Known for her husky voice and golden-girl looks, Ellie Goulding is also living proof that strong and healthy beat skinny, making her a great role model for the Insta-generation. HELLO! beauty editor Nadine Baggott quizzed her about healthy hair habits and staying fighting fit.
Ellie Goulding is one of the UK's finest music exports, taking the US by storm with her distinctive husky voice, her song-writing skills and golden-girl good looks. She has sold more than 20 million records, created a colour collection for Mac and is now the face – or should that be hair – of Pantene. Though the self-confessed tomboy might favour jeans and Doc Martens, she still likes her hair to be healthy and her make-up perfect.
Here, she chats with HELLO! about hair and heroes, cats and cosmetics…
Ellie Goulding revealed her haircare secrets
Congratulations on becoming the new ambassador for Pantene. Does this mean that you now feel the pressure to have the best-conditioned hair ever?
"Since I was young, people would always comment on my hair and how good it was. That has stuck with me and I've always prided myself on it. That's why when the opportunity to work with Pantene came about, it seemed like the perfect partnership. I would describe my hair as healthy. It goes through a lot but I do as much as I can to keep it in good condition. Genetically it is thick like my mum's and Nana's but colouring and treatment has probably affected that over time."
What is your signature hairstyle?
"Long, textured and voluminous. Blonde."
Have you ever made any hair mistakes?
"I don't go crazy with too many hair looks – I prefer classic. Once I had cornrows on stage and my fans weren't so keen."
Who is your celebrity hair crush?
"I think Beyoncé's hair is always on point. Every single hairstyle suits her. She's beautiful and strong."
Do you have any hair secrets?
"My hair stylist Louis – he fixes my hair for me for tours and for shoots. He always gets it right for me."
What is your first memory of using Pantene?
"Pantene was a staple shampoo in my house as a kid. Having a bath – we didn't have a shower – and getting annoyed that my sisters used too much. Then getting annoyed because the hot water would run out so quickly. But there were four of us kids so it was whoever got there first."
Ellie also spoke about her love of boxing
You are a keen environmentalists; did you check out Pantene's green credentials?
"When I met the team they were great and understood my lifestyle and my dedication to helping the environment. They are taking great steps to being very environmentally friendly. That made me happy."
Why do you think healthy hair is so important?
"My hair represents me. When it looks strong and healthy, I feel strong and healthy. It has become my signature and I'm okay with that. Now, thanks to the new conditioner technology, I just have to maintain it. There could be worse things to have to do. I love showering and getting clean after an intense show or a workout."
You said that your job can be tough on your hair. What was the craziest time for you?
"Grammy week was pretty crazy. I was with Chris McMillan, though, and he made it manageable – he is a hair genius. I've been touring for seven years so I have my schedule on lock now. I work out, try and steam and spa to stay relaxed and keep my voice strong. I shower then leave my hair wet until I get to the venue and start hair and make-up at about 6pm."
Do you have any health mantras?
"Taking care of yourself on the inside affects how you and your hair look on the outside."
Do you have any good advice for styling hair to make it look great?
"My main tip would be to always make sure you're using the right shampoo and conditioner for your hair type and needs. And unless you're using effective heat protection, you shouldn't be doing too much to your hair – it isn't naturally designed to have crazy-hot air blown at it all the time."
Do you have a hair product that you can't live without?
"That would be my Pantene Protect Repair & Protect Shampoo and Conditioner. It keeps my hair nourished and gives it all the volume. Oh and my Tangle Teezer – especially after I've been throwing my hair around on stage."
We saw you boxing as part of the Pantene shoot and were very impressed. How long have you been doing it?
"I've been boxing for two years now. It is hard because it requires skill, focus, strength and dedication. But the adrenaline of hitting pads as though they're people make you work harder than perhaps you would just weight training. I would never use it unless absolutely necessary, of course…"
How often do you work out?
"I try to train every day of the week with maybe a day off if I've done anything crazy. But the workouts aren't insane, just enough to make me feel like I've achieved something and worked up a sweat. I run, do yoga and combine metabolic stuff with plyometric [jump training] stuff. It makes for a good, high-intensity workout, but keeps you agile and flexible."
Who's your hero or heroine?
"My Nana."
What's the one thing you can't live without?
"My guitar. I'd hate not to be able to pick it up and just play."
Tell us something about you that will surprise people…
"I have a keen interest in Scottish history."
Where is your happy place?
"At home, with my cats."
You are, of course, a very talented musician, but are there any other skills you wish you could master?
"To be able to dance."
What is your greatest fear?
"Fear of not doing everything I could have done. You just have to assume you are where you are supposed to be in this life, no matter what got you there and what you do or don't have."