FAKE BAKE get tanning and lockdown style advice from the gorgeous McLean twins…

How’s your hair? This is the first question we ask after checking that someone is well and safe. Remember those quaint days of yesteryear, when you could go to a salon to get your hair done? Oh, how we miss all those gorgeous colours, and treatments and precision cuts. You have either gone one of two ways: let it run riot or tried a bit of DIY home maintenance. Team Fake Bake have had a few lil hair disasters. Add to that oddly shaped nails and back-to-the-1990’s brows and you’ve got a recipe for a beauty disaster.

So we decided to catch up with two of our fave style gals via Zoom to ask them how they are managing to look and stay well during lockdown. Welcome to the beautiful world of The McLean Twins. Based in Glasgow, Mhairi and Rhona are up-and-coming style queens and we have really enjoyed getting to know them, and can’t wait to collaborate with them when we are all a bit freer to get out and about.

Until that day comes, we are making the best of each day. We are currently praying every single day, because while we are following the rules, and taking notice of the news, we are so excited for the day when we can go out somewhere that’s not a supermarket. Not that we dislike them, but you know, variety is the spice of life!

Hi girls, how are you keeping busy at the moment?

We have been going daily walks trying to stay as active as we can during this lockdown. We have been doing a lot of baking to keep ourselves occupied while in the house - there is so much inspo on Insta and online. We have been trying to stay healthy but you have to have the odd treat, don’t you? We have recently started making TikToks which have been a lot of fun - they really do take effort to get spot on, and we love looking at other people’s - it feels like they really are uniting us all. As we do a lot of our own promo content, we usually love getting out and about but now we have two places to choose from - the house or garden, so we have had to get extra creative! But we are enjoying the challenge...

Can you give us some tips on staying stylish while we feel like staying in our PJs all day?

We have continued to keep ourselves tanned to keep feeling like our normal selves, and just because the sun is out, we are being careful with our SPF. We recently bought a wash-out hair colour to try spice up our lives and change our style a bit, which means being more adventurous. We have been embracing the comfy vibe, but going for gorgeous co-ords as well as jammies, and we’ve even invested in new slippers to match! We have made do with what we have in the house, changing up items of clothing, cropping jumpers and customising with processes like tie-dye. We are loving watching the new season Great British Sewing Bee - it’s great to see what you can do with clothing you already have, or reworking it to create something new.

We know you love your Fake Bake, what are your fave products and why?

We both did an Insta min-film recently with Fake Bake Double Espresso Tan, which was amazing and we got lots of great feedback. Though we often love the same things, when it comes to Fake Bake, we love experimenting with the full range.

Rhona’s favourite tanning product is Fake Bake Tanning Water. It is so easy to apply and it actually works well as a facial tanner. It is so good for areas like your hands and chest which are on show, and it goes on so smoothly as it converts to a foam consistency.

Mhairi’s favourite product is the Fake Bake Double Shot Espresso Tan as it has a gorgeous aroma. It is so flawless to apply, there are never any streaks and it gives a gorgeous, darker finish.

Where are you going as soon as lockdown is over, and what will you be wearing?

Anywhere that sells cocktails, that’s for sure! We are hoping that the weather stays as good as it is just now so we can get into wearing cute, summery outfits! Denim shorts, chunky trainers and new-season sandals are an easy way to get into the new season which reminds us - we can’t wait to go shopping, too.  

We did have Ibiza booked for July which we don’t imagine we will be going! But we will improvise and do Ibiza at home - the garden is the new Pikes for 2020. We have realised what really matters - holidays are great fun but what matters the most is the company, and we are always so happy just being around each other. We can’t wait to see more of our family and friends, too!

Until Ibiza days are here, Team Fake Bake are still busy behind our own closed doors, so please keep in mind, if you can, our lil special offers to help you, and lovely people during this time…

Our Fake Bake Mystery Bag is still available on our website - priced at just £20, it is packed full of £100 worth of goodies.

There is still 30% off for NHS workers. Let’s help keep our key workers’ morale up…

Our Hand Sanitiser comes in a bumper sized bottle and we are distributing the same product to those in the community who are finding themselves without a home at this time.

And finally a treat for all of you guys as we know it’s a stressful time, and we want you to look great on a budget. If you purchase a Fake Bake Beyond Bronze Self Tan Mousse, you get a free Beyond Bronze Lotion, plus a Fake Bake application mitt!

We hope everyone out there is safe and well. Start thinking about future plans on days when you feel a bit hemmed in - imagine what a treat just going for a coffee with a mate will be!

And by the way, how’s your hair?

For all things Fake Bake go to www.fakebake.co.uk

You can follow the McLean Twins on Insta @mcleantwins

Follow Mhairi on Insta @mhairimclean

Follow Rhona on Insta @rhonamclean

FAKE BAKE talks ten years of TOWIE and our fave Jess Wright…

We were thinking about Spring and a new season of TOWIE and our worlds changed. This year, Britain’s fave reality gang celebrate ten years on screen. Rumours abound that some of the original cast will return to their roots to take part in something we already have our hopes pinned to. And when you talk about TOWIE originals, then there’s one family with their name all over the show, and we are so lucky we have got to work with them over the last decade.

One job this writer from Team Fake Bake would consider an uphill battle right now would be trying to fit everything onto Jess Wright’s CV. When she started off on TOWIE, Mark’s sister was a quieter member of the group. A girl band gorgeous gal, we loved seeing her close bond with her family. Between mum Carol’s straight talking advice and the legendary Nanny Pat’s even sharper words of wisdom, we fell in love with the crew.

Jess grew up before our eyes on TOWIE. We have been binge-watching every season on Britbox, and it’s brilliant to see how times and styles have changed, too. And our Wright girl grew in stature in every way during her time on the show. She left it as an accomplished, independent woman.

Since then, Jess has built a mini-empire all of her own based on her own Hollywood- comes-to-Essex style. Whether it’s been fashion, beauty, shoes or swimwear, fitness and home style, there is no area of our beauty’s life that we haven’t wanted to know more about.

Gorgeous in swimwear….

Fabulous footwear….

It’s all in her style….

Team Fake Bake have been lucky enough to work with Jess during this time, and our own legend, Eloise The Tan Expert, has been on hand to get that Fake Bake tan picture perfect for Jess. She told us…

“Over the time I have known Jess, I’ve been really lucky to experiment with the Fake Bake professional ranges to suit Jess’s skin tone and the kind of look she wanted for each shoot or event. Jess is so super down-to-earth and has a wickedly funny sense of humour. I really can’t wait to tan her again, and of course, every TOWIE fan I speak to hopes she’s back for a guest appearance. People always ask me if she’s as beautiful in real life, and the answer is simply: YES!”

This year has been really exciting for Jess so far. We’ve been loving her podcast, Girls No Filter, and although her stage performance for the Girls Just Wanna Have Fun tour is on hold for now, we know she’ll be busy hatching wedding plans. We were thrilled when Jess announced her engagement earlier this year.

The big moment…

Leading the grooms’ dance at Mark and Michelle’s nuptials…

We know that she’ll be ready to take centre stage when her big day arrives, and we have got our fingers crossed that Fake Bake tans will be required, natch!

Until then we will keep up our TOWIE binge-watching. The tans have got sleeker, the clothes more streamlined and that hair is glossier than ever before, but that cheeky Essex humour remains the same. It’s the place that introduced us to banter, and for that we remain forever grateful. We loved seeing Jess at the NTA’s with Sam, Billie and Ferne and hope to see them all together, dressed up, back where they belong later in the year.

We have got one question to ask Jess when we see her, though. Has she got the secret recipe for Nanny Pat’s sausage plait? We can only hope…

For more info on Fake Bake go to www.fakebake.co.uk

Follow Jess on Insta @jesswright77

Follow Eloise on Insta @thetanexpert

FAKE BAKE talks staying Quarantan positive and doing our bit to help out….

It’s usually about now that we would be talking about pre-prep and the looming of the summer version of Love Island. As a brand, we love embracing the positive but we do want to recognise that this is a very difficult time for so many of us. So, as part of our Quarantan theme, we’ve been hosting some Live events on Insta to get you all involved. They have gone down so well that we will be doing some more, obvs.

First up, we have to say a huge thanks to Jake Quickenden for hosting our first Quarantan event. If you follow Jake, you’ll know he’s a champion on socials with his own brand of wit and wisdom. His ultimate lockdown karaoke was brilliant fun. Since then, Jake has been busy with his own singing, and his Quarantine Song is only being kept off the top by The Weeknd.

Plus, he’s been using his new Fake Bake spray tanning skills….on himself! He did go a bit Ross Geller with this one, but we still think he’s got potential.

For those of you using some of your time to up your beauty game, our fave MUA Stacey Toner of Artsy had us all locked into her Live with us, creating the perfect face for when you want to look natural, but you like to take your time doing it! What can we say? It was an absolute masterclass. Stacey works on so many famous faces and we already love these looks created on…

Jacqueline Jossa

Helen Flanagan

Hayley Hughes

But this time around we got to see Stacey in action working on her own face, and we picked up so many tips. (If you want to know more about 2020 contouring, Stacey’s your first stop!) Stacey created these looks with the help of our Fake Bake Beauty Bronzer, which she is a huge fan of, and she uses it as a multi-purpose make-up weapon. Our advice? Give her a follow to learn more.

Since we last spoke to you, we are so proud of your response to our Fake Bake Mystery Bag launch. Priced at just £20, but filled with £100 worth of Fake Bake goodies, our aim is to support those self-employed in our industry during this challenging time.

 Our labs have also been busy doing vital work. We are really proud that we have been able to manufacture our own Hand Sanitiser. Not only does it help protect you, with its 70% alcohol-based formula, by purchasing one you are also engaging in some seriously good karma. Each purchase will enable us to fund the distribution of our Hand Sanitisers, to as many people as we can who are without homes of their own. While we are feeling a bit hemmed in at the moment, we realise how lucky we are to have such a safe place.

And finally, to give a direct shout out to those working in the NHS, we are offering 30% off all purchases (when you enter NHS30 and your NHS workplace at the checkout) and a free moisturiser when you spend £20. We know everyone on the front line is working flat out at the moment, and we also know from speaking to our clients that so many of you work as key workers in the NHS. It’s just a gesture of support from us to give thanks, and to hope that in the future, you get some time off to pamper yourself. No one deserves it more than you guys.

As always, you are all in our thoughts right now. We know you are probably feeling anxious right now. We hope there are better days to come. If you are anything like us, you will want every opportunity in the future to say ‘yes’ to opportunities. No more cancelling. We love a good box set, but we can’t wait until we can walk out of the door, and just meet for a coffee.

And we got through all of that without mentioning this man.

Come on, if you’ve not seen it yet, why not?

For more info on our Fake Bake Beauty Bronzer, Mystery Bags, Hand Sanitiser and to purchase at 30% off as an NHS worker please go to www.fakebake.co.uk

You can follow Jake on Insta @jakequickenden14

You can follow Stacey on Insta @staceytoner_artsy

FAKE BAKE talks being nominated for SUNDAY TIMES STYLE BEAUTY AWARDS 2020…

Our weekends are not complete without our Sunday Times Style magazine - all you need to add in is a lazy breakfast. And we are in good company, with over 700,000 readers per issue, it’s our weekly style and beauty bible. Digital is always welcome, but there is something truly luxe about a dose of dreamy fashion and covetable beauty goodies, via glossy pages, to make our lives complete. Lorraine Candy, editor-in-chief, and her whole team manage to pack in so much and whether we are getting life advice or trying out new superfoods, we always learn something new.

Which brings us to the Sunday Times Style Beauty Awards 2020. Long established, respected and voted for by the beauty experts we really love to hear from - you! And if you decide it’s time to show Fake Bake some love, we are nominated for 2020 in the Best Self-Tan/Suncare category. These prestigious awards bring together the creme de la creme of beauty brands, and we are delighted to be in the running.

As an extra incentive, once you have placed your vote in every category, you are entered into a prize draw with £70,000 worth of goodies including luxe beauty products and the ultimate holiday for two in the Maldives in 2021. We are totally dreaming of this one already.

To enter go to:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/styleplay/beauty/competitions/style-beauty-awards-2020/

It really is so simple and easy to vote, and you have until 5/5/2020 to enter.

We checked in with our Global Creative Consultant, James Harknett, who being London-based is at the heart of this beauty action, knows how much these awards mean. He told us…

“I’m so proud that Fake Bake have been nominated this year. As a brand, there is nothing more valuable than being voted for by beauty lovers throughout the UK. Each category is fiercely competitive, and every brand involved sets a high benchmark for the industry. Fake Bake is known for innovation and is recognised for its quality, wearability and long-lasting results. I really do hope everyone who loves the brand votes. And, of course, the prizes for entering are spectacular - I think each and everyone of us would love a Maldives trip to look forward to!”

‘There’s a man with a gun in my living room, and I couldn’t be more excited. The man is James Harknett and the gun is his spray tan weapon!”

Sarah Jossel, February 2020

(Sarah tanned recently for the TRIC Awards by our very own James!)

We also want to show our appreciation for the fabulous Sarah Jossel, the Sunday Times Style Beauty Director and ultimate #BeautyBOSS columnist and writer. Sarah is the ultimate in genuine: she shares all of her own beauty dilemmas with us, and is brilliant at mixing budget buys with high end beauty treats.

Sarah also regularly appears on This Morning and her regular segments always have us tuning in - during lockdown she’s definitely kept our spirits up - many of us have had gel nail emergencies, to name just one beauty dilemma, and Sarah has been on hand with lots of DIY tips to help us out during these challenging times for our routines.

We are so excited to be nominated again this year, and a fabulous Sunday Times Style Beauty Awards for 2020 would be a real honour and lift the spirits of everyone at Team Fake Bake.

If you end up with a screenshot like this one, we will simply love you forever.

Spend a few moments of your time and you could end up with your lockdown bae in the Maldives next year.

Remember holidays? Weren’t they just fabulous?

For all terms and conditions for the Awards go to

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/styleplay/beauty/competitions/style-beauty-awards-2020/

To follow Sunday Times Style magazine on Insta go to @theststyle

To follow Sarah on Insta got to @sarahjossel

To follow James on Insta got to @jamesharknettofficial