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TV personality Melissa Rycroft has accomplished many things in her life since we met her on season 13 of The Bachelor in 2009. From Dallas Cowboys cheerleader and Dancing With the Stars winner to wife and mother of three, the 33-year-old natural beauty lives half her life in the spotlight and the other half with her family being totally “normal.” We caught up with the star to see how she balances it all and keeps herself looking so darn good. Here’s an inside look.
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NewBeauty: After seeing yourself every week on The Bachelor, did it change anything about the way you viewed yourself or your beauty routine?
Melissa Rycroft: Not really. I actually didn’t wear a lot of makeup when I was on the show. I’m a pretty natural girl, and like to keep my look fairly simple. I’m actually not very good at putting on a heavy face of makeup—I always look like I’m taking the 2 a.m. walk of shame when I try! So I keep my look as natural as possible most of the time!
NB: What are your top beauty essentials?
MR: Definitely a bronzer for my face. It never hurts to fake a little color! NARS has a great bronzer/blush compact that I love. And I’m obsessed with BB cream! It covers up all my blemishes and creates a natural look. L’Oréal makes a great one for day-to-day use. For my hair, the new Goody Spin Pin has been a miracle find! I’m queen of the messy bun, and it has been such a time saver when putting my hair up. Also, the Goody Ouchless Girls Brush is amazing! Ava’s [her 5-year-old daughter] hair tends to get really tangled throughout the day, and finding a brush that gets her tangles out gently without her even noticing has been life-saving for us. Getting ready in the morning has become a fun process for us, and not something that we dread!
NB: You’ve always been very fit. Did you learn any good fitness tips being a Cowboys cheerleader?
MR: I am obsessed with Zyn22 in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area! It’s a combination of a cycle and dance class. It kept me in shape during this last pregnancy all the way to the end, and I can’t wait to get back in the studio! I need my workouts to be fun, energizing and upbeat! Back when I was a DCC, I learned the importance of nutrition, especially when it comes to maintaining a figure. I really thought if I worked out and did a lot of cardio, that I would naturally be in good shape. And what I learned, was that it has more to do with what I put into my body, and how well I eat. That’s when I first really started to care about nutrition.
NB: Who are your beauty icons?
MR: I LOVE Blake Lively! Now, I can’t pull off the looks that she does, but I love her style and seeing what she’s going to wear day to day and on red carpets. For beauty inspiration, I really look to girls like Jessica Alba. She’s so natural, but always looks chic and put together. She has that trendy yet effortless look that I love!
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NB: You just had a baby boy, Cayson Jack, in May. What are your most effective tips for leading a healthy pregnancy?
MR: Honestly, I just wanted to stay healthy for the baby. I love working out—and I worked out a lot before the pregnancy—so it was easy to transition that over when I was pregnant. Obviously, I had to alter my workouts as my stomach grew. It really felt good to stay in shape, and I worked out more with this pregnancy than the others. It’s easy to get lazy in pregnancy (and honestly, it feels better sometimes!), but it also feels really good to stay in shape and maintain a healthy lifestyle during that time.
NB: What does a busy mom on the go like you do to relax?
MR: Ha! These days, a shower is relaxation! To be honest, I don’t have much me-time right now. My daughter Ava and I try to sneak to the salon for mommy-daughter mani/pedis every other week. So that’s a time to relax and to have some special time with my daughter.
NB: What beauty treatment would you never try?
MR: I would never do anything to the skin on my face—chemical peel, etc. It scares me to death to mess up my skin! I have friends who do those treatments and they look beautiful, but I would be the one person who would have some horrible reaction!
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NB: What is one thing you’d like to do in life that you haven’t done yet?
MR: Sounds silly, but I want to go to Hawaii! I’ve never been, and now having three children, I probably won’t go for a while. But hopefully when all the kiddos are older, we can plan a family trip there—I’d love to go!
NB: You’ve co-hosted and contributed to FabLife, Good Morning America and other shows and you’re also a judge on DCC: Making the Team. What other projects are you working on right now?
MR: I actually just started filming DCC: Making the Team again about a week ago. So that project films all summer and keeps me pretty busy! And CMT’s Redneck Island: Battle at the Lake that I co-host with Steve Austin will tape at the end of summer. But right now, I’m all focused on the family and finding our new normal!
