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 Erica Roberts, a dancer from Edinburgh, best known for starring in the latest series of Married At First Sight UK. The 25-year-old has been serving ALL the looks on the dating show (we are still obsessing over that orange suit) and has even secured a brand deal before the show has even ended - a partnership with beauty brand, BPerfect.
Despite Erica and 'husband' Jordan Gayle joining the experiment late, they have already had more than their fair share of drama - which the star admits can be a lot to contend with as the show airs to the nation.
"It's been crazy, it's definitely been a rollercoaster. I wasn't expecting it to be this overwhelming, but it really has been a lot," Erica tells heat.
"You go from nobody knowing your business, nobody having opinions on you, just me going from my day-to-day life in Edinburgh to then having all these opinions thrown at you. It's so frustrating that people create these narratives based on an edited one-hour TV show that they watch four times a week. But apart from that it's been amazing and it's so strange watching it back and reliving it again."
Erica chats exclusively to heat about the make-up she loved for filming, how she manifested her marriage and her affordable perfume dupe for Baccarat Rouge...
On watching the show back
Does Erica watch the show every night at 9pm or does she avoid it at all costs?
"I religiously sit down and watch it live. Honestly, the anxiety I feel before each episode is… every night, I'm like, "I need a drink, someone get me a glass of wine!" We don't get to see the episodes before they're aired so we watch it in real time.
"There are so many little things you forget when watching it back, as well as watching the other cast, there's so much of their journeys that we don't get to see. So it's really nice to watch it and see how they actually progressed behind closed doors."
On self-care routines
"To be honest, I do have my self-care Sunday routine. Having that day on a Sunday to just do everything you need to do to look after yourself, give yourself some love… I think it really does set me up for the week ahead. Sunday is the day when I wash my hair. I only wash my hair once a week because I've got extensions and it's just too much effort.
"I use the Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Leave-in Treatment Set. I use the shampoo and conditioner and then I use the conditioning cream on my hair and oh my god, I swear by it. It is genuinely the best cream I've ever used. Honestly, all the comments I'm getting from the show are like, 'What do you put on your hair, your hair is so shiny, what do you use?' and it's this leave-in bonding cream.
"Then I love making sure I've had a nice homemade meal. Nice foods make you feel good, whether that be a bolognese or a roast or something. I think on a Sunday you have to have some really wholesome good food that will make your belly feel warm and happy. I love getting in my PJs and sitting on the sofa watching movies. I also like to write down what I need to do for the week and that makes me feel really organised and I like I have my shit together."
On fake tan
"I'm definitely a fake tan girl. I always have to have a fresh tan and fake tan probably twice a week. On a Sunday, I'll start by scrubbing off all my old tan. I found the viral fake tan remover on TikTok shop, it's the Rose & Caramel 60 Second Tan Remover and honestly, it's a game-changer. It takes your tan off so well and you don't have that hassle of scrubbing and scrubbing for hours in the bath trying to get it off. This stuff, you just leave on for a minute and it's insane - it just takes your tan off."
"I love the BPerfect 10-Second Tan, that's amazing. I also love the brand Sunkissed. Everyone always asks me what tan I'm wearing and it's often that one - it's literally £3.50 in Savers!"
On skincare
"I don't really have a skincare routine because I have really sensitive skin. I always have and haven't really been able to use loads of products, but I have been using the Hada Labo Tokyo Super Hydrator Lotion and oh my goodness, the glow it gives you is insane.
"To take my make-up off, I just use a good cleanser. Any cleanser - I find my skin isn't too irritated as long as it doesn't have any perfumes or anything in. I'm also obsessed with the No.7 Vitamin C Brightening Cream, it's so good."
On make-up for filming
"For everyday filming, I would always use the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter or the ELF Halo Glow which is a good dupe. They are both amazing and I use them every day. Even if I'm wearing a full face of make-up at the dinner party, I will always wear it underneath my foundation.
"Day-to-day, I don't really wear foundation so it's a life-saver. When I can't be bothered to do my make-up, just a bit of the Flawless Filter really wakes up your face and makes you look a bit more alive. I swear by it, it's such a game-changer for every day."
On make-up hacks
"Such a good hack that I do for filming, especially if it was sprung on us that we would be filming in 20 minutes - I would first brush my eyebrows out. I had them laminated before I went in so I didn't need to do much to them anyway, but brush my brows out.
"Slap on the Flawless Filter on my face, then I would curl my eyelashes and use the eyebrow gel on my lashes after curling them and it just keeps them up. It gives the illusion of a lash lift and keeps them in place all day because of the gel."
On dinner party outfits
"Oh my gosh, honestly trying to pack… because you don't know how long you're going to be away for, so trying to pack everything was probably the most stressful part of the whole thing. It actually kind of made me forget I was marrying a stranger because I was like, 'These outfits need to be on point!'
"I love my fashion, I love my clothes. I love styling pieces. I love being able to just express myself in different ways. I wouldn't say I was a proper girly girl and although I love to dress up, I also love to dress down. But make it cool and casual with a pair of trainers, cargos, stuff like that. But for the dinner parties, I really wanted to be extra, because that was how I was feeling. It really gave me confidence, it was like an alter ego!
"My favourite outfit from the series is definitely the black dress with chains on it. I was like, 'I'm not sure if I can wear this' but putting it on, I was like, 'Wow, I feel like a different person!'"
On daily wellness habits
Does Erica have any wellness habits to ensure she feels her best self?
"I am actually obsessed with the little ginger and turmeric shots. I don't know if it's a myth, but I feel good when I do it.
"I'm also obsessed with peppermint and green tea. I don't drink coffee and don't really drink normal tea, I have to really be in the mood for a normal tea. But honestly, I could drink peppermint tea all day.
"I also have a journal for gratitude and one for manifesting. I genuinely feel like it does work. When I was younger I had this obsession that I was going to be married and have kids before I was 23 because it was my lucky number. But looking back, maybe I did manifest it in a way because I did get married in 2023!"
On life-changing books
"I love the book Good Vibes, Good Life by Vex King. I've seen so many people raving about this book as well. It's honestly insane, I recommend that book to anyone looking for a bit of positivity.
"Podcast-wise, I always listen to Steven Bartlett's A Diary of a CEO. I just find it so inspiring and I love learning from people who have businesses or have overcome a lot of struggles in life. I love Jay Shetty's podcast, he's just so wise and I love to learn.
"If I'm just chilling and wanting to listen to nonsense or a girly chit-chat, I love Call Her Daddy."
On wise advice
"The thing that's resonating with me the most at the moment is - 'if they don't know you personally, don't take it personal'. Also, just staying true to yourself. I know me, everyone around me knows the real me and I think that's the most important thing. You just have to stay true to yourself, because the right people will gravitate to you from you just being you."
Quickfire round:
What show are you currently watching? MAFS, of course!
How do you like your cuppa? A peppermint or green tea.
Go-to loungewear brand? I love Lounge.
Everyday perfume? Tom Ford Black Orchid. Also the Zara dupe for Baccarat Rouge, Red Temptation!
Go-to takeaway order? A Chinese, duck and pancakes every time.
Favourite candle? I actually don't have a sense of smell, so I go with what my friends and family tell me is nice. I love buying so many candles from TK Maxx though!