Good skin doesn’t just happen by accident. Gillian Taylforth looks decades younger than 71, and she tells us that it’s helped out by a few simple diet rules she’s followed for years.
The actress and beauty entrepreneur has shared her daily regime with Good Housekeeping, explaining how she nourishes her body and skin from within.
‘I believe in hydrating, hydrating, hydrating,’ says Gillian, who has put that ethos at the heart of her own Skin GT skincare range and lives it from the moment she wakes up.
‘I start every day with hot water and a detox tea bag, which has lemon verbena in it,’ she says. ‘Every morning I also fill up a huge water bottle and put in different fruits and vegetables: mango, lemon, cucumber, celery, watermelon, anything,’ she adds, showing off the whopping flask she always has on filming sets. ‘Then I top it up throughout the day and it's really refreshing. I've been doing that for the past 15 years.’
As a busy soap actress who works long five-day weeks, she’s a firm believer in fuelling her body with slow-release carbs, plus berries, which are packed with collagen-protecting antioxidants.
‘Breakfast needs to give me energy and get me through to lunchtime,’ she says. ‘It might be porridge, bran flakes, or sometimes Greek yogurt, but I'll always add in blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, then sprinkle milled flax seed all over the top. That's great for fibre.’
‘I also take collagen daily, and a selenium ACE supplement, which is good for antioxidant stress’.
Another secret she’s learned is to eat for her needs, which avoids sluggish slumps. ‘Lunch depends on what I'm doing,’ she says. ‘If I'm at home, sometimes I don't bother with much, but if I'm working and know I need to keep the energy up, I'll always take in my own stuff. That’ll be a salad with either chicken or turkey, or I love smoked salmon, avocado and a bit of rye bread.’
‘The canteen at work is really good but I like to take my own stuff, so if I don’t want to eat too much, I can take the leftovers home for me to eat later.’
She finds it suits her digestion to eat earlier where possible, noting the connection between good gut health and healthy skin. ‘If I come home and it's 8pm, I don't want to eat that late so I might just have a bit of cheese and biscuits. But if I'm in at say 4pm, I might think, “Oh, I'll have a nice bit of salmon.” I always have that in the fridge because I don't want anything too heavy. I don't like feeling bloated from eating late.’
Beauty sleep is another huge priority for Gillian, who tells us she really sees and feels the difference if she misses out. ‘I go to bed at 9pm because I believe in a good eight hours’ sleep,’ she says. ‘Nothing beats a good night's sleep for me. If food's still working its way through your body, your stomach can't settle down, so that's why I don't like eating late at all. Not after 6pm usually.’
‘If we go out at the weekend, I don't mind eating at 7ish, but if it gets to half 8, count me out, I don't want to be doing that. Gone are the days of eating late and going out clubbing!’
While she loves the odd indulgence, she tells us she’ll ideally enjoy it at lunchtime, then still be able to turn in early. ‘If I'm going out, I love a Sunday roast lunch,’ she says. ‘Usually it's chicken, because I'm not a big red meat eater. I have that, plus everything that's going, and I love a bit of brown sauce! I always ask the waiter for that and say "Don't tell the chef!"'
Alcohol is something she’ll enjoy in moderation, as part of her balanced approach to diet. I don't drink in the week but sometimes I come back from work on Friday, and think “Do you know what? I’ll have a little glass of wine.” I might go out with friends at the weekend, and have dinner and a few drinks. But I don’t want that hungover feeling any more. And as you get older, it takes longer to recover!’
Gillian's instant-glow hero
Gillian tells us she designed her Skin GT range 'to add back what we lose from the skin as we get older, so it’s a bit firmer, a bit plumper, with a glow to it. It just gives you confidence in your skin.'
Skin GT Moisturising SPF50 Sun Protection
‘My Shield SPF is really good for that instant glow. I wore it to go to a magazine shoot and the makeup artist said, “Wow, your skin looks really good.” I love that people are noticing,’ she says. ‘There are makeup artists who see me a lot, and when they see and feel the difference, that’s really nice.’
