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Gutsy, honest and as lovely on the inside as the outside, Rebecca Burrow (née Jobson) moved across the country for love, and changed her whole life in the process. Previously an in-demand model in Bondi, she is now wife to surfing icon Taj Burrow, mum to toddler Bella, and founder of gender-neutral kids’ clothing brand Mini Marley Kids. Opening up her beautiful WA home to us (seriously, can you believe those vertiginous water views?), Rebecca shared what her beloved late mother taught her about beauty, and why it’s so important to take care of yourself inside and out.

“I consider myself a bit of a rookie when it comes to beauty.

I definitely have my favourites but I am only really now, at 29, starting to look after my skin properly. I am blessed with good skin courtesy of my mum, so I’ve luckily never had to worry too much about it. I am definitely an advocate of ‘lazy girl skincare’, and also believe that how you are nourishing your skin from the inside out matters just as much as using good topical products.

I tend to think in some cases less is more for a skincare regime, especially when you don’t have problematic skin.

I drink a glass of lemon water when I wake up which is so good for alkalising the skin and I think helps gives me bright, hydrated skin. I then splash a little cool water on my face to freshen, followed by Crème de la Mer moisturiser. It’s a splurge, but I am just so in love with it, plus I find it lasts a while so I try to justify it that way. You can’t always put a price on investing in your skin and choosing quality products. Adding this to my routine was my new years’ resolution. Sun is the main source for ageing, so I am now making sure I have some SPF on my face every single day to try to stop that from happening – and don’t forget your neck! I also have a couple of products I add in if my skin needs something more. I use Active Vitamin C serum by Aspect Dr during summer when my skin needs some extra hydration, and I have a rose hydrating mist with witch hazel in it by Soel Walker that I use if my skin feels dry, or while I’m at the beach to give it a little hydrating pep up.

At night I clean my face with Go-To Properly Cleaner cleanser – it really goes with my lazy girls skin routine as it’s quick and easy, and I just love the fun branding. Anything that Zoë Foster Blake does is a dream! She’s my number one source of beauty inspiration.

I follow that up with Bioderma’s Hydrabio Tonique as a toner, and then a light coat of La Mer again before bed. I have some Alpha-H products that I use instead of La Mer depending on how my skin is feeling – the eye brightening cream (which is a mummy’s must), Liquid Gold with glycolic acid and the Beauty Sleep Power Peel with retinol. I then go to sleep on a silk pillow case at night, which feels like heaven, plus looks after your skin.

My mum was such a natural beauty. She really radiated from the inside out and had a smile that could brighten up anyone’s world.

She taught me about being sun smart, which naturally as a teenager I rolled my eyes at and didn’t listen, but now that I’m older I understand what she was saying. She had the most incredible bright, soft skin and now I look after my skin to try to achieve what she had.

I think it’s important to listen to what your skin is telling you and to be in tune with your body.

Try different things and find what works for you. See a specialist if you’re really concerned, and do all the things we know are good like drinking plenty of water and ensuring you get enough sleep. I try to use natural products as much as possible and the last two perfumes I have bought are all natural. One I got recently is from a new brand called Miyoko from Newcastle and it has blown me away. I also have a infrared sauna at home which is amazing just to refresh, relax and have some alone time, but it also detoxifies heavy metals from our system, speeds up metabolism and helps to produce collagen.

There is a spa called UN/DONE PERTH that I go to when I really want to pamper myself.

It’s a quiet little in-home studio and the girl Leisl that owns it does the most incredible treatments. I usually go for a 60 minute bespoke facial which is customised for the needs and concerns that your skin presents on the day. I walk out of there after one of these facials feeling like a newborn.

I also have just started to get some derma pen treatments from a place near me called Eden Aesthetics in time for my wedding and it has worked wonders. My skin has never felt so even and bright, and it has helped reduce the scarring I have on my face. I would definitely recommend this.

I don’t like the feeling of heavy make up, so I use The Base by Lara Bingle. It’s lightweight but gives you great coverage and I don’t feel smothered by it.

I have the LB cream, the Skin Illuminator, and the Velvet Bronzing Makeup Base if I want to add a little more for an event. I also use Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara, followed by the Mecca moisturising lip gloss and maybe a tiny dash of a light illuminator in the inner corner of my eyes. I am all about brows, and every time I go back to Sydney I make sure I stop by Kristin Fisher Eyebrows. I get a shape and tint and a lash lift, and then you don’t have to worry too much about painting them on and doing them very single time you go out – they are just done. A little brush and you’re good to go.

When it comes to hair, someone recently taught me a little trick – to run coconut water through the ends before going to the beach, to help prevent the salt from drying your hair out. It creates a little barrier and makes your hair feel silky and dreamy!

My day to day style is quite minimal. My transition to motherhood has made my priorities change and my style is now much more function than fashion.

My go to label is SIR the label, it’s by far my favourite Australian brand and takes up about 70% of my wardrobe. Over the last couple of years I have come across denim brand re/done and I am completely obsessed, I have never come across a pair of jeans that fit so well. I also feel like every time I step out in them I get complimented too, so that is always a telling sign! Other Australian brands I love are Fella Swim, Zulu & Zephyr, Bassike, PE Nation and I love getting new staples from Seed as they don’t break the budget.

Four years ago I did a complete sea change to move from a hectic life modelling and based in Bondi, Sydney to a quiet town in WA where my partner resides.

With that big move meant a very decreased amount of modelling job opportunities. It gave me an excuse to take a couple of months off for myself to settle in and really decide what I wanted to do and where my passions would take me. I started working on my own blog more, writing and managing social media accounts for a local resort and spa and then the most magical thing happened – I fell pregnant. When I was shopping for clothing for Bella everything seemed to be quite gender specific, all tulle and glitter and pink, and I wanted to start a brand that reflected my personal style and included more gender neutral pieces, so I launched Mini Marley. I have never in my life met so many amazing women as there are in this industry, who give you the best encouragement and feedback, even if they’re from competing brands. It feels like we’re all just happy to see each other succeed.

I love reformer pilates. I think it’s something that’s not only good for my body but also for my mind.

It’s one of those workouts where you’re not driving there going ‘ugh I’m about to spew or die’, but I still really see results from it. I also like to mix that up with walking, boxing, and some cardio and weights classes. The thing I like to concentrate on most is strengthening my core and increasing mobility and flexibility. From sitting at a computer for lengths at a time, then carrying a three-year-old who still thinks she’s five kilos (she’s definitely not!), as well as travelling, my body can feel like it’s bent into a question mark. Reformer pilates helps me strengthen my core so other muscle groups are not being overloaded to make up for weakness through my midsection, which makes me more flexible and less prone to injury. I love what it does for me and I actually think it’s really fun. I work with Loulou Negoescu, my trainer at my local gym, 4 Lane in Dunsborough. She’s a fully qualified physiotherapist which is just an added bonus, as she has such an understanding of how the body works, and knows what to do if I am feeling any extra stiffness in different areas.

I just found out I have the celiac gene, so I have cut all gluten out of my diet. It has been really hard, but now I feel like a new woman.

I have also tried to decrease my dairy consumption and I now use alternative milks and I try to use cheese alternatives when I can (unless someone puts a delicious cheese board in front of me!). Everything in moderation is good for you. I try not to put too much stress on meal times. If I feel like something in particular I will let myself have it, but I know the repercussions of eating bad food compared to something clean – you’re going to feel that pizza the next day whereas after a green bowl you feel like superwoman!

My ideal meal is fish, salad and sweet potato. Our friends are really good fishermen so we are lucky enough to get the odd little fish present delivered to our door. I lightly crumb it with egg and rice flour and then I’ll make a salad with spinach, grated zucchini, red onion, cherry tomatoes, pine nuts and macadamia feta (with a little bit of the oil from the jar as the dressing) and then thinly slice some sweet potato, coat in a thin layer of coconut oil and bake in the oven. So delicious and so nutritious.

I look and feel my best when I have been eating well, working out, and looking after myself.

Then when I have a shower at the end of the night, my kid is asleep and I sit down with my hair in a towel, a fresh face and a robe on… it’s the best. It’s a lovely feeling to be comfortable in your own skin.”

Story by Zoe Briggs. Photography by Kate Garcia.

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