Peta Murgatroyd, is known for her electrifying dance moves on the hit television show, Dancing with the Stars. But outside of the long-standing competition series, the professional dancer and two-time DWTS winner continues to build her ever growing resume. Recently, the Aussie native has switched gears to create Peta Jane Beauty, an award-winning line of vegan and cruelty-free self-tanners. The inspiration behind the brand stems from aiming to have a simple and clean formula on the market. She stated, “I grew up with a lot of different skin conditions. As a child, I had eczema, dermatitis, and psoriasis, and I wanted a formula that was good for all skin types.”
NEW YOU chatted with the cover star to discuss her approach to beauty, morning routine, the number one rule to running a successful business, becoming an award-winning brand during this year’s NEW YOU Beauty Awards, and much more.
Photography: Fadil Berisha @fadilberishaphotography
Styling: Derek Warburton @derekwarburton
Hair: Laura Rugetti @laurarugetti
Makeup: Hailey Hoff @makeupbyhaileyhoff
NEW YOU: How do you think your own approach to beauty has influenced the uniqueness of Peta Jane Beauty?
Peta Murgatroyd: For me, beauty comes from within. That’s a very cliche statement to make, and people constantly talk about it in the beauty business. But for your beauty to exude on the outside, you have to feel beautiful on the inside, which is Peta Jane Beauty‘s main priority. We aim to boost people’s confidence as they walk outside in their clothes to feel that much better.
NY: There are many self-tanning lines on the market—what makes Peta Jane tanning mousse stand out?
PM: We have minimal ingredients, and I think that’s what makes us stand apart from other tanning companies. We also aimed to have no developing smell and no orange undertones. So you’re going to look like a bronzed goddess like you’ve been on vacation for two weeks! We also made it the fastest drying tanner out there. If you have to get out the door in five minutes or less, you can use my product because it literally dries within minutes.
NY: Will there be new product launches from the brand that we should look forward to?
PM: We want to expand the tanning line with an exfoliator, a moisturizer, and a tan extension. Those things are all so important with having your whole tanning regimen. We also want to go into skincare and a little bit of makeup. So there are a lot of good things that are going to be coming from PJ Beauty very, very soon.
NY: Although there are no definite rules or handbooks to running a successful business, what would be the No.1 rule if there were?
PM: I tried to start a business five or six years ago, but I don’t think I trusted myself enough to make the right decisions. I didn’t trust my gut. I feel that if you wholeheartedly believe in what you’re thinking, what you’re doing, and what you think is right and best for your company, that’s it; you have to run with that idea.
You cannot second guess yourself or listen to too many outside opinions because you can easily get influenced by the people around you. I’ve had to grow and learn from those experiences because it’s good to take other people’s suggestions and information and learn from them. But ultimately, at the end of the day, if you’re building your own business, it has to come from you.
NY: Let’s talk about your daily wellness routine?
PM: When you become a parent, in my opinion, you have to really still try to put yourself first. I’m saying this because when I first had my child Shai, it was the best experience, the happiest moment of my life. But over the years, you tend to forget about yourself, and you can forget about your health, your happiness, and what you need to do to start your day. It took me a while to get a hold of this, master it and carve out time for myself.
So my health and wellness routine begins after I wake up and immediately drink a glass of warm water, usually with lemon. That makes my digestive tract and system feel so good to start the day. If I have celery in the fridge, I make celery juice. Eight ounces of pure celery juice in the morning is so good for you, and it really wakes you up. I also take vitamin C, D, and E and fish oil tablets which are super important for the skin.
NY: What did winning the Best Self Tanner Award at the 2022 NEW YOU Beauty Awards mean to you?
PM: Winning the Best Self Tanner Award at the 2022 NEW YOU Beauty Awards was absolutely outstanding. Amazing! Exhilarating! All of the above. I was just the happiest girl that night. I wasn’t expecting it. It took me by surprise and made me grateful for what we have embarked on with Peta Jane Beauty. I’m also grateful to NEW YOU for awarding me after just one year of releasing our Peta Jane Beauty products.
NY: And aside from walking away as an award-winner, what was another memorable moment or personal highlight for you from this year’s NEW YOU Beauty Awards?
PM: A personal highlight for me was gracing the stage, walking out there, and feeling prepared. I didn’t look down at my speech one time, which shocked me because I had really rehearsed it. It was such an exhilarating moment to be there in front of hundreds of people listening to me speak. It makes all the hard work worth it, and it was nice to be recognized.
