BEAUTY
ASHLEY GRAHAM'S FAKE-TAN TIPS
By Eleanor Dunne, 16 May 2021
It’s about the prep. Make sure you’ve exfoliated and applied lotion to your hands, knees, elbows and feet. Always start from the bottom and work your way up. Also, figure out how dark you want it and how long you’re going to leave it on for so that you can time it and shower before you go to bed. I don’t apply lotion after because with St Tropez you don't need to – there are so many active hydrating ingredients in there already!
Have you always been a self-tan devotee?
Being a lingerie and swimsuit model, I’ve had to figure out how to be tanned at a moment's notices. All of a sudden I can be headed to a deserted island, where I need to be bronzed! So I had to learn it all early on.
Why is St Tropez your go-to brand?
I’ve been using St Tropez for a very long time; it’s iconic! You can go and try a bunch of other products, but at the end of the day you’re always going to go back to them. They have such a wide variety of stuff that really works – lotions, the Express range, gradual tans, face mists, serums (so much to offer!).
Tell us about your collab, The Ultimate Glow Kit
It was so much fun to create because I knew exactly what I wanted. They let me be so hands-on with the formula, the scent and the ingredients – how it glides on, how it transfers and what the colour looks like etc. So, the whole process has been so exciting and so much fun.
Do you have a fave St Tropez product?
Of course, I have to say my kit – but truly it is my fave! It just goes on so well and the mousse is so yummy and fluffy, and it dries instantly. I also have to say the Face Purity Mist is such a game-changer. After I’ve showered, I use it on my face so it’s just as tanned as my body. And I know it’s called a 'face' mist, but I sometimes use it for the parts of my back I can’t reach, and I use it on my hands.
Do you have any fake-tan fails, or are you an expert at this stage?!
I am an expert now… but I’ve definitely made the mistake of using products outside of St Tropez and ended up with streaks! But, at the end of the day, the best thing about self-tan is knowing that your mess-ups aren’t going to last forever. St Tropez have this great mit that can even any mistakes out, and we made sure with The Ultimate Glow Kit that you can layer it – so if you do end up with streaks, you can fix it the next day.
Do you have a beauty memory that makes you cringe?
For my senior prom, I put on too many eyelashes. I did three stacks of false ones and it all went awry and they all fell off by the end of the night! It was such a mess and I should have just done the tips and kept it clean and classy, but I wanted to be [US TV star] Tammy Faye and it did NOT work out.
It’s been a crazy year. How has lockdown has been for you?
I had my baby Isaac in January, and I was lucky because it's kind of ended up being the maternity leave I could have never asked for. We did lockdown in Nebraska where I grew up and did quarantine there for six months with my mum, which was nice. My husband and I also implemented a date night!
How has your beauty routine changed?
I've been keeping my routine super simple and as efficient as possible. I do a rinse, then toner, and then a cocktail of serums, followed by SPF. I always like science-based formulas. I’ve also been using anything with LED light at home; it's been really great for my skin.
What’s the best piece of beauty advice you’ve ever been given?
Confidence is the best thing you can wear! You can’t buy it – it’s something that is innately you and something you’re going to be constantly working on your whole life. So, just to remember that and not to put too much pressure on yourself.