Joanna Chimonides talks post-Love Island burn-out, fitness tips and her £14 secret for glowy skin

The Love Island All Star chats through her self-care must-haves...

joanna

by Aimee Jakes |
Updated on

Self-care will forever be our favourite hobby but we appreciate that recharging and putting yourself first looks different for everyone. Each week, we'll be asking the celeb lot to share their ideal self-care Sunday routines, the hard-working beauty products they recommend to their friends and which TV show they're currently binging…

This week it's all about Joanna Chimonides, the Love Island All Star and down-to-earth influencer who's worked with huge brands including Pandora and Ann Summers.

The 27-year-old also has over half a million followers on TikTok thanks to being the Queen of Memes (we're calling it) and being hilariously down-to-earth. Trending sounds? She's nailed it, hun.

Joanna chatted exclusively to heat about her new approach to self-care, wholesome sleep routines and the creamy blush she swears by for gleamy skin...

On self-care

The star shares how she now truly values self-care and time off after experiencing burnout from all the post-Love Island work commitments. Honestly, say it louder for the people at the back.

"I used to try and do a bit of self-care but wouldn't really do it religiously. Still to this day, I would punish myself for having a day off and it would feel like a waste of a day. It got to the point where management would schedule in a day off and I would be on edge like: "Girls, but don't you think I should be doing a TikTok or something?'"

"Then I got really burnt out at one point because I was working so much, not really taking care of myself, and not sparing any time for myself. I wasn't taking care of my skin or removing my make-up properly and was really flakey with the gym as well. It got to the point where I've really had to teach myself to allow myself to have a Sunday or a day in the week which is just for me.

"When I came out of the villa I was lumbered with so much work and I was so on the go that I was actually losing weight considering I was already a size six. So going back to the gym has been really important to make sure I'm toning up and meal-prepping for the day because often I don't have time to cook. Going to the gym really helps me mentally and physically."

What does a self-care day look like for Joanna now?

"So now, self-care for me is making sure I'm eating enough and going to the gym and using my Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque which works perfectly for my skin. Then just watching Netflix, which is now really important to me.

"I didn't use to watch TV and I'd be around loads of people in the industry who would be like, 'Oh, what series are you watching?" and I was like, 'I don't watch TV, I don't have time!' So now, I try and go to bed a little bit earlier and just watch TV and give myself a little bit of a breather.

"I think that's the best bit about a self-care day, having a breather from your normal routine. That's what I do now and I'm the happiest person alive!"

On skincare favourites

What is Joanna's relationship with her skin and what are the products she recommends to her friends?

"I have really sensitive skin and regular breakouts because if anything has perfume in it, that's it, my skin will break out the next day. I find that Kiehl's is amazing for skincare. It's all very natural. Even when you go into their store, it feels very medical and they're all wearing cloaks. I'm like, 'Yes, I'm being taken care of!'

"I am obsessed with Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque it's amazing, I've got all my friends to try it. Afterwards, they always say how their skin feels like silk. I use it around three times a week and it's just incredible.

"I also love the Charlotte Tilbury Collagen Superfusion Face Oil , it's just amazing. You don't even have to wear make-up sometimes as it just gives you that natural dewy, glowy look. I find putting that on at night and then in the morning makes your skin look so good."

On budget beauty favourites

"I love the La Roche-Posay Toleriane Foaming Gel Cleanser, I started using it to take my make-up off and fell in love with it. It's amazing if you react to certain things. I was actually recommended it by someone who worked in Boots."

On make-up must-haves

"At the moment, I'm loving theFenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Primer . I love NARS and Too Facedfoundations as they give a nice medium coverage which you can build up. Definitely a MAC Concealer, I find they're the only concealers that give me the most full coverage. I love loads of coverage under the eyes.

"Oh my god and this is amazing [points to the REFY Cream Blush, £14) in shade Malaya] I used to fear blush and would say no if a make-up artist tried to put it on me! But I love this and use it every single day, even when I don't have make-up on. If I feel like I look a bit rundown I add some to my cheeks and just under my eyes and it gives such a healthy and glowy look."

"My other favourite product is the Huda Beauty Baking Powder Since I've been using that my make-up is a different ball game! I've got the shade 'Banana Bread' because I like a yellow undertone. It's a game-changer, honestly and it doesn't give you that powder flashback either.

"Then the MAC Spice Liner, I use that all over my lips and then I put on the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb on top. Such a good duo."

On fitness tips

What's a fitness tip that Joanna wishes she could tell herself two years ago?

"My best advice is to just not think. I know it sounds crazy, but before you go to the gym, just don't think. We all wake up and talk ourselves out of going to the gym. When you're in the gym, you can talk yourself out of using certain equipment. A lot of the time we think that people are staring at us or thinking, 'What is she doing?!' but when I'm in the gym, I'm never thinking about anyone else or looking at anyone.

"Just go in there, don't overthink, do what you want to do and then walk out of there feeling great."

On bedtime routines

"I like going to bed with green tea as it gets me in the mood to relax and sets me up for bedtime. Definitely Netflix, I fall asleep to Netflix now. Normally before I'd struggle to get to sleep and I used to suffer from sleep paralysis and that was because I would overthink a lot before bed.

"So now before bed, definitely green tea, Netflix, a face mask maybe some meditation music and a bit of scrolling on TikTok."

On TikTok

"For me, I find that TikTok is amazing because you can really show your personality there. I remember when I came off the show, people were wondering if I had a personality. I was like, 'Oh my gosh, someone bring out an app where I can show my personality!' and about six months later, TikTok came out."

What's the secret sauce to going viral?

"I just scroll through it and if I see something that's trending and see how many likes and views that particular sound is getting. Then if I think that's trending, I'll jump on the trend and film something straight away. I'll then watch my video a few times and think: 'what funny scenario can I whack on top of this?' Then I'll post it. With TikTok, I don't plan anything, I just freely do it. I think if you over plan on TikTok it really comes across that way and won't do as well."

On great advice

"My favourite advice has stuck with me since I left the villa and I use it every single day. It's to focus on the cheers and not the boos. I find that in your life, you always focus on the negatives and, 'Oh, they said this about me' but we don't focus on the cheers.

"When I came out of the villa, I obviously had a lot of trolling and it was quite bad. I would sit there every day looking at the bad comments and people close to me said: 'but what are people saying that's good? What good messages are you getting? Why are you not putting your attention on the good ones and you're too busy focusing on all the bad ones?' When I started focusing on the good things that have been said, the good comments and positive things, I actually started sort of drowning out all the negatives, boos and things like that. And then now I feel I'm a lot more positive."

Quickfire round:

What show are you currently watching? The Office or I love this cooking show called Nailed it.

How do you like your cuppa? I like a coffee with oat milk and no sugar. It's got to be a light shade of brown.

Go-to loungewear brand? JD Sports, I'm obsessed with their stuff.

Favourite face mask? Definitely the Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque . I've had it for about a year now and still have got loads in it.

Go-to takeaway order? I love a chicken korma. It got. to the point where I had five chicken korma takeaways in two weeks, it was really bad!

Favourite candle? It's got to be the Jo Malone Velvet Rose & Oud .

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