86 on glowing skin
After three decades in front of the camera, TV presenter Tess Daly tells HELLO! why self-care is the key to looking and feeling good
Tess Daly has had a lot of screen time over the past 16 months – and we’re not just talking about filming Strictly Come Dancing. “I can’t wait for more in-person meetings,” she says – during a video call with
hello!. “I have Zoom fatigue.” However, with her glowing skin, the 52-yearold former model, who has daughters Phoebe, 16, and Amber, 12, with broadcaster husband Vernon Kay, looks anything but tired.
She puts it down to Ultherapy, an in-clinic treatment that uses an ultrasound device to stimulate collagen and tighten skin, and is such a fan that she’s become its latest celebrity ambassador.
“I’ve long been a fan of approaching skincare from a non-invasive perspective. I love skin that looks naturally great, so I thought I’d give it a go,” she says.
“I’m just a big advocate for self-care,” adds the presenter. “And not because of the industry I work in, where you often find yourself being scrutinised. I take that with a pinch of salt – it is what it is.
“For me, it’s really just about investing in myself. Also, eating right, exercise, yoga, stretching – all of these things are the best medicine for my mind, body and soul.”
Here, Tess tells us more about her new role and the beauty products she can’t live without.
Tess, how did you hear about Ultherapy?
“I saw a friend of mine that I hadn’t seen for a while and her skin was glowing. She had the sort of radiant-looking skin you get when you’ve been away on holiday, but of course she hadn’t been away – none of us have! She said she’d had Ultherapy, so I thought I’d give it a go.”
How does it work?
“It essentially jump-starts your body’s own process of creating collagen using ultrasound. It generates a sort of thermal heat effect under the surface of your skin. Over time, I notice my skin looks fresher, and the results last for about a year.
“It’s really low maintenance, which I love, and the procedure itself only takes about 30 minutes. It’s not often I get to lie down for 30 minutes during the day, so that’s a bit of a treat in itself.”
How do you feel about the ageing process?
“I remain undaunted by it because the alternative to getting older is to die – and I know which one I’d prefer!
“None of us can change our age and why would we want to? In your 20s and 30s, you’re forging your future self. I feel like now there’s less to prove and more to enjoy, and I like that sense of peace. With age comes memories, wisdom and joy and as it stands, I feel gratitude for a strong mind and body, which has seen me through the last 52 years.
“But I genuinely don’t count years; I measure the passing of time by memories and the happiness that living life brings.
“I’ve been working since
I was 17 years old and I’ve been lucky enough to travel and experience a lot, and I wouldn’t change a thing. I embrace it wholeheartedly.”
What are your staple beauty products?
“I’ve trotted around the beauty department at Selfridges and looked at all the new products, but there are some products you just can’t better. I can’t live without Clarins Beauty Flash
Balm [( 1) £33; visit clarins.co.uk] – I’ve been using it for as long as I can remember. It’s incredibly moisturising and plumping and the texture is divine. I use it as a base under make-up and as a moisture mask the night before filming or a photoshoot. It gives my skin a nice dewy effect. And Charlotte Tilbury’s Wonderglow Face Primer [( 2) £39; visit charlottetilbury.com] gives your skin an iridescent sheen.”
Do you use an SPF?
“I don’t skimp on it, as any dermatologist will tell you it’s the best way to prevent ageing. I’m a big fan of the French brands – Vichy [( 3)
Vichy Capital Soleil UV-Age Daily, £21, from boots.com], Clarins and Lancôme. I lived in Paris for five years and would visit the beauty houses there and go for castings. I can’t wait for my first trip back to France, because the pharmacies are such a beauty destination. They’re stocked full of fantastic brands at decent price points.”
Do you have any make-up tips?
“Working with so many make-up artists, you do pick up lots of great tips – and I’ve been working on camera now for over three decades. For me, it’s all about catching the light and luminising where the light naturally hits your skin, so you look fresh.
“I’m also a big fan of the defined brow – it frames your whole face. I love quite a strong, generous brow, but still feathery soft. I’m always trying to achieve that balance but not necessarily succeeding.”
‘I feel like now there’s less to prove and more to enjoy, and I like that sense of peace’
Do you have any tricks for looking less tired?
“Eyelash curlers: they open up the eyes and make you look more awake. I can never seem to hit that magical eight hours – I can’t remember the last time I did!
“I’m constantly trying new concealers. I find a lot get dry and cakey under the eye. At the moment, I mix moisturiser with illuminiser and a little bit of concealer to try and change
Tess is an ambassador for the non-surgical skin tightening and lifting treatment Ultherapy (below)
the consistency and make it more iridescent, to throw some light under there. So I’m still searching for that elusive under-eye concealer that hides dark circles but doesn’t cake.”
What’s the best piece of advice you have had from a fellow presenter?
“During my modelling days in the 1990s, Davina McCall was a booker at my agency Models 1, a wonderful agency in London – they looked after Yasmin Le Bon and lots of wonderful girls. Davina was actually a booker on the men’s side, but whenever I went in, we always had a chat. I loved her to bits and it was wonderful to watch her as she broke into television. She always had bags of personality and was someone we had all gravitated towards.
“I remember mentioning to her that I’d like to get into TV and she said: ‘Just go for it, mate. Go for it. It’s fun! Just give it bags of energy and enjoy the ride.’
“Her enthusiasm was contagious. I have so much respect for her and all she’s achieved in her career. She’s a brilliant woman.”
How did you find lockdown?
“First time, it was a bit of a novelty. The kids liked being home and the dogs had never had it so good. It was fun. We baked and played lots of games. Fast forward a year and, like everybody else, I’m over it. It’s taken its toll on all of us. We need human contact, to be physically close to those you love. It’s like oxygen. We need it.”
How are you managing as we go back to normal?
“Whether or not you’re a parent, life is always a juggle and we’re all searching for peace and serenity. The to-do list is never going to be done, so I just try to face that fact and get as much done as possible with a smile on my face.”
Have you made plans for the summer?
“It’s been such a treat to see friends, I don’t think I’ll ever take it for granted again. And I can’t wait to go travelling. We do have a week in Cornwall booked, like everybody else! You can’t beat a cream tea by the seaside. I’m ready to get back to life as we know it.”
Ultherapy prices start from £500. For more information, visit ultherapy.co.uk.