My fabulous Friday: Lisa Lazarus

COOK UP A STORM

I love cooking and trying out new recipes. I’ve just come back from the Amalfi Coast so at the moment I’m trying to recreate all the Italian dishes and pasta. I was never a fan of pasta before but I’ve realised how delicious it is when cooked the right way.

BEAUTY HACKS

I don’t wear a lot of make-up and prefer to look after my skin naturally. I use a lot of pure Vitamin E oil on my face and body at night, in my hair, and I also put it in water and drink it. It’s really good for you internally and externally. I change my perfumes to change my mood. Currently, I’m using Si by Armani. It’s a fresh and floral scent.

SPAS AND STEEDS

To unwind I head to the Emirates Equestrian Centre for horse riding. On weekends I like to go to the Grosvenor House Hotel’s spa and sit in their five different jacuzzis all day until my fingers have shrivelled up. Their full-body massages and body scrubs make me feel like I have a new body again.

ACTIVE DUTY

I’m a very active person and love Flywheel spin classes and Bikram yoga. If I can manage a month then I practise yoga every day. It’s a really good way to unwind.

ADVENTURES OF A SHOPAHOLIC

I actually know my way around The Dubai Mall better than the people working there. Shopping is my therapy – if I can spend an afternoon looking at new bags and shoes from Stuart Weitzman and BCGB I’m very happy. Since I was a teenager my favourite book has been Confessions of a Shopaholic.

CINEPHILE ALERT

MAGICAL MALDIVES

I holidayed in the Maldives at the W hotel last year. I’m the happiest when I’m diving, jet-skiing, snorkelling and literally seeing what lives under the water. It’s so crystal-clear and so relaxing, it’s unbelievable.

FRIDAY ROSTER

Running a modelling agency means I end up working on weekends, especially when there are big events. When I do get time off I spend it in my Jumeirah Golf Estate home with my dogs Molly, a teacup Chihuahua and Oscar, a husky. I take them for walks or go on road trips exploring the UAE.

GLOBETROTTER

To win Miss Great Britain 2008 was a huge success for me. I took a year off university to pursue the title and it gave me the chance to travel the world. I spent six months in India where I acted as the lead in the film Veer with Salman Khan. I competed in the Miss Universe pageant in Vietnam, went to Hong Kong with a modelling agency and then to LA. Dubai is home now.