It’s been a big few months for Phoebe Burgess.
WATCH BELOW: Phoebe Burgess on why she’s breaking her silence now
While NSW was plunged into lockdown, and she holed up in her home with her two young kids, her ex-husband, Sam Burgess, became the star and eventual winner of SAS Australia.
While fans celebrated, Phoebe made headlines by choosing to speak out about her tumultuous marriage to Sam, which ended in 2019.
On the show, he admitted to cheating on Phoebe and letting her down, but also spoke about his love for his family, and seemed overall to embody a changed-man narrative.
However, Phoebe spoke to The Australian in order to give her own side.
“I felt like I was living with a man that I just didn’t know. I felt guilty that this person who was my husband, who was meant to be in a committed relationship with me, was actually hurting so many other women,” she admitted to their weekend magazine last month.
She shared details of the well-oiled machine that was the NRL, which kept Sam’s controversies as low-key as possible, constantly removing the pair from the spotlight when things went wrong.
Speaking out carried its own risks, but Phoebe wanted to speak out on behalf of other women and following the interview, she shared the cover-story on her Instagram.
“Tonight, I ask you all to do something for me – for all of us. Read this story. Share it. Because YOU inspired me to be strong enough to take this step. A step I never saw myself having to take,” Phoebe captioned the post.
“You: the broken, scared but resilient warriors who; message me, connect with me and reach out to me, searching for glimmers of hope, waiting for a world where we don’t have to speak up.”
With the media storm now behind her, Phoebe spoke to WHO about the things that currently build up the life around her – namely, motherhood, and small moments of space in between.
Although she still co-parents with Sam, her children, Poppy, four, and Billy, two, live on a Bowral property that Phoebe shares with her parents when they’re with her.
Despite spending a lot of time together during lockdown, Phoebe shared with WHO that she found it to be a time to ‘reset’.
“It’s just not that much of a reality for me at the moment, unless it’s bingeing You or Squid Game on Netflix at 10pm while my daughter, Poppy, snores like a freight train next to me,” she joked when asked about how she manages to find ‘alone time’ with two young kids.
“If I lock myself in the pantry during hide-and-seek I can usually get a couple of solo minutes!”
“I’ve tried to work in more ‘mummy time’ activities I love in our day. Scootering is my current happy place,” she admitted.
“We’re together, we’re outside, but we are quiet in our own little worlds on our scooters. I love anything that’s an adventure with the kids.
“When the kids are at school – there are one or two days if I’m lucky where they’re at school at the same time – I try to work or to write. I feel most independent when I’m focused on my deadlines and the rush that comes with trying to meet them!”
Phoebe isn’t afforded much independence away from Poppy and Billy, and used the extra time in lockdown to work on building new rituals with them.
“I wouldn’t necessarily call lockdown with two highly energetic, needy and growing children relaxing, at any point!” she laughed.
“But what I really, really cherished was slowing down with Poppy and Billy, taking the time to sit down and really engage in their little worlds, like playing ‘tending – which is Poppy for ‘pretending’ – as doctors, mums, sisters, babies, teachers, policemen, cowboys…” Phoebe explained.
“I’m actually really grateful for the raft of lessons I learnt – mess can wait, leave the dishes, go for a scooter ride while the sun’s out, ditch the inside lunch and have a teddy bear picnic by the dam.
“I used to be too busy or not find the time, but now we have rituals that I will never trade … well, until they’re completely embarrassed by me and my lame rituals!”
WATCH: Inside Phoebe Burgess self-isolation with her two children. Story continues below.
When Phoebe does manage to find time to be alone, she’ll often spend it on her beauty routine and skincare. In fact, when asked what her favourite aspect of her beauty routine were, she admitted it was “escaping my two monkeys for a few peaceful minutes.”
“I’ve added steps to my routine to make sure I capitalise on that very brief, but very valued beauty – and mental – rest.
“If I’m lucky I can light a candle and even throw in a quick facial roller massage.”
So, naturally, we had to ask what her favourite products are!
As a L’Occitane ambassador, Phoebe has a lot of recommendations.
“Give me all the masks, all the hydration, all the enzymes, all the essences … I’m having a major moment with L’Occitane’s Immortelle Overnight Reset Serum, and the eye serum from the same range.
“I’m also loving caring for my severely neglected hands at the moment – slightly weird, I know – but ever since L’Occitane added Immortelle to their famous Shea Butter hand cream I’ve really been obsessive with keeping my hands happy and hydrated.”
As for her skincare secrets, Phoebe credits her mum with instilling her approach to skincare.
“My beautiful mum has always, and still does because we live together, reminded me that the healthier and happier your skin, the less effort there is trying to cover it or correct it,” she explained.
“I never, ever miss my skincare routine. And never, ever sleep in make-up – that is a disaster, you’ll have to spend a week making up for it – nothing is worth sleeping in make-up.”
It seems she’s also picked up on the natural makeup look that became very popular after lockdown.
“Now I am all about the beauty of healthy skin – that effortless, dewy, vibrant, freckley, youthful and fresh look,” Phoebe shared.
“All I wear is a tinted serum, fluff my brows up, a lick of mascara, a quick highlighter stick in my cheekbones and brow bones – currently Chanel ‘Or’.
“For lips, I love the Too Faced Maximum Plump lip glosses – they burn and sting a little, but I love the natural colour they bring out, it’s your own lips with a little oomph.”
“A huge part of this youthful, glowing, zero effort ‘vibe’, I guess, is focusing on the health of the complexion instead of hiding it behind layers,” she explained.
“I am also really loving sprays and mists at the moment for over the top of your base and for hitting that skin reset button during the day. I pack the L’Occitane Immortelle TriPhase Essence in my handbag to keep the healthy glow going!”
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