Pickleball Outfits, EMS Suits and a Little ‘Woo Woo’: The Real Routine of Zoë Foster Blake
May 7 | 5 minute read
Words by Christie Sinclair
Zoë Foster Blake has always had a way of simplifying beauty and, in particular, skincare.
In her beauty editor days, her wit and relatability earned the trust of a generation – an approach she then channelled into her own brand, Go-To: the uncomplicated, useful and genuinely fun skincare essentials she always wished existed.
For the beauty mogul, author (she has 18 titles to her name, at last count!) and mum of two, life is all about balance – supplement stacking, an elaborate sleep routine and a sneaky ‘hot chippie’ – although she never deviates when it comes to skincare.
Skin Health and a Little ‘Woo Woo’
Admitting to being open to whatever her dermatologist recommends, she’ll bypass things known to be super painful (“Ultrareformer!”) and maintains it’s what you do at home each day for years that matters most: “I’m very diligent with my at-home skincare,” she says. “My god, am I diligent.” Then, there’s wellness: “I sauna two to three times a week, never ice bath, and will book a massage at Crown when I’m burnt out.”
Once a year, she treats herself and her mum to a “physical, mental and energetic reset” trip to multi award-winning wellness destination, Eden Retreat in Queensland. “It really lets me fly my ‘woo woo’ flag,” she explains. If you visit, Foster Blake recommends a treatment with Rachelle.
Beauty Sleep – a Very Serious Business
“We take sleep very seriously in our house because I'm a complete witch if I don't get sleep, I can't write or be a pleasant person, so I prioritise it,” she confesses. This means no phones in the bedroom, and no small screens an hour before bed – “just, um, big TV ones,” Foster Blake jokes, adding, “I despise ‘The Big Light’ and ensure the house is low light and the music (we always have music playing) is chill once dinner is over.”
And to add to the calm: “I take a triple magnesium powder each night, and apply magnesium on the body, too (especially soles of feet and lower back). My nerves can kick off before bed if I have something big or new on the next day, or an early flight, which leaves me wide awake and anxious, but HRT [hormone replacement therapy, a medical treatment used to treat symptoms of perimenopause and menopause] and [GP-prescribed] CBD/THC have helped a lot.”
Supplement Stacks
Skincare Go-Tos
To the details: “In the morning I rinse with water, then apply vitamin C serum, Much Brighter Skin, for brightening and antioxidants. I apply Face Hero for nourishment and glow, then SPF – Nifty Fifty. Every day. SPF. Every day.
“If I’ve worn primers and makeup and/or reapplied SPF – most days – I use an oil cleanser at night (Fancy Face), then follow with a water-based cleanser (Juicy Gel). I apply my vitamin A – Very Amazing Retinal – let it fully dry, then pat in hyaluronic acid (Much Plumper Skin) to hydrate, Face Hero.. and then finally, a nourishing cream with ceramides and collagen to support barrier function (Very Luxe Face Cream). I will sub in AHAs (Glow Exfoliator) for my retinal three times a week – skin cycling works really well for me.”
“If my skin is cranky or not itself – post-travel, post-party, post-procedure – I apply a nourishing calming, ceramide mask (Very Luxe Repair Mask) and pre-event I use a sheet mask. I’ve switched from Transformazing to our Very Luxe Lifting Mask, which brightens, firms, hydrates but also tightens and genuinely lifts. I would use one a day if that weren’t horrifically wasteful. Ssssnatched.”
Makeup For Skincare Enthusiasts
Foster Blake is more than qualified to dish out advice on, well, all things beauty – makeup included: “I’ve got it down pat and rarely deviate,” she reveals. “I begin with a radiance primer for grip (Very Glowy Primer), longevity and the kind of glow that assumes a well-rested, healthy lifestyle. Then base, which is either a skin tint: Tower 28 SunnyDays for extra SPF, or Charlotte Tilbury’s Beautiful Skin when I want more coverage. I apply cream bronzer to cheekbones, temples and hairline, then push in some berry-coloured matte blush onto cheeks.
“I blend in a wash of taupe cream shadow on my lids (Ellis Faas Creamy Eyes), curl lashes and apply two coats of tubular mascara. I shape and line my lips (Westman Atelier Lip Shape Lip Liner in ‘Biscuit’ or Kosas Hotliner in ‘Infinite’) and apply a swipe of VIOLETTE_FR Plume Lip in ‘Châtaigne Grillée’ or Bisou Balm in ‘Mon Cherie’ for a velvety, blurred matte lip. I love her [Violette Serrat] lipsticks; have chucked my others out. I finish with a mist of setting spray (Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless).”
The finishing touch before leaving the house? A spritz from her fragrance wardrobe – Maison Margiela REPLICA Under The Stars EDT is a favourite, while Go-To's first scent, Into the Woods Perfume Oil (a warm, amber-y, smoky leather-oud) is always rolling around her handbag.
The 80% Rule
On the menu: “Half a cup of organic frozen raspberries slammed in the microwave for a minute to make soft. Add 1½ tablespoons of chia seeds to [the] raspberry slush, stir and leave for 10 – 15 mins to make jam. (Presumably you could do this stuff the night before but I never remember.) Add a serving of Greek yoghurt and some nuts. Maple [syrup] or honey if you desire. Fibre! Protein! Good fats! Superiority complex!”
Pickleball Outfits and EMS Suits
‘Regimen’ feels like the only way to describe Foster Blake’s approach to exercise, which she says is useful to help her de-stress and get the creative juices flowing! It includes walking three to four times a week, clinical Pilates with her physio and two strength sessions using an EMS (electrical muscle stimulation) suit.
[Editor’s note: Originally developed to help physiotherapy patients with injuries or movement limitations, this wearable device sends electrical impulses to different muscle groups as you work out, increasing engagement without needing to add extra weight.]
“A friend put me onto this last year when I had a pelvic injury and was hesitant to get back into training,” says Foster Blake. “It takes 20 minutes and it’s made a huge difference to my muscles and recovery. It’s an investment – in the same way, say, a Peloton is – but I love it and am yet to tire of it a year into the experiment.”
Finally, Foster Blake enjoys “pickleball with the gals once a week – and more with my family if they’ll indulge me. For cardio, sure, but mostly laughs and cute outfits.”
