Ekin says she’s in a good place, following rocky moments after her CBB stint (Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Sephora UK)Love Love Island? Our Factor 50 email brings all the goss direct to your inboxMore Newsletters SubscribePlease enter a valid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.More NewslettersWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More infoThank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow me See OurPrivacy Notice See OurPrivacy Notice×Group 28 Love Love Island? Our Factor 50 email brings all the goss direct to your inboxInvalid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.Sign UpNo thanks, closeWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info×Group 28Thank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow MeNo thanks, closeSee our
Privacy NoticeFor Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, it’s been a rocky ride on the way to finding self-acceptance. With four million Instagram followers and a booming reality TV career, the former Love Island star has been working on finding a balance between work and time for herself. And her recent 30th birthday came at the perfect time to begin a new chapter, with Ekin-Su describing the milestone as a “fresh beginning” as she chats with OK! “In the last few months, especially around my birthday, I felt this shift between 29 to 30. You see things differently. It’s true what they say: things can change overnight,” she tells us, glowing with new-found confidence. “I have a lot more boundaries now. I feel like life is so short, the little things don’t really bother me any more.”
Ekin-Su reflecting on her CBB experience says ‘At the time you blame yourself’
(Image: REX/Shutterstock for Big Brother)
Just two years ago, Ekin-Su was catapulted into the limelight following a winning stint on Love Island, as the London-born star left the ITV2 villa with Italian boyfriend, Davide Sanclimenti, and a string of exciting opportunities awaiting her. But as 2024 kicked off, things got tough for Ekin-Su. First, she announced her break-up from Davide. Two months later, she entered the Celebrity Big Brother house. However, despite being excited about the experience, Ekin-Su was the fourth person to be evicted, after housemates accused her of being “fake”. Upon leaving, she was greeted with boos from the live audience. This shook the star and, shortly after, Ekin-Su described herself as “damaged”. So, how is she doing now? “I’m much better than I’ve ever been,” she beams. “It’s crazy how much everything’s changed. That was the past and I don’t regret anything. I just smile at it now. I’m great. At the time, you blame yourself for things not going right, and you take accountability – I’ve used that word a lot: accountability – but now I’m kind of at the stage where I’m past everything. Backlash is just a part of being in the public eye.
Now 30, the star says she feels ‘like she’s 20 again!’
(Image: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
“Not everyone’s going to like what you do,” she adds, reflectively. “But you learn from your mistakes, and you just keep going. “No one’s perfect, we all make mistakes. It’s about learning from them and taking it as a learning curve and no longer living in the past. It’s not the end of the world.” Since entering her 30s in August, Ekin-Su declares she’s feeling even better, as she looks to embrace this new chapter in life. “I love it, I feel like I’m 20 again – I don’t know what’s going on!” she says. “It’s a new era and it feels amazing.” Ekin-Su’s debut book, Be Your Own Best Friend, was released earlier this year, and it touches on her journey towards loving herself – something she admits was hard in her younger years. “When I was at school, I wasn’t liked, I was bullied,” she recalls. “I was very scared about the world. But these days, it doesn’t really bother me.”
Ekin-Su admits she’s come a long way since being bullied in school
As Ekin-Su talks us through her book, we wonder whether it was cathartic to get those experiences down on paper. “Yeah, that book was written when I was going through ups and downs, and at the time, it was so real,” she admits. “Now, when I look at it, it does bring back memories. But then, it’s also a healing thing, and it’s a form of closure for me. It’s like a diary, isn’t it? And then you close the chapter, take a deep breath and move on. Little Ekin would be very proud!” Following her success on Love Island, Ekin-Su has gone on to several other reality shows, including Dancing On Ice and The Traitors US. But a return to TV, she admits, would need to be carefully chosen. “It depends,” she says, after pondering the idea for a moment. “I’m picky now. I wouldn’t just do anything. I’ve done a lot in the past but I wouldn’t just jump onto the next thing because of the paycheck – I think I’ve learned my lesson!” What about any dating shows – would she consider one of those again? “No, no, no,” says Ekin-Su determinedly, telling us she “isn’t dating” at the moment. “I’ve come out of a relationship, and the one mistake I have made in my life is jumping from one relationship to another, and not giving myself time to grow. I think it’s only fair now that I spend time on myself.
The former Love Islander, who met ex Davide Sanclimenti on the show, ‘isn’t dating’ right now
(Image: Matt Frost/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
“You have to love yourself before you can love someone else. It’s all a puzzle – you have to fix yourself to be in a better mindset to find the right guy. Right now, I want to educate myself more, do better in my career and make the right decisions, and that takes a lot of energy. I can’t do a boyfriend and that at the same time!” Ekin-Su has a string of firm career goals in sight, and even hints at a budding career in the States. But right now, she’s focusing on her role as brand ambassador for the cosmetics company BPerfect – one she took on shortly after her stint on Love Island. “BPerfect are family to me and I don’t see it as work, I see it as something I’m passionate about,” she says of the collaboration. “I was using their products before I went on Love Island, so it felt authentic to become an ambassador for something I’d already been using and loving.” BPerfect and Ekin-Su have just launched a new collection – something she’s clearly very proud of. “We’ve got lip liners and lipsticks and four new shades of blush – my favourite is Checkmate. It’s made for all different skin tones, and suits all ethnic backgrounds.”
She is an ambassador for cosmetics brand BPerfect
As we chat all things beauty, the stunning star explains it’s not just her relationship with herself that’s had a revamp over the last two years, but also her make-up routine. “I love make-up, and it’s changed as I’ve got older, as my hair and skin have changed. It depends on how I feel. I don’t usually wear a lot of make-up during the day.” Having launched her own BPerfect face and eye palette, she adds, “The Ekin-Su Fearless Face & Eye Palette was designed to be everything, all in one. It’s for people who wear minimum makeup, but also the girls who want to be extra glam.” From books to beauty deals, and her roller coaster journey in reality TV, Ekin-Su appears to have come out the other side more confident than ever. And, looking back at the last couple of years, she has one thing to say to those who doubted her. “All I can say is, I’m sorry they didn’t understand me,” she says firmly. “I’m sorry they probably didn’t get me or are still trying to figure me out. “I am who I am, I’m not perfect and I have ups and downs. It’s OK for people to sometimes like me and sometimes not like me. All I can do is just focus on myself and block out the negativity.” The NEW BPerfect Cosmetics X Ekin-Su range can be purchased from www.bperfectcosmetics.com with prices starting from £10.95Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnEkin-Su CülcüloğluCelebrity Big BrotherLove IslandDancing On IceDavide Sanclimenti
