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 ask 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 Milly Pickles, the content creator, presenter and motivational speaker, who has become a powerful voice for disability awareness and mental health. In 2017, Milly lost her right leg in a life-threatening accident, but in the face of adversity has achieved all her dreams and more by completing the London Marathon, working with huge global brands and even presenting 2024's Paralympics with channel 4.
"Last October I got a call to say they wanted me to report for the Paralympics," Milly tells heat, "I remember I was in a co-working space and I literally screamed! It's just mental how I'd be considered to do something so mega."
To celebrate the incredible achievement, Milly chats to heat about her career highlights, beauty favourites and the wise advice she lives by...
On career highlights
"I feel like this year has definitely been the best year of my entire life. All of the experiences that I've had, like being able to go all of the F1, Wimbledon and The Olympics, just really absorbing myself within sport makes me unbelievably happy. I even completed the London Marathon this year, but I didn't even know if I could walk because I was in a wheelchair a few weeks before and was just constantly pushing myself.
"It makes me think back to seven years ago when I was laying in a hospital bed, obviously nearly died and fighting for my life. I just cannot believe where I am now in comparison. I think that's purely down to working really hard, never giving up and always focusing on what I can do.
"Even though I didn't know there was light at the end of the tunnel and there were no amputees at the time to look up to and see how I could even live this life or how I'd even exercise. But just believing in myself and never giving up - the fact this is my life and I get to do all these cool experiences is just mind-blowing to me and I'm so unbelievably grateful for all of it. It doesn't feel real, honestly."
On self-care
What does the ultimate self-care Sunday look like for Milly?
"If you had asked me this two years ago, self-care would be getting up early to do visualisation, meditation, journaling, scripting and affirmations. I had a two-and-a-half-hour morning routine that set me up for the day and I loved it at the time, but it's just not realistic to constantly do that amount of self-love at the start of the day. It also felt like a chore as it was something to tick off a list rather than looking after myself and doing what I needed in the moment.
"I've gone through a journey of what self-care actually is and it's not just a tick list of things people recommend you do. It's being in tune with your feelings and when you're really struggling just being aware of what those feelings are and journalling them out. When I feel anxious, just focusing on my breath and being able to look after myself when I face challenges throughout the day, no matter how big or small.
"If I had an ideal Sunday, I like to prep myself for the week. Sunday is actually Monday in my eyes because I like to know what I'm doing each day and really get to grips with everything I need to do for the week ahead because it makes my mind feel clear. I'm a bit of a productivity geek! I would go to the gym, swim, sauna and then eat a lot of food and then relax. Then probably go on a bike ride or run and get to bed early."
On skincare
"I never used to wear any skincare products because I had good skin and I was blessed with that, so I didn't wear stuff for years. However, in the past year, I've really been reading up on it and I've really been on a journey with it this year.
"I love the Elemis Pro-Collagen Energising Marine Cleanser, £39.20, I love the way it feels on my skin and I just love it. I always follow up with Garnier's Micellar Water, £6.50. I love the L'Oreal Revitalift Hyaluronic Acid Serum, £16.55 it makes my face look really plump and like I've got Botox when I actually haven't got Botox. Then the L'Oreal Revitalift SPF, £9 I really love that as well."
On make-up must-haves
"It's all basically Charlotte Tilbury, I'm a big Charlotte Tilbury gal. I love the Beauty Wand Highlighter in Spotlight, £24 and I always wear their Beautiful Skin Foundation, £31 in shade 4N which looks really glowy and natural. You can't go wrong with the Pillowtalk lipstick, £22.40 and lip gloss, £16.80 too. Oh and the Iconic London Prep Set Glow Mist, £19 is brilliant for an extra bit of glow."
www.cultbeauty.co.uk
On budget beauty buy
"For glowy and radiant skin, I love L'Oreal's Glotion, £7.60 - it's so good under make-up and looks really natural. Also, I love the NYX Duck Plump Gloss, £7.60 at the moment."
On daily wellness habits
"Daily gratitude is so important to me. I have a journal and in that journal, I have a strict structure that I follow. I would put three things I'm grateful for, I would put the plan for the day, the intention for the day ahead and who I want to show up as and who don't I want to show up as. Then I do a review of the day once it's over.
"I write the word 'chimp', which comes from the book The Chimp Paradox, £12.33 so anytime throughout the day that I do something that I didn't necessarily want to do or if my plan was to not eat chocolate and then I eat chocolate, it's like the chimp took over my mind. And if I felt any type of way, if I struggled, I would write that down and really analyse why I felt that way and I constantly question why. I try and get to the root cause of what I'm feeling and how to better myself for the next day.
"Journalling is a massive thing for me and helps me to clear my mind. I like to view my mind as my window. So every day I clean my window so things don't build up over time, otherwise, I get a dirty window and my mind struggles. I even do it with my boyfriend, if we have an issue, we clean the window together. I love that analogy of trying to keep your window clean. "
On great advice
"My friend Max said to me, 'Don't measure your progress using someone else's ruler.' He was talking about himself but I was like, 'Oh my god, I need to write that down!'
"Then, last night I was expressing a bit of anxiety towards my boyfriend Liam and he said, 'Milly, you're either growing or you're learning.' I keep notes of good advice people give me - my Notes app is like my second brain!"
Quickfire round:
Show you're currently binging? Friends, because I've never watched it from start to finish.
Go to cuppa? I love an iced latte with vanilla syrup.
Go-to loungewear brand? Lounge.
Everyday perfume? YSL Black Opium, £56.95
Go-to takeaway order? That's so hard, but I'm going to say Pasta Evangelists.
Favourite candle? The big wood wick candles, £24.71 I love the cracking sound.
Aimee Jakes is heat’s trending content editor. As well as writing about skincare launches, high-street fashion and gym bag essentials, she’s forever chatting to celebs about their fancy beauty routines. Follow her on Instagram here.