THINK of the world’s biggest mysteries, and the Bermuda Triangle, who killed JFK, and how on earth the Love Island stars look so good after weeks on end in an isolated villa are all up there.
It seems that the contestants get more and more glam with every series, and it’s not just our imagination.
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“There’s also more professional support with hair and beauty now,” the dating show’s much-loved narrator, Iain Stirling, told Vice.
“If you jump on ITVHub and watch the early series, by the end they all look quite scruffy – now they don’t.”
As the launch of this year’s long-awaited series creeps ever closer, we take a look at the sneaky preening, plucking and polishing that goes on when the cameras are turned.
WEEKLY NAIL AND LASH APPOINTMENTS
Fans in the past have been quick to spot the girls’ fresh-from-the-salon talons.
During the 2017 series, one viewer wrote on social: “B******t. How long’s Amber [Davies] been in Love Island?! You’re telling me she’s still got perfect sculpted nails that haven’t grown at all?”
The 2016 star, Kady McDermott, told Cosmopolitan of her Love Island experience: “We had our nails done once the whole time – I was there for six weeks!”
But it seems hers was the last series to take such a relaxed approach.
The show’s host, Laura Whitmore, recently revealed to Cosmopolitan: “On Saturday, when there is no show on, their eyelashes and acrylic nails get redone.”
Now they have the professionals at their disposal, it’s unlikely any of this year’s contestants will be tempted to resort to the famous £300 Dyson blow dry that 2018 winner Dani used to keep her eyelashes looking their best. A crying shame.
FORTNIGHTLY HAIR CUTS AND ROOT TOUCH-UPS
Speculation became rife that the Islanders were getting treatments on the sly when Dani Dyer’s sun-kissed brown locks magically transformed into a deep brunette for the final week in Season 4.
A spokesperson for ITV2 told Glamour at the time: “All the girls had hair and beauty treatments within the villa a few days ago. Dani’s hair is the main big difference.”
Several former contestants, including 2016 winner Cara De La Hoyde and 2015 contestant Chris Williamson, have confirmed that the Islanders regularly see stylists and barbers to keep their barnets in shape.
Georgia ‘Loyal’ Steele and Wes Nelson, from the 2018 series, told Heart they were allowed to leave the villa once every fortnight after the third week.
Georgia said: “The girls needed their nails, their hair doing. You need your hair cut and things, so they had to schedule that in.”
Nowadays, due to the show’s popularity, the salon trips have been scrapped and replaced by stylists who come to the villa.
Laura Whitmore recently told Cosmopolitan: “Apparently in the first series, they left the villa to go to a salon to have their hair done but now, because the show is so big, they can’t, so they have a girl who comes in to do their roots and stuff.”
DIY BIKINI WAXING
Strutting about in skimpy swimwear on national television for months at a time would put bikini waxes fairly high on most women’s beauty agendas – but not for Love Island.
Season 2 runner-up Olivia Buckland revealed on This Morning that contestants aren’t allowed professional waxes.
“You can request a waxing kit,” she said.
“There’s a secret window where you get food and drinks from. So they could be getting the waxing kit from that, but one of the other girls will have to do their bikini lines for them.”
While the availability of other beauty treatments has been ramped up with each series, waxing doesn’t appear to be one of them.
Montana Brown told The Independent that during her time in the villa, the female contestants resorted to shaving ‘down there’ as producers wouldn’t allow them to have it done professionally.
She added that several Islanders had attempted to use wax strips themselves but that they ‘all had bruising’ as a result. Ouch.
REGULAR FAKE TANNING
You might think that wearing bikinis and swimming shorts 24/7 under the blazing Mallorcan sun, the Islanders would be getting their envy-inducing tan naturally – but no.
Love Island podcast host, Arielle Free, told Glamour Magazine: “They fake tan a lot too as they don’t want to sunbathe too much or burn.”
When Laura Whitmore visited the villa’s dressing room, she confirmed it: “I always thought it must be really messy, and they had this blue carpet and it was stained with fake tan everywhere and I was like, ‘I knew it!'”
AN EYE-POPPING BEAUTY STASH AND LIMITLESS WARDROBE
In previous years, viewers have had a glimpse of the villa’s fashion and beauty stash while the girls’ have been getting ready for the evening.
This year, having signed up nine official partners for a record £12m-plus, the glam room is set to be better stocked than ever.
Boots is the series’ ‘feel good’ partner, Cloud Nine is the official hair partner, and JD Sports is providing the fitness and activewear.
In previous years, the most in-demand products from the cast have included micellar cleansing products, SPF 30, firm hold hairspray and shimmering aftersun.
“The boys used up all of the shimmering oils and lotions constantly,” 2018 contestant Samira Mighty told Cosmopolitan.
“Whenever we were asked to pose as couples, they were slathering it all over themselves to look more toned.”
Online retailer I Saw It First is also returning as official fashion partner, ensuring that none of the Islanders will have to wear the same outfit twice.
PROFESSIONAL HAIR AND MAKE-UP
Although there’s always speculation about the girls getting regular hair and make-up sessions from the pros, this is normally only the case for big nights like the last episode.
Paige Turley, who won the winter version of the show with boyfriend Finn Tapp last year, told Fabulous: “The only night we got hair and make-up artists was the final.”
The 2019 winner, Amber Gill, was glammed up for the much-anticipated final by celebrity make-up artist Gemma Wheatcroft.
Gemma shared the look on Instagram, revealing she’d used Rodial foundation, Huda Beauty eyeshadows, Fenty Beauty highlighters and HD Brows, topped off with false lashes from Lash Unlimited and Bouclème products to refresh Amber’s curls.
With this year’s series promising more drama than ever, we wonder whether the celebrity glam squad will be paying the villa a few more visits than usual…
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