The Feelgood Files: Made In Chelsea’s Eliza Batten

Eliza Batten is often the source of sage advice onE4's Made In Chelsea, so who better to offer us a few inspiring ways to lift our moods in the current climate? Here Eliza talks Grazia through her entire feelgood beauty routine, her love of the sea, and even a not-so-secret obsession with the Twilight saga...

The song I listen to when I need a boost: Peaceful Life by Guts, Lorine Chia. It was the song we played over and over when filming in South Africa, and whenever I hear it, I am taken straight back to Cape Town! Love it.

The book I can’t put down: This is a hard one as I am an avid reader and always have a book on the go, but I recently read ‘The Heart’s Invisible Furies’ by John Boyne in a day (it is 600 pages) and I read it through mealtimes, on the loo, walking around the supermarket. I actually couldn’t put it down.

My go-to feelgood recipe: I am still a university student (just), so my feel-good meal has to be pesto pasta. Basic, but so yummy and comforting. When I am a real grown up maybe it will be something fancier.

The Instagram account that brings me joy: I have to say, the accounts dedicated to lockdown related memes are producing some classic content. I find them hilarious. Otherwise my long-time favourite account is @trinnywoodall, who is sparky, articulate and creates fun IGTV fashion videos. She also shops at my local Zara which makes me feel very cool.

What never fails to make me smile: My friends, always. They’re just so great, I often wonder what I did to deserve them! (Disclaimer: they’re all way cooler and nicer than me). Daily FaceTimes and weekly quizzes on Zoom are keeping me going at the moment.

My go-to supplement: I don’t really use supplements to be honest. I take the odd multivitamin when I remember to and if I go through the occasional period of feeling lethargic, I combat it by taking Vitabiotics Feroglobin, £5.50, (iron supplements). Otherwise I just make sure to eat my 5 a day!

My favourite at-home workout: I got into boxing recently which I love. For lockdown I invested in some boxing gloves and pads and am training with my younger sister (though we are both very amateur). I like that you can do it with a partner as we can motivate each other and even though it is hard work, you can see visible improvements in technique/skill/strength etc. which I find very rewarding. Also, my favourite warm up is skipping!

My feel-good at-home beauty routine: Nothing shouts ‘feelgood’ more than clean and moisturised hair, and a clean and moisturized face! For my hair I use Umberto Giannini Curl Care Shampoo & Conditioner, from £6, (or their hair mask if I am really treating myself), and then scrunch in their Umberto Ciannini Weatherproof Curls Finishing Cream, £7, before using my ‘plopping’ technique (you can find my hair routine on my IGTV – great for those with naturally curly hair!) Whilst my hair is ‘plopping’, I do my face. I use Gallinnée Prebiotic Foaming Facial Cleanser, £13.90, then my Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum, £25, followed by my Mad Hippie Moisturiser (in that order and all from @skinspace.co!).

My failsafe face mask: The Skin Republic Collagen Hydrogel Mask. You wear it for 40 minutes and it is pure bliss. It is supposedly anti-ageing and whenever I DON’T get asked for my ID, I run home and put it on. Is that lame?

Another song that makes me smile: Murder on the Dancefloor, Sophie Ellis-Bextor. An absolute classic. I will always request this song at any party!

The smell that lifts my mood: Bacon. On a Sunday morning. Equally the smell of the sea. I do love the beach.

The movie I’ll happily watch again and again: I am a creature of habit, so I love re-watching films. The entire Twilight saga is my guilty pleasure (some may say I am obsessed). It would be my specialised subject if I went on mastermind!

The Netflix show I tell everyone to watch: I have watched all of Money Heist twice (and counting). I think it is clever, gripping and the characters are great. At points it is quite farfetched, granted, but it’s a fictitious series so who cares! I watch it in Spanish with English subtitles as their Spanish voices are far sexier.

My happy place: Swimming in the sea (preferably in a warm country). I actually have a tattoo of a wave on my ankle (inspired by Tumblr, of course) because I love the sea that much! Though right now my happy place would be with my entire extended family at my grandparents’ house. I really miss them and can’t wait to be reunited again.

A final feelgood note from me: Not so much a feelgood note, but rather a shout out to The Trussell Trust foodbanks across the country. With the current climate putting a lot of people under financial stress, and donations to food banks also dwindling, they need public support more than ever. I have been selling my clothes on Depop and using the money to buy food to donate, but there are lots of ways you can help! Any extra food you have, or spare change, please consider helping your local foodbank (which you can find online). Thank you.

Made in Chelsea airs Mondays at 9pm on E4. Eliza Batten is an influencer and model appearing on Made in Chelsea on E4, her instagram is @elizabatten and she is represented by KMPR Publicity Management.

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