie to discover her best beauty tips, her favourite makeup products and her best advice for busy women.
What are the 5 beauty products that you can’t live without?
1. Urban Decay All Nighter Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray
2. PETER THOMAS ROTH Retinol Fusion PM Night Serum
3. Ole Henriksen Pure Truth Youth Activating Oil
4. Glam Glow Youth Mud Face Treatment
5. Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil
6. (One more for good measure) Marc Jacobs (P)outliner Longwear Lip Liner Pencil in Nudeist
What beauty products do you always carry with you in your handbag?
I always carry my Marc Jacobs lip liner pencil, rose water spray and a bit of powder to touch up my make up if my skin gets a little shiny.
Describe your everyday beauty routine?
When I wake up in the morning I wash my face with a cleanser, use the Pure Truth Youth activating oil and my Ole Henriksen Banana bright eye cream.
When I got to bed I will wash my face with a cleanser, maybe do a light exfoliation, then use the Peter Thomas Roth retinol fusion PM night serum and the Sunday Riley Luna sleeping night oil mixed together with the Ole Henriksen Banana bright eye cream under my eyes.
I always make sure all of my makeup is removed from my face and around my hairline before I go to bed.
Do you have a go-to everyday makeup look?
I love to do my makeup in the morning and not have to feel like I need to touch it up during the day, so I start with a hydrating primer mixed with a tinted BB cream, little bit of foundation, concealer for any redness, a little bronze to my cheekbones, nude lip liner, fill in my brows so they are tidy and top it off with some highlight on the top of my cheekbones, bridge of my nose and cupid’s bow. It gives my face a very healthy glow without going OTT.
I typically use my bronzer and highlight as a subtle eyeshadow too, something to give my eyes a bit of depth. Then I will spray my face with the Urban Decay All Nighter long lasting makeup setting spray. Generally, if I prep my skin and set it with setting spray I won’t have to touch it up more than once during the day, which is what I like.
What are your top three makeup products of all time?
1. NARS Sheer Glow Foundation
2. Marc Jacobs (P)outliner Longwear Lip Liner Pencil in Nudeist
3. Urban Decay All Nighter Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray
If you could offer one piece of advice to busy women who struggle to find the time to get their skin looking bright and glowy in the morning, what would it be?
I have a great little routine for glowing skin that really works for me:
- I start off by exfoliating my face with a charcoal exfoliating mitt and my OLE HENRIKSEN Pore-Balance Facial Sauna Scrub, getting rid of all the dead skin and concentrating on the areas that are prone to blackheads.
- Then I follow it up with a hydrating face mask (love the Glam Glow waterburst™ hydrated glow moisturizer) for 20-25 mins.
- After that I will use the PETER THOMAS ROTH Retinol Fusion PM Night Serum and the Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil mixed together.
- Sometimes I will also tan my face with some Bondi Sands before I go to bed so I have a nice tan the next morning
I understand this might not be a great routine when you are time poor, so one thing I do when I have little time to prep my skin (or travelling on a plane) is exfoliate my skin, pop a hydrating mask on for as long as I can (while multitasking! You get a great 20-25 mins where you can do other things while doing something good for your skin!) rinse and follow it up with the OLE HENRIKSEN Pure Truth Youth Activating Oil serum. This always makes my skin feel awesome, it’s quick and you only need three products!
Since you wear makeup so much for work, how do you take care of your skin and keep it in such great condition?
I truly do believe good skin starts from the inside out. So I eat healthy, I take a multivitamin and drink lots of water every day.
I know it’s something we as women hear in interviews all the time but it really is the secret to keeping my skin healthy. Everything you put into your body is going to show through your skin, eyes, nails and hair. I’ve always been a big believer in investing into products that will really take care of my skin and keeping my skin well protected from the sun with SPF products (sun damage is one of the quickest things that will age your skin!). I just recently had a mole removed on my back as a precaution because it was at high risk of becoming a melanoma, so make sure you get your skin checked every year too, it could save your life!
What’s your favourite way to style your hair on an average morning?
Since I went for the chop it’s been so easy to style on a daily basis, which makes me so happy as my hair was incredibly long, thick and took quite a long time to do. Now it takes me 5 mins and I’m out the door!
When I’m going to the gym I will slick it back into a low pony with a bit of hairspray, if I’m going out I will leave it natural and spray texturizing spray through it so I have some volume and body to it. If I am going out and want it a little more styled I will curl my hair with a ghd, use texturizing spray and a little hairspray.
To find out more about Ellie, click here. Follow Ellie on Instagram at @ellie_gonsalves
What did you think of Ellie Gonsalves’s beauty routine? Have you tried any of these products?