Ayda Field Williams is performing quite the balancing act. Not only is she busy with the new drop of her popular activewear collection for women over 30, but she's been in the headlines after sharing an intimate look into her family life with husband Robbie Williams, and their four children Teddy, 11, Charlie, nine, Coco, five, and Beau, three, in the popstar's self-titled Netflix docuseries.
"I’m feeling incredibly nervous and vulnerable about everyone seeing our lives, Robbie’s life, our kids’ lives," Ayda tells us. "It feels like everyone’s going to be looking through our knicker drawer! I definitely cried several times and had many proud moments."
The reaction from the public has been overwhelming, Ayda says. "I hope everyone is into it, moved by it, and enjoys it! I look forward to sharing it one day with my children who will have lots of questions."
Being in the spotlight over the course of his 30-year career has carried its pressures not just for Robbie, but for 44-year-old Ayda, who has felt the weight of being a woman in showbiz. "Getting older is tough as a woman. I compare myself to my younger self and get disappointed in what I see in the mirror sometimes," she says. "I definitely have more grace for myself than I did a few years ago, but that might have less to do with evolution and more to do with the fact that I am just too tired to care."
Being tactical about how she uses social media also plays into how Ayda feels about herself. "I definitely don’t seek out pictures of myself on the internet and learned a long time ago to never read the comment section on articles about me," she says. "I think both of those things have been crucial in self-preservation when it comes to loving myself."
The former X Factor judge also owes a lot of her body confidence to her own fitness brand. Her eponymous activewear line aims to create "a community of dynamic women, rooting for each other and laughing along the way."
The mother-of-four reveals that it is the Chief Track Top and Shorts that boost her confidence the most. "[They] make me feel like I’m still in high school. When Rob saw me wearing it for the first time, he said I looked like a teenager… so now I’m pretty much wearing that daily!" she jokes.
The latest line harks back to her adolescence spent in California in the 1980s. Working out has always been important to Ayda who grew up track and field running. Now more than ever, the actress' fitness routine is about her own wellbeing. "Yoga, which I thought was so boring in my 20s, became awesome and grounding for me," she says. "Longevity is now the name of my game. I suppose I am growing up with my body and letting it do most of the talking," an approach that results in Ayda's glowing skin, alongside the use of Dr Barbara Sturm’s Glow Drops.
Having that 'me-time' is also factored into Ayda's personal self-care routine. "I really do believe in the benefits of tongue scraping in the morning and oil flossing," she says. "They are great for your mouth, great for your gut, and great for your immune system. I don’t do them all the time, but I definitely get in momentary grooves with them and always feel good when I do it."
The former Loose Women panellist even lets us in on her secret to those luscious locks. "I also put an infrared hair cap on every morning to keep my hair strong," she reveals. "I look absolutely ridiculous wearing it, but if it keeps my hair thick and growing, I am totally willing to look the fool."
Ayda has a few wellness non-negotiables and it's all about going back to basics. "My wellness rituals are really just making sure I get quality time with my children and my animals and connecting with my friends," Ayda concludes. "It makes my heart happy and when my heart is happy, all the other stuff falls into place."
DISCOVER: Robbie Williams' ultra rare photos of kids including lookalike daughter Teddy
Check out Ayda's activewear range at https://shopayda.com/