Aussie model Ellie Gonsalves shares her biggest beauty regrets
Plus, how she keeps her hair healthy, especially after a drastic colour change
Plus, how she keeps her hair healthy, especially after a drastic colour change
As a model, actress, wildlife warrior and co-founder of her own fitness movement, The Body Company, it seems there’s not much Ellie Gonsalves can’t do. And with a following of over 1.6 million on Instagram alone, it’s fair to say the model is taking the world by storm. And we wanted in on her secrets!
How does she maintain her glowing skin, toned physique and always-glossy hair (which she recently switched from natural brunette to an incredibly striking copper hue)? In an exclusive interview we chatted to Ellie about all things hair, makeup, fitness and healthy eating. Here’s what she had to say…
On the greatest beauty discovery she’s ever made…
“I am a big believer in keeping my skin out of the sun; I live by this. If I’m in the sun, SPF is my BFF. I use it in my makeup as well. Sun damage is extremely common and also one of the leading causes of skin cancer, as well as premature ageing. So, with that being said, the greatest beauty discovery for me is a spray tan!”
On her biggest beauty regret…
“Plucking my eyebrows when I was very young when my parents told me not to. I had ridiculously thin brows for a few weeks until they grew back (and boy, never have I been so thankful to have the hairy gene!).
There was also a time when I tried to colour my regrowth when I was blonde because I couldn’t get in with my colourist at the time. I thought it would be easy and all I had to do was paint the regrowth… needless to say my regrowth turned yellowy-orange and really damaged my hair.”
On the advice she’d tell her 15-year-old self…
“Embrace how you look, do everything you can to love yourself and don’t compare yourself to someone else. Have fun with finding your style and what makes you feel beautiful.”
On how she keeps her hair in good condition…
“Using amazing products! I already have strong, healthy and thick hair so I don’t want to start damaging it now. When L’Oréal Professionnel asked me to shoot a campaign for Smartbond and said they’d like me to colour my hair, I jumped at the opportunity because I knew I would be in very good hands. It’s an amazing brand and I’ve always wanted to colour my hair copper (let’s be real, it’s ginger!). Since colouring my hair so drastically, I use a range of L’Oréal products, obviously this includes the Smartbond at-home conditioner, which helps protect my hair and keep my colour vibrant. I also think it comes down to your diet, too. I have a saying: GIGO – you put Garbage IN, you get Garbage OUT. So, take care of your body and nourish it with healthy food, water and exercise.”
On what her day on a plate looks like…
“I aim for my five meals a day – sometimes six depending on how long my day has been. My fitness program, Body By Ellie, has my complete eating plan with two to three options for each meal. If I have a really early start on set I go with the smoothie option on my plan; it’s quick to make and I can take it with me on my way to work. It’s packed full of protein, healthy fats, carbs and natural sugars from frozen fruit. Following that I’d have a snack, my lunch, another snack, then dinner followed by frozen fruit as a little sweet snack. I like consistent meals during the day to keep focused and my energy levels up. I love food, it keeps me going and healthy.”
On the workouts her body responds best to…
“I love mixing up my workouts. If you do something the same for too long your body will just get used to it and you’ll stop seeing continuous results. My Body By Ellie program has the entire week set out with upper body conditioning, core, cardio and legs/butt workouts (Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced), Monday through to Sunday, including rest days. It’s so easy to follow and based on my own body transformation. I have found from my own experience that you can’t just do one thing and expect incredible, amazing results. I also recently launched a new program, The Best Friend Movement, which is designed to do on your own or with a friend, and you can do it without needing any equipment – so it’s great for when you travel and don’t have access to a gym.”
On her go-to makeup look for a night out…
“I love a full coverage look that can last all night, so I go with a primer, a little liquid foundation, a bit of concealer, powder to set the look and then follow it up with some contouring in nice, warm bronze tones. I generally use bronze tones on my eyes as well and top it off with a gold highlight and a nude lip. I then spray my face with setting spray so it has a nice dewy look to it.”
On her biggest guilty pleasure…
“I love sweets... cookie dough, white chocolate and red liquorice. I also enjoy a cocktail every now and then. You can’t be so strict on yourself all the time either, life is meant to be enjoyed!”
Want to take a sneak peek into the beauty bags of other Australian celebs? Then check out Miranda Kerr’s morning beauty routine and discover Ruby Rose’s go-to makeup products.
What’s your biggest guilty pleasure? Let us know in the comments below.
Main image credit: @ellie_gonsalves
Inset image credit: Supplied
Kate started working for BEAUTYcrew in early 2016, first as a contributor, and was then named Beauty Writer in 2017. She loves picking the brains of the industry's top experts to get to the bottom of beauty's toughest questions. Bronze eyeshadow palettes are her weakness and she's forever on the hunt for the perfect nude nail polish to suit her fair skin. Her words can also be found in Men's Health magazine, and she now works in PR.
