The Glowdown: Maya Jama Shares the Beauty Secrets We All Want to Know

Welcome to The Glowdown, our brand-new series where we'll be diving into the beauty secrets of our favourite celebrities as they get real about their routines and nonnegotiables exclusively with us. Join them as they sit in our beauty hot seat and we fire off a round of quick-fire questions, giving you never-before-shared insight into the products they cannot live without, their secrets to red carpet ready skin, pet peeves and the genius tips they have picked up from experts along the way. This is no-holds-barred beauty at its finest.

This month, we sat down with TV presenter Maya Jama, who has just been announced as the new face of Rimmel. Read on for her ride-or-die skincare and makeup products, the scent she can't stop spritzing and her go-to beauty hack for keeping her hair looking so damn good. Spoiler alert: It involves things you'd normally find in your kitchen cupboard.

You only have one product to use for the rest of your life—what is it? 

My eyeliner. My top tip for application is to stretch your eye out, do a dot with the eyeliner for how far you want the flick to go out, create the outline and then fill it in after.

If you could steal someone's makeup bag, whose would it be, and why?

RuPaul's. I feel like they would have the most amazing products in a million colours, big lashes and just everything you could ever want in there. Plus, drag makeup is where a lot of beauty inspo comes from.

Finish the sentence: I'm most feeling myself when…

I've done an hour in hair and makeup and all the pros have made me feel fantastic or when I'm on holiday with no makeup on, fully rested and tanned. You know when you feel all earthy and at one with life?

What's the best piece of beauty advice you've ever received?

I have a few. Less is more. Wash your face at the end of every day. Double up your concealers. I get quite dark under my eyes, so one is for hiding the darkness, and then another is for brightening.

What is your signature fragrance?

I've recently got a new one, and I've been talking about it all day. It's Mugler Alien. My mate Jourdan Dunn is the face of the fragrance, so [I] thought I'd give it a go, and oof, it's lovely.

You experiment with your hair and makeup a lot, but have you got an all-time favourite look?

Super-straight hair in a middle parting, then heavier on the eyes, a brown lip liner and a gloss.

Strong lips or strong eye?

If it was forever, it would have to be a bold eye. However, I do love a bold red lip, as then you only need a bit of mascara.

You're having your nails done—what's your go-to colour?

I've got a really good nail technician, and most of the time, I tell her to do whatever she likes because she's really creative and can do loads of cool patterns. My favourite set she's done was in a mermaid chrome—they look really pretty when they catch the light.

What is your favourite lipstick combo? 

A brown lip liner on the outer line, a beige-toned lipstick in the middle and a lip gloss and then rub it all together. It's all about overlining the lips too.

What beauty product do you recommend to everyone? 

A concealer. Even when you're not wearing a foundation, just a little brightening of the under-eyes makes you look like you've had 20 days of sleep.

Who is your ultimate beauty inspo?

It's changed over the years. When I was younger, I absolutely loved Gwen Stefani because she'd go crazy with her looks. I loved her hair and makeup. But now … Rihanna. She is the legend, and I feel like I always copy her. You see something Rihanna does, and everyone does it. She's that girl.

Name one product that's always in your handbag.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation. I'm actually wearing it now. It's good because if I don't have my makeup artist with me, I want something I can put on in the morning and not have to worry about again. Then I can relax and know I'm good even if I'm out until 4 a.m.

Best beauty hack?

If you smudge your mascara or eyeliner on your face, wait until it's fully dry and scrape it off with a spoolie. That way, all your foundation won't come off as well.

You have amazing hair—tell us your secrets!

I often do homemade hair masks. I mix olive oil, eggs, avocado, honey and warm it slightly in the microwave. I run it through my hair, then put a plastic bag over it so it gets a bit sweaty and steamy. Leave it for an hour and wash it off. My mum told me it years ago, and I've been doing it ever since.

Team dewy or team matte?

Team dewy, but I am a shiny girl, so sometimes, it can go too far. Setting powder in the oily areas is a must. My mum told me it's better to be oily, as you age slower, so I'll take it.

How does it feel to be the face of an iconic beauty brand?

It feels so amazing, and it makes so much sense to come at this point. My glam team and I have been so obsessed with trying different beauty looks this year, and we've spent a lot of time really thinking about what makeup look we are going to do with each outfit. It's such a key part of my job at the moment, and I care about that just as much as I care about getting the job done. I've also grown up using Rimmel, and I genuinely love the products.

You've got five minutes to do your makeup—talk us through what you're using.

A concealer under the eyes, a pencil through the brows, a slick of mascara, a lip liner and gloss, plus a dab of cream blusher.

What's your best-kept beauty secret?

Spoons in the fridge—it's the quickest way to get rid of puffy eyes.

Give us the lowdown on your skincare routine.

I try and get a facial at least once a month just because of all the travelling. I have a pretty basic skincare routine. I use the CeraVe cleanser and cream, and it really does the job. I love my MIJ face masks and use them at least three times a week and use the MIJ under-eye masks every single morning.

Finish the sentence: I'm happiest when…

I'm at a party with all my friends and there's really good music and we're all dancing with a drink in hand.

We are obsessed with your glam team and all the fun you have behind the scenes. Can you tell us a little bit more about them?

I've been working with my makeup artist Leticia for nearly 10 years now, and she is amazing. She messaged me on Instagram back when I was at Rinse FM asking if she could do my makeup—I wasn't really doing that much TV at the time. We've been joint at the hip ever since, and she's one of my best friends as well. She's really helped evolve my glam because she's always wanting to try new things. I don't know where I'd be without her. For hair, I use Aaron Carlo, Patrick Wilson and Jay Birmingham—those three are my guys. You spend so much time together, and they're like my closest friends now, as we see each other pretty much every day.

What was your worst hair or beauty moment ever?

I've had a fair few. I did the foundation lips when I was younger. I cut my own fringe for many years, so it was here, there and everywhere. I also tried to dye my hair red like Rihanna's was at the time, and it definitely didn't go to plan.

If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?

It's all going to work out in the end, so don't stress yourself out. You spend so much time when you're young worrying about what's going to happen next, and the bad stuff teaches you a lesson anyway, so you need it.

Are there any beauty trends you hope never come back into fashion?

Foundation lips and block eyebrows.

What are your favourite beauty treatments?

Hydrofacials and the at-home LED masks. I didn't realise light could do so much good for the skin! I also love a good skin peel whenever I have downtime.

What is next for Maya Jama?

I just want to be in the moment and enjoy life. I have a few months off before the next series of Love Island, so I'm going to do a bit of travelling. I had goals I wanted to achieve, and I've got there now, so I need to realign and think about what I want next. I've worked so much the last 10 years—I want some time to live.

Shop Maya's Beauty Picks

Next Up: The Glowdown: Priyanka Chopra Shares the Beauty Secrets We All Want to Know