Kristina Rihanoff for St. Tropez

Professional dancer Kristina Rihanoff has been revealed as the face, and legs, of St.Tropez Everyday Perfect Legs (which was £35 but is now £25).To celebrate the partnership, Kristina has been captured in a series of stylish images that demonstrate why she is the chosen celebrity ambassador for our Perfect Legs product – an innovative dual pump product that gives legs an instant golden glow and flawless finish.

Kristina Rihanoff commented, “Before St.Tropez I spent ages looking for the right self tan brand, as it is important to look good when you dance professionally. St.Tropez offers a natural looking result; it comes off evenly; is easy to apply; and it doesn’t have a strong smell – it actually has a very nice smell thanks to the science in the products.

“The Perfect Legs product is ideal for me, as when the TV cameras zoom in to catch my footwork on the show, I know that they will have an airbrush quality about them, which is especially important when wearing skimpy attire.”

View our Kristina Rihanoff Photo Gallery

Kristina Rihanoff Interview by Becky Davies

You always look glamorous, even when you turned up early this morning. What are your tips?
Well, I wish I always looked glamorous. It was very early in the morning today that I was up and taking a shower! But because I am on the camera all the time I have to look good and look after myself. But, the main thing is, your clothes, really. If you feel comfortable with what you are wearing, you feel confident. And a bit of makeup always helps you look good and fresh. I never go out without a little mascara and lip-gloss. 10/15 minutes is all it takes.

When we spoke during LFW; you said you are a really big fan of St.Tropez. Have you got any tips for applying Perfect Legs?
Yes. Well, first of all, I had a long journey before I found the right self tan products. For years I tried different brands, because it is important to look good when you are ballroom dancing. But it was never the right colour. St.Tropez is the best product, ever. It is the right colour for my skin, not orangey; it comes off evenly; it is easy to apply; and it doesn’t have a strong smell – it actually has a very nice smell thanks to the science in the products.

The Perfect Legs product is so great, you have two in one bottle: the gradual tan that can be applied in the evening. It is so easy and can be done in a few minutes. But make sure you moisturise your knees, ankles and feet - because it is dryer in those areas, so that it is nice and even. Then you add the instant bronze cosmetic finish – and go!

Sometimes you can see that someone is wearing a self tan product, but with this one people always ask me: “did you go on holiday somewhere?” I like the way it looks on my skin, and it looks natural as well.

I know you did make-up courses, how did you get into that?
I was always interested in stage make-up from being very little. I was preparing for competitions and found the beauty aspect of getting ready facinating. So when I was in theatre school back in Russia I studied a stage make-up course. Obviously ballroom makeup is very different, it is a different culture, so there are specific things you need to know.

So it was an extra thing for you?
Yeah, it is just another passion of mine, I guess: to be able to do make-up for someone else and do it for myself, and change my look. Do you do make-up for your friends? I do. When I would teach, before I did competitive stuff, I’d take the students to competitions – and I would always do their makeup for them.

You’ve got quite a distinct look have you ever experimented with different ones?
I have, yeah. I have gone through every colour of my hair. I went red and black and brown…you name it. I’ve tried it all. I am naturally quite light. So I started bleaching my hair, as it was the easiest thing for me to do. And now I have highlights, but at one point I went totally bleach blonde. I think you go through different stages. But where I am now I feel comfortable. And this is a healthier look, as my hair was so bad last season, after the show, and the tour we did, [the Strictly Come Dancing tour], because we have our hair styled every single day.

Who are your style icons?
I have a few. The style that I like is sixties Hollywood. The women look really feminine. People compare me to Marilyn Monroe, which is the biggest complement. I think I am in love with the whole era of Hollywood glamour. The dresses were gorgeous and feminine, the hourglass shape and the hair and make-up was so glamorous. And lets face it, so many years later the fashion designers and make-up artists always go back. It is a classic look that is beautiful.

Have you got any favorite fashion designers?
I really like Roberto Cavalli his stuff is gorgeous - his evening dresses are beautiful. I am discovering a lot of new names now, since I moved to London. There are so many great designers here and I’m looking forward to seeing more London shows.

You liked Louise Goldin didn’t you?
Oh yes. It was really nice and feminine as well. The colours were beautiful – a beautiful collection. So yes, I am looking around discovering a few names. But Cavalli and Versace are still my favorites.

Do you do any exercise other than dancing?
When I am not in intense training with Strictly, I still have to look after myself. I go to the gym. I do 25-30 minutes of cardio – running or bicycle work, and then light weights. Usually I concentrate on my upper body one day and lower body the next. I always try to stay in shape because when you are off-season it is very easy to gain weight. Even if you don’t eat anything extra you are not burning the calories.

Are there any exercises that you would recommend for legs?
The best thing for legs, if you have cellulite, is to stand next to a chair and hold on to the back. Slowly rise to your toes and count to ten - very slowly - on the way up and down. Do this four times, have a little break, and do it again. This is really good for your calf muscles and these muscles (she taps her inside thighs) – it is a sort of ballet exercise. So it strengthens the leg, but also gives a nice shape to your muscles. And you can do it anywhere.

And do you eat to stay healthy?
Yes. I look after my diet and eat properly. I have moments when I have cake, like yesterday right before the nomination. I was so worried for Joe that I needed sugar. Now I can get away with it because I am doing lots of exercise. I usually eat complex carbs, like brown bread or nice wheat toast in the morning.

Strictly must be really nerve-racking…

Yes, for us, we get nervous as well because the contestants get so petrified. I say: ‘Are you are OK? You aren’t going to run away or something like that, are you?’ [She laughs]. But we just really try to calm them down; we talk to them and say ‘if you do it over and over again you are going to be OK’. You can see people slowly relaxing as they get the hang of it. It is week four now and we can definitely see that people are getting into it more and more now, which is great. The transformation is beautiful.