Ayda Williams

Ayda Williams didn't stick to her plan in life. She wanted the reliable, to have a job that was dependable. She was fixed on that course, studying to become a tax attorney, and was, in her words, 'super square - I was a super student.'

The death of her beloved grandmother changed that: 'I always wanted to be an actor, but I was too afraid. Everyone [in LA] was an actor slash model slash singer and I thought "I can do better than that, I'm good at school, I can do something with myself, by golly."

'When I was studying abroad in Paris, my grandma has just passed away and it was very weird being in her city without her. I remember walking the streets of Paris, and there was this weird thing that happened where I thought 'wow, she'd be so sad that I was so afraid of my dreams that before I even begun, I stopped. She'd be the one person in my corner really pushing me to go for my dreams and here I was so afraid of them that I wasn't even going to try. And I felt this overwhelming sense of regret and disappointment, and at that moment, I just decided I was going to try.'

After landing a job fairly quickly in Days of Our Lives and then going on to work steadily as an actress in LA, Ayda met British singer Robbie Williams and decamped to the UK to be with him.

Today, Ayda primarily lives in the UK with Robbie and their three children, a family set up she talks about in today's episode as being her biggest triumph: 'I never thought I was going to have this amazing life where I got to be in love and be a mummy. There were definitely times and horrid relationships where I thought I'd be alone.'

We discuss all the above, including the products Ayda loves, how she looks after her physical and mental health, and how the passage of time - and having those children - has affected her perspective.

Ayda Mentions:

YSL Paree Scent, Kevyn Aucoin Face Forward book, Stila Lip Glaze, Lancome Juicy Tubes, MAC Lip Glass, MAC Spice lip liner, Omorovicza Blue Diamond Super Cream, Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm, B683 Marc Antoine Barrois Cologne, Le Labo Santal 33, Rose 31, and AnOther 13, Dr Sebagh Rose Serum, Charlotte Tilbury nude lipstick, John Masters Organics, STRIIIKE in LA, Cowshed massages, Sarah Chapman's facial, Josh Wood for hair colour, Perfect 10 for waxes and tan by Fake Bake or Sienna X

Beauty Full Lives is hosted by Madeleine Spencer, produced by Charlie Jones, and with artwork by Sung Lee.


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