Grace Jackson entered the Love Island: All Star’s villa for a second chance at love and left in second place with partner Luca Bish, and one million Instagram followers who are captivated by her polished beauty routine and stylish outfits.
When the reality star was approached to go back on the show six months after her first stint, it was a no brainer. “You don’t usually get another chance at something that’s such a once in a lifetime experience,” Grace tells H! Fashion. “The first time didn’t go the way I’d thought it would have. I left with someone, [Ruben Collins] but it didn’t work out and it ended quite quickly after the show.” Adding, “So, when I was approached for All Stars, I just thought, you know what, let’s just give it another shot. I’m honestly so glad that I did.”
When it comes to the Islanders, there is a certain expectation of physical perfection. She admits: “I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t pressure to look my best going into the villa. I feel like as women, we are perfectionists and we’re harder on ourselves than we need to be.”
© @gracejackson/ @andbrophoto“The week before I went on the show, I was in the gym every day, I wanted my hair, brows and lashes to be perfect – I had everything done,” Grace reveals. “But I also think beauty comes from within, I know that’s so cliché but if you’re happy within yourself, all this stuff is just extra on top.” Adding: “As nice as it is to feel good and feel ‘perfect,’ perfect isn’t actually real.”
Through the popular dating show, we’ve seen that Grace is a fiery character and has strong boundaries, especially when it comes to relationships. “I’ve been brought up with the values of speaking up for myself but respectfully and to treat people how you would want to be treated,” she says. “I will always speak my mind.” However, reaching this level of self-confidence hasn’t been an overnight thing. “My boundary setting and confidence has definitely come with age,” Grace admits.”From life experiences and ex-boyfriends. In your 20s, as you go through things, that’s where I took it all from.”
As nice as it is to feel good or feel ‘perfect,’ perfect isn’t actually real.”
Although she’s a powerful character, Grace says we are yet to see that vulnerable side to her. “I think I put on a good front,” the reality star admits.”I’m quite direct in how I speak and I don’t think I show a lot of emotion in a sense that some people will just cry straight away or remove their from the situation whereas I can handle things straight on.” She admits: “I don’t like to feel vulnerable with my emotions or cry but also I’m a human and things hurt my feelings.” Adding, “I will go through the motions but I don’t think that side of me was shown on the show.”
Quick-fire Love Island beauty questions
Before entering the villa, what beauty treatments did you have?
© @gracejackson/ @andbrophoto“I had a hydrafacial a week before the villa, which included extraction and exfoliations and then I had a Dermalux LED treatment. I’ve also got an at home LED mask which I used every night before the villa. This has honestly changed by skin because I had pigmentation marks from spots and it helped fade them.”
What about your hair?
“I went super blonde. I used five packs of tapes because I wanted long, thick, blonde hair in there. It was a little bit short before I went in the villa so I initially got 24-inch extensions and it was cut and styled to about 22 inches. I’m all about the super white, blonde, creamy colours. Sometimes, I go a little bit darker in the winter but I prefer light shades.”
“I don’t like to feel vulnerable with my emotions or cry but also I’m a human and things hurt my feelings.”
What beauty products did you constantly reach for the most in the villa?
“I can’t live without the Charlotte Tilbury’s Flawless Filter or the L’Oréal Paris Lumi Glotion in the shade ‘deep glow 904.’ The Lumi Glotion was trending on TikTok months ago and it’s literally changed the game. I used this every single day and even started using it in the evening as well because it was a little bit darker than my Charlotte Tilbury one.”
“I literally just put it on with my hands, which I never normally do but I squeeze it onto my hands and rub it on my face. It’s so lightweight but leaves the face glowy and dewy and I feel like that was an amazing base for whatever products I wanted to put on. I could wear it on it’s own or just with some concealer or BB Cream. It’s also got a deep tan in it which was handy because my body was tanning better than my face, I feel like this product just evened everything out. So, this was like my number one go-to and it’s affordable.”
Last summer, all the girls in the villa swore by Rimmel’s Brownie Pie lip liner. Was there a holy grail beauty product you all reached for this time round?
“All the girls were obsessed with lining their lips with the viral Sacheu Stayn Lip Liner. You apply it as a liner and it sets like a mask and then you peel it off and it would just be the perfect effect.”
Were there any beauty moments we didn’t see on the show?
“Elma [Pazaar] was always doing our eyelashes and eyebrows because they were going so light in the sun. Elma is a lash tech at home, so she’d do the girls’ lashes and brows. It was like a little salon in there, we would literally be like ‘Elma, can you book us in? I need my brows done.'”
” I also think beauty comes from within, I know that’s so cliché, but if you’re happy within yourself, all this stuff is just extra on top.”
You were in the sun a lot what were your go-to products to keep your skin hydrated?
“17. Limited Edition Illuminating Mist. I used it a lot in the villa the first time around and this time. It’s such a good hydrating mist, it’s so affordable and smells like vanilla.”
Finally, how are things going with Luca? Have you met his family?
“Things are so good and it’s so crazy to me because I’ve literally not had anything serious like this in four years. So, to me, this is foreign territory. To even think that I’m going to be someone’s girlfriend is wild. I’m so used to just not being one and just living my own life.”
After leaving the villa, Grace met all of Luca’s family. “When we landed back in London, I stayed with him and his family for five days. I met his mum and sister on the night that we landed after an eleven hour flight. We went for breakfast and a Sunday roast where I met his Nan and dad, so it was very much like straight into the deep end but it was so nice.”
“I think sometimes you’re a little bit nervous to go to the real world, even though you’re ready for it, it’s like you’ve been in this bubble and it’s kind of like a holiday romance and nothing really can go wrong, she tells H! Fashion. “It’s not real life, so sometimes you think, ‘Oh my God, I hope nothing changes when we get back.'”
The reality star admits that she’s in her lover-girl era. “I feel chilled and at peace, even though coming out has been a little bit crazy just dealing with things, but I feel really happy because he’s by my side. I have a support system and I know I can fall back on him whenever I need to.”
