Jennifer Hawkins, Model & Entrepreneur

Jennifer Hawkins first shot to international fame on the world stage, a shining example of quintessential and traditional “Australian beauty". It’s the Amazonian height, chiseled golden limbs and tumbling flaxen locks that made Elle a household name several years before her. Like Elle, Jen’s rise was fast and furious. At 20, she nabbed the covetable Miss Universe crown.

When she returned home after a stint in New York attending film school, she worked her way through of a variety of TV hosting gigs on Channel 7 before becoming a judge on Australia’s Next Top Model and a Myer ambassador. Instead of slipping into the ‘where-are-they-now-files’ that befalls many pageant winners, she has demonstrated astute ambition, building a business and property empire with long-term partner and husband Jake Wall. She and Jake have just launched a tequila label called Sesion, adding to her two other brands – Cozi by Jennifer Hawkins swimwear and Jbronze self tan – which she spent a great deal of time developing and testing on herself and her celeb friends. We caught up with the burnished beauty at the iconic Palm Beach property Rockridge and went through a stash of her favourite things and learnt some of the secrets behind her perennial luminescence.

“I think low maintenance beauty is best…

For timing purposes – when you start playing with different products it can be overwhelming. Having a clean canvas with your skin to start with is important so it’s all about exfoliation and cleansing for congestion. I think it’s really important to have a strict skincare regime so you don’t break out. I’m obviously really into a tan, but other than that, during my everyday life I just wear Jbronze on my face and some mascara. If I’m going out at night, I like to wear make up.

JEN RELIES ON HER SIGNATURE GLOWING TAN OVER LOTS OF MAKEUP. SHE WEARS LITTLE JOE WOMAN DRESS.

JBRONZE, AVENE AND NUDE SKINCARE ESSENTIALS

I started Jbronze because I couldn’t find a great face tanner.

It’s so easy to apply, you literally just have to put it on your T-zone and on the contour line of your cheek. I don’t put it on the lower half of my face. I always start with a blank canvas [with clean, exfoliated skin] and put it on my forehead and cheeks – but not on my chin area. I find if you put it all around your chin area you get a build up and it looks unnatural. After a few days it fades off nicely and easily.

I never put tan over an existing fake tan.

That’s how you become orange. I’m shooting all the time so I make sure I have a fresh tan for each shoot. The beauty with Jbronze is that after four days you can scrub it off or leave it for the full seven days. I use the Jbronze mitts when applying my tan so I don’t get streaks. When I travel overseas I found certain tans would make me break out from the build up. The Jbronze tanning formula helps to eliminate streaking and breakouts too.

SHE TAKES A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO BEAUTY AND HEALTH. SHE WEARS LINE & DOT JUMPSUIT

A FEW OF JEN’S FAVOURITES STASHED IN HER CHANEL

I’m a fad girl with beauty, I swap up my products quite a bit.

I love certain products but then I’ll swap them. One thing I always use is coconut oil because I love the smell and I love it in my hair when I go to the beach. I also use Ultraceuticals skincare and this Live Clean moisturiser, which I found on a random shelf in a chemist. I initially used it because of the amazing smell. As for facial treatments, I like blue LED light, but I haven’t found a facial that I trust completely just yet.

In terms of makeup, I use a lot of mineral.

I use Ellis Faas foundation for television because I like the texture. Usually, I alternate between Youngblood, Ellis Fassand Nude by Nature mineral makeup. I use Becca lip and cheek tint and Jbronze on my cheeks. For eyes, I love Maybelline Great Lash Mascara, Chantecaille Eyeshadow Palettes and rms eye creams. To finish I give everything a spray with Avene mineral water spray.

JENNIFER LOVES MINERAL MAKEUP AND A NEUTRAL PALETTE

THE SECRET TO JEN’S BEACHY WAVE IS TO ADD A FEW WAVES AND SLEEP IN THEM

I curl my hair and then leave it for four days.

I have straight hair naturally so if I kink it then it has this sexy beach vibe. I use Melrose coconut oil in my hair when I’m at the beach and even when I’m shooting, it’s amazing. I use ‘Hydrate Me’ shampoo and other volumising products by Kevin Murphy, and O&M style guru styling cream sparingly, just mainly on shoots to give my roots a bit of volume. I also use Evo Moisture and Protein treatments and L’Oreal Elnet hairspray.

Less is more, especially when it comes to having blonde hair

I try to steer clear of products that weigh my hair down. I can’t really use too many products in my hair anyway because I recently found out that I react to parabens and bee pollen – which is in a lot of product.

SHE PROTECTS HER BEACHY BLONDE LOCKS BY KEEPING PRODUCTS TO A MINIMUM

JEN OPTS FOR A NO-POLISH, BUT WELL MAINTAINED, NAIL. WEARING LACAUSA TANK, ABRAND SHORTS AND LOVISA JEWELLERY.

I don’t wear nail polish.

I was put off it when I read up on the nasty chemicals in them. I love a natural nail and because it’s summer time I’ve just gone with it. I do love a pedicure though, I’ve got a girl that comes to my place and I find it really relaxing. She does a leg massage, and she’ll do a manicure but no nail polish.

I run quite a bit.

I’ve got a treadmill at home so I’ll go for a run for thirty minutes a day, four times a week, with loud music so I can just zone out. I do yoga probably once a week with a teacher, and pilates twice a week. I find it hard to meditate, so it’s easier when I’m running or doing yoga because I’m moving. Once a month I usually have a day off and I’ll get my yoga instructor to come and make a day out of sport and full body massages. I also see a chiropractor regularly.

HER FITNESS MUST-HAVES: A RESISTANCE BAND, MUSIC, A MASSAGE BALL AND RECOVERY ROLLER.

DAIRY AND PROCESSED WHEAT ARE NO-NO’S FOR JEN

I don’t eat dairy because it doesn’t agree with me.

I also try to stay off wheat as much as I can but it’s in almost everything, so I just stay away from processed wheat. I eat a well balanced diet, I love brown rice, quinoa and gluten free toast. Jake and I cook together, I don’t really enjoy it. It’s more for practical reasons – we’ll cook to eat. I prefer to cook my meals so that I know what I’m eating.

I do a technology detox from 6 or 7pm every night.

Just so I can have dinner and be present with Jake, or whoever else is around – even to be with your pets. It’s really good for your body. Technology hypes me up and makes me alert. My work never stops, if I haven’t seen my emails for a day then they begin to build up.”