We love a bit of self-care and all this time at home has really given us an excuse to look after ourselves inside and out. Each week, we'll be asking the celeb lot to share their Sunday self-care routines, because taking care of yourself is more important than ever.
This week it's all about Ambar Driscoll, the 24-year-old model, YouTuber and content creator who runs the online community, Bamby Collective, which hosts IRL events, a monthly book club and open discussion threads.
She tells heat, "I wanted to create an online community that was helpful in the midst of a lot of negativity that exists online. I think it's important to create positive small spaces that people can turn to."
Oh, we love to see it. 👏🏻
The content creator is also in a long-term relationship with YouTube star Caspar-Lee and they've been super loved-up since 2018. Forever relationship goals, if you ask us.
Ambar talks exclusively to heat about her self-care routine, budget beauty buys and really great advice...
On Bamby Collective
"It is essentially a community for young women in their 20s to find friends either online or through the Facebook group and you can go on there and post whatever you like. Or if you need advice, or if you want to find people in your area, there are also local groups as well. We also do monthly events so people can go along and hopefully meet some new friends."
What's the best thing about the community?
"I follow a lot of the girls from Bamby and a lot of the girls that I've seen meeting for the first time, I will then see them hanging out or coming to events together later. I love seeing how it actually works of bringing people together. It's really heart-warming."
On advice for becoming an influencer
"I think, just start to see if you enjoy creating content or what type of content you enjoy creating because I think maybe sometimes people might want to do it for certain reasons because maybe they want to be famous or they think it comes with a certain lifestyle, but you only get this sort of lifestyle that you see if you're watching, really successful YouTubers, who are in the very small minority of people.
"So, I think it's important to be realistic and just actually see if you enjoy creating the content, before deciding that you want this like thing that might not actually happen and is potentially unattainable. See if you like it first and then consistently develop those skills."
On self-care
How does Ambar like to spend her self-care Sunday?
"I like to do an 'everything shower' where I completely exfoliate and shave and do a hair mask just before, so I come out the shower feeling squeaky clean. I like to light some candles and do a face mask, too.
"If I'm trying to be serious about self-care I won't look at my phone and I like reading in bed or watching a Netflix show."
On skincare tips
"I always tell people it doesn't really matter where you're getting your products from, but to have a good cleanser, a good hyaluronic acid serum, a vitamin c serum and then in the evening, a chemical exfoliator every other night. Retinol is great if you're in your mid-thirties and then a heavy-duty moisturiser."
What are the really great skincare products that Ambar would recommend to her pals?
"If I was going to recommend a product, I would say the Eve Lom Cleansing Balm, it feels so luxurious and smells really nice. At the moment, I'm using theOle Henrikson Vitamin C Hyaluronic Acid Serum in the morning, because it's easy and a combination of the two. Then there's an Alpha-H SPF Moisturiser which I love.
"In the evenings, I'm using Skin And Me as it has everything I need. But I go where the wind blows and if I get sent something nice, I'll try and incorporate it into my routine."
On budget beauty buys
"It has to be the Garnier Micellar Water . I always use that to take off my make-up before cleanser, because you should not be using make-up wipes. It's so easy and I love it."
On make-up must-haves
"I love a natural make-up look and Glossier is perfect for that. Day to day, I use their Skin Tint, Lash Slick Mascara and Cloud Paint Blushes. I also love theRare Beauty blushes, I think they're almost an upgrade on the Glossier ones, they are amazing. I wear the shade 'Joy'.
"You can't beat the Glossier Generation G Lipsticks either, they are a perfect consistency."
On podcast recommendations
"Every week, after the new House of The Dragon episode comes out, I'll listen to the Dragoncast podcast about that, just because I love listening to people dissect it afterwards. Then I'll listen to the Guardian and The Times just to stay up to date on what's going on."
On wellness habits
"For me, the two big things are going for a walk, seeing nature and exercise. Because I work from home, if I don't go for a walk I don't feel right mentally, so going for a walk for an hour is really important for me.
"Then exercise. For years and years exercise was always treated as a kind of punishment and a means to changing your body, but for me, I really do it for the mental health benefits. I think it's just the biggest life hack because you just feel better afterwards every time."
On really great advice
“This isn't like a piece of advice I've been given lately, necessarily, but the other month I started thinking, a bit too hard about death, which sounds really weird. But I've just been like really now aware of kind of how short life is, which I felt like up until recently, older people have always said, 'You're only young once' and stuff like that. It just becomes so generic, but I think now it’s actually really hit home.
"It sounds so simple like, 'You only live once' but now I'm trying to figure out the way I want to enjoy my life and finding things that I enjoy. So just not taking life for granted and trying to actually figure out things that you love doing in life because it could really end at any moment."
On her next step
What does the future hold and does she have any big five-year plans? Spoiler alert, for Ambar, it's all about embracing the things that really matter most.
“I want to expand Bamby so that there's Bambyans all over the world so that they’re always there for young women to turn to. And personally, I think honestly just trying to enjoy life. I don't have like massive plans. I just kind of want to have like a nice little family. I feel like sometimes influencer culture or online people make it seem like we need to have all these big goals and these big lives. But actually, it's okay if you just want to have a nice little life with your family. A low-key kind of life.”
Quickfire round:
What show are you currently watching? House of the Dragon.
How do you like your cuppa? I like a strong builder's tea
Go-to loungewear brand? There's this Bangladeshi-owned pyjama brand called Rawbought. I have so many of their pyjamas and they are so comfy! They do really cute matching sets.
Favourite face mask? Oskia Renaissance Mask .
Go-to takeaway order? Something like Pasta Evangelists - you can't beat fresh pasta.
Favourite candle? Now that it's like getting cold I had this one last night from [Neom, called Perfect Peace {href='https://www.lookfantastic.com/neom-perfect-peace-3-wick-candle-420g/13864392.html?' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener nofollow'}) and it just smells like Christmassy winter.