FAKE BAKE’s Dancing On Ice Half-Term report…

In a cold, mid-February, Sunday nights can be a bit of a mood killer, so Dancing On Ice on ITV is the perfect opportunity to get your fave Fake Bake on, your comfiest PJ’s and enjoy a pre-working week relax. Team Fake Bake have been on hand every week to provide the celebs and pro skaters with their tans, so it’s not been quite as relaxing for us, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. Led by our Global Creative Consultant James Harknett and our trusty Elite VIP tanner, The Tan Expert, Eloise, the spray guns have been on full alert.

It’s the show we love to work on as it’s a challenge for us, too. Hours of rehearsal, freezing ice, a ton of make-up and costume changes keep our team on their toes, to make sure everyone looks camera ready. But nothing gives us more satisfaction than sitting back and watching the show. Our fabulous Victoria Halliday popped by the show recently, to see how the team where getting on. We fired a few questions at her, to get a flavour of the experience.

Come on, Victoria, what’s it really like?

It’s completely different to watching it on screen as you are so close to the ice. And you get a real shock as they skate so fast - you get dizzy just watching, so I realised what a challenge it is for the celeb skaters to learn a new routine every week, and kill it on the ice. And from the audience, you get a real sense of support. For us, they are celebs, but to many in the audience they are husbands, wives, family members or close friends. It really is something to see. Everyone involved in the show works really hard, too, and wants to get every detail spot on.

Tell us about the backstage vibe...

By now, the celebs have really got to know each other, so when I met them all, there was a real sense of friendship. With Brian and James about, it’s always going to be a fun vibe. Of course, they are at the business end of proceedings now and so everyone wants to win, but I got a real sense of warmth, and they really do miss the person who leaves. After the show, I went backstage properly again and it was lovely to see so many familiar faces. But they can’t let their hair down too much, as they are up and on the ice again next morning.

What’s it like for Team Fake Bake?

I am so proud of them. They are perfectionists - so they fit in well! They tailor each tanning look to fit the person in front of them, and make sure they feel comfortable. It’s a tough ask tanning so many people every week - the beginning of the season was full-on. But as the numbers have decreased a bit, the team have got to know everyone really well. And again, there is never a dull moment with the boys. The banter flies! And of course, the girls have been great fun, too.

And finally, we’ve got to ask - what’s Holly like?

I have met so many famous names during my time with Fake Bake, but I have to say, pardon the pun but Holly is absolutely…. FLAWLESS! She’s as beautiful and radiant in real life as she is on the screen, and she dresses so elegantly. I have seen her from afar at events like the NTA’s but she’s just gorgeous. All the team backstage get huge support from both Philip and Holly, and of course, Chris and Jayne are central to the show. I mean, Team Fake Bake have tanned Torvill and Dean, Olympic champions. We’re super proud of that!

And then there were four. As Wes scored the perfect ten, Saara skated her socks off, Brian went for action rather than conversation and James rocked our Bedrock, they’ve made it to next week’s Semi Final, after saying goodbye to Melody, who all of our team adore, and will always be our fave Doll.

 

We’ve got a super busy week here at Team Fake Bake, but today is a day to reflect on an amazing weekend, and work with the fantastic team at ITV to get ready for next Sunday’s big event. And discuss whether Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper are really a thing now. Natch.

See you on the ice, people.

Dancing On Ice is on ITV this Sunday on ITV1

Additional images courtesy of Victoria Halliday and ITV

FAKE BAKE gives you the l’eau down - our new Tanning Water launch…..

We decided this whole Galentines thing was so important we didn’t just make a day of it - we made a week of it! Team Fake Bake decided it was time to show some love as we pre-launched our brand new innovation - Fake Bake Tanning Water. When we decide to create something new here at Fake Bake, it involves a whole lot of work from zero to tanning hero, because what we produce for you, we want to keep as part of our stable of products forever. As in, if it ain’t brilliant, it’s not getting in.

It’s been a bit of a red carpet week, too, so we got dressed for the occasion. Michelle Obama must have got our memo, too, Over at the Grammys she out Jlo’d Jlo herself, walking on stage with her, Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith and host, Alicia Keys. Looking so tall and statuesque, Michelle wowed the crowd but maybe not so much her own mother, who’s clearly the queen of banter. Gotta love a mum who keeps it on the downlow.

First stop for us on our Tanning Water tour was our Galetines Penthouse Party at the gorgeous Blythswood Square Hotel in Glasgow. With had a fabulous Girls Night In with some of our fave celebs, influencers and bloggers in including actress Helen Flanagan and Clyde 1 presenter and DJ, Amber Zoe. Our gals got a goodie box with everything you need for a night with your ladies, including the star of our show - Fake Bake Tanning Water.

So what’s it all about? Well, we know you all love your Fake Bake. But we heard your call when you said you wanted something light and fresh, that still creates a deeply golden tanning effect. Easy to use. Check. No transfer wrapped in a clear formula. Check. Fast drying. Check. Of course, we were always going to produce a formula that gives you a gorgeous golden glow in 6-8 hours, but we also know that you lot are obsessed with your skin, so this time we needed to deliver a formula with serious skincare benefits. So Tanning Water contains Passion Flower and a unique blend of ingredients to keep your skin hydrated, smooth and plumped. A work of genius? Absolutely.

Our team of innovators didn’t stop there. They’ve created our new LINED mitt. It’s double sided and velvety and means you don’t have to do that dance of putting gloves on inside of mitts and feeling that old slide-around motion. Double genius.

Was it a hit? You bet it was, and so later in the week we took our new launch to Mahiki down in London town, where our fabulous Victoria mixed with another band of beauts to show them a good tanning time, packed with cocktails, laughs and, of course, a dancefloor. And this time it wasn’t just the girls who got in on the action. Come on, it was Valentine’s Day, too. So up rocked Lewis to make us feel the love, and Dan Mosaku, who was on fine form. Our Gal Theme was still top of the party list, though, and we all woke up the next morning looking a lot more tanned but feeling a little more, er, tired.

It’s still winter. We know, we know. But someone mentioned this week that it’s less than six months until new season Love Island launches, and we’ve also got a busy season of proms, parties, holidays, weddings, and baby showers to go to, never mind a trip to the Races. We have already been eyeing up our summer looks. It’s seems there’s a whole lotta 90’s glam going on, and so it’s time to break out the old school tan, with a 2019 formula.

When it comes to tans we are so proud that in our Tanning Water we have produced and absolute lightweight but when it comes to our nights in, or out, we are exactly the opposite. What are we going to do in that 6-8 hours development time? Sleep? Oh come on. You know us better than that.

Fake Bake Tanning Water is available to pre-order at www.fakebake.co.uk

(Hurry up, March!)

Thank you to everyone who attended our events at Blythswood Square and Mahiki Kensington, and all of our brand partners

For more info go to www.blythswoodsquare.skchase.com

Follow Mahiki on Insta @mahikilondon

FAKE BAKE talks Best Friends, Galentines and what we think about true love…

OK, so we all know what week it is, and we don’t want to take the fun out of Valentine’s Day. For lots of us, it’s a lovely day filled with flowers and celebrations and a chance to get a bit romantical. But what about the rest of us, and why is there is only one day on the calendar to celebrate love? So this week we want to toast our glasses to what really matters in life, and why this Valentine’s Day we want to broaden our horizons a little and tell everyone we love that, simply, we love them!

So we saw the pics of the cast of the My Best Friend’s Wedding, one of our fave rom coms of all time Firstly, they all still look amazing twenty-two years on, but more importantly it got us talking about girl code and friendship and why it’s just one of the best gifts we get in life. And in our world, no-one is worth giving up your best mate for. No one. Trust on that one.

It’s over twenty years since Sex And The City started, too, and we never get bored of our re-runs. So it looks a little dated now in terms of the fact that is there is no social media, but apart from the fact we still love the girls’ wardrobes, the biggest theme of the show still holds true: our friends matter, and we should really value them. They stand by our sides through tough times. They mend broken hearts, cheer us up after rubbish job interviews and help us move home. They walk us up and down aisles, and hold our hands through baby showers. They tell us when the truth is needed, in a gentle way. Sometimes they give out the tough love. But what they do, is done with love.

There is a reason why so many of us still tune in to watch shows that were born before some of us even were. Friends? These people had to meet in a coffee house because there was no Whatsapp and maybe, sometimes, they were all the better off for it, because sometimes a Meet Cute doesn’t always have to be about romance. And in real life, we meet friends everywhere. On screen, these girls met in a coffee house but off screen, they met at work. And they’ve seen each other through so much since they made it big. Come on, they are always going to be Team Aniston to us.

We absolutely love reading Dolly Alderton’s columns for the Sunday Times and her recent book takes all she has learned about dating and life and she decides that life is really about love. We love this advice: put more friendship into your romance, and more romance into your friendships. So during this week, whoever you love, tell them. Send them a card, write them a daft message, or buy them something that is meaningful to them, even if it’s just their favourite coffee.

Have a night in and plan a night out. Get your Galentines together and forget the fact that the wind is howling and everyone is still paying for Christmas. Make your friends an event worth celebrating. On a more serious note, and even Team Fake Bake get real at times, time spent with your friends is good for your physical and mental health. It is proven fact that people with good social connections, who spend valuable time with others, tend to live longer and healthier lives. So that’s a perfect excuse to get together. Put your phones down and turn the music up.

Whatever your plans are this Valentine’s Day know that if you are happily coupled up, we cheer you on. If you would like to meet someone, then the world is full of 7.7 billion people. You have time and numbers on your side. And if you are a bit famous, you have a whole team at E4 behind you. The new season of Celebs Go Dating is nearly here and we cannot wait...

But you are brilliant, and wonderful and beautiful just as you are, and with good friends by your side, you have the key to life. We adore Gabrielle Bernstein and her spiritual take on life - her books and seminars have rocked our world. She loves her HIgh Vibe Friends - the friends who bring fun, and positivity and joy to the table.

Make this a week to tell people you love them how fabulous you are, and that starts with you. Sort your eyebrows out. Do that thing you always wanted to do with your hair. Get some new shoes and learn this lesson: no matter what happens in life, you are good enough and YOU CAN TAN YOUR OWN BACK.

Yes, you can. Our Fake Bake Bronzie 3-in-1 Mitt means you can tan every part without hollering for assistance. You don’t need to train anyone up, although sometimes it’s great to have a helping hand. But let Fake Bake take care of your tan, and you take care of you and the ones you love. We’re good people. We really do have you back.

Happy Galetines from us to you. And we know we said little small gifts mean a lot, but if you send this Blog to someone else to read, like we will, a little Louis Vuitton says a lot.

Fancy a coffee, anyone? We all need gals who have our backs, right?

Fake Bake Bronzie 3-in-1 Mitt is available at www.fakebake.co.uk

The new season of Celebs Go Dating is about to launch on E4/Channel 4

You can read Dolly Alderton’s column every week in The Sunday Times Style magazine

The new season of Big Little Lies launches Summer 2019

Follow Gabrielle Bernstein on Insta @gabbybernstein

FAKE BAKE toasts Valentino couture, a decade of Rockstuds and the perfect Italian-style tan….

While we have been braving the snow this week and contemplating our dried out skin and ski hat hair, Team Fake Bake have taken refuge in looking at all of the recent couture shows from Paris although, as we type, not a single one of us won last Friday’s huge Euro Millions haul. So we just watch, and dream. All of the shows were magical. If you read us regularly, you’ll know we are obsessed with our couture, and this season Maison Valentino absolutely stole the show. No pun intended.

Under the stewardship of Pierpaolo Piccioli, this long-established fashion house is just going from strength to strength and has carved out a really unique place on planet style. How so? Well, Piccioli has taken everything traditional and beautiful about Valentino, added a youthful twist, making it the label to wear not just by the ladies who lunch, but by everyone who wants to look glamorous, with a nod to street chic at the same time.

Supermodel Marisa Berenson wears Valentino Couture, 1968

Designer Valentino Garavani showed his very first collection way back in 1962, and set himself apart by basing his designs around his favourite colour: red! He soon became a couture favourite, and designed wedding dresses for Elizabeth Taylor and Jacqueline Kennedy, and became infamous as Hollywood’s favourite designer for leading ladies. Valentino kept designing until 2008 and was always linked to luxury and the high life, but the label did tend to be associated at times with mega rich socialites. Younger fashion addicts tended to go for other established houses like Chanel or Dior, or newer powerhouses like Marc Jacobs and Alexander McQueen at times.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Valentino Garavani in Capri

Valentino as we know and love him surrounded by supermodels in his signature red!

  

The grunge era was never going to be a friend to Valentino, but the turn of the century saw new names wanting to be sprinkled in Valentino glitter. Jennifer Lopez had Mr. Garavani rework a look he created for Jackie O, back in the 1960’s and, all of a sudden, Valentino was a label on the march once more. Under Piccioli it has gone interstellar and the recent couture show was a riot of colour, topped by a guest appearance by Naomi Campbell, who is also wearing the label on the cover of the March issue Vogue.

JLo channelling Jackie

Naomi being Naomi in Vogue - both her and the label champion diversity in fashion

Like all great couture houses, Valentino also realised that entry-level accessories were the way forward in reaching a larger market and in 2010, ten S/S seasons ago, the Valentino Rockstud was born. It married all the traditional and glamour that Valentino was known for, and added, of course, The Stud! This gave it an edgier  look, and one that a younger fashion audience couldn’t wait to get their hands, and feet, on.

Since then the Rockstud has become a global phenomenon and women (and men) of all ages have fallen in love with first the shoes, and now the whole extended range. What’s not to love? And since then they have been much copied, but never, ever bettered. This season’s latest crop are now turning up in store and so we checked in with Jessica, ace personal shopper and fashion expert at Cricket Boutique, to tell us why the Rockstud is just a super-seller…

“The whole Rockstud range is so popular with the Cricket customer because there are more infinity pieces which you can wear every season, and there are always new adds to the range that mean you can build up your Valentino collection. Anyone who knows their fashion is aware that Valentino is a label steeped in glamour, and any customer who tries on Rockstuds here at Cricket falls in love, it’s that simple. The new Spring/Summer drops are just beautiful, with pastel shades already selling as quickly as they come in!”

So whether you want to Rockstud in winter…..

Or in summer, you gotta up your style game to make them shine.

And, of course, there is no point in channelling this vibe if you’re looking pasty, so start stocking your piggy bank and perfecting your tan, to get that Italian-style, polished, just-got-back from Capri vibe. We’d definitely go for our own new season drop, Fake Bake Double Dark 8oz Kit With Mitt to create a super-bronzed base tan, and we’d add our Beyond Bronze Instant Wash Off Lotion in Medium Shimmer to make sure our feet, in particular are ROCKSTUD READY!

  

So in a week where we have just managed to open our bank statements, tried on a few summer clothes and realised our summer bodies got left somewhere last July, and sympathised with Gemma doing a nosedive on the ice, because we have all been having a go, we’ve decided to close our eyes, feel future dreams, and picture ourselves somewhere utterly fabulous, with our long, toned pins decorated by a cool pink heel and a tough stud.

Hang on. Did someone mention toned pins? Oh dear. Is there time?

All products mentioned available at www.fakebake.co.uk

Many thanks to Jessica at Cricket you can follow her style on Insta @Jessica_cricket

For all things Rockstud follow Cricket Boutique on Insta @cricketfashion and good luck to Justine and all the team for the opening of their new super-boutique launching this year at Met Quarter, Liverpool