Fitness ambassador, former actor, presenter and now entrepreneur, Gemma Atkinson has done it all. Speaking with Living360, Gemma reveals why launching her own beauty brand at 41 is her most empowering career move yet.
Best known for her role as Lisa Hunter in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, from 2001-2005, Gemma Atkinson is no stranger to reinvention. From soap star to glamour model, fitness influencer to radio presenter, author to mother, she dons many hats daily — and with a deftness that feels enviable to many.
But she’s never pretended it all comes easy. It’s not just her 5am workout routines and healthy recipes that keep her two million Instagram followers tuned in, but her authenticity — whether debunking fitness myths or sharing candid glimpses into busy life as a mother of two and wife to Strictly professional Gorka.
Having now stepped into the beauty space — an industry often considered marred by unrealistic standards and overcomplicated treatments — Gemma’s determined to bring something different and much needed to the table.
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What’s Gemma Atkinson’s approach to fitness?
Gemma’s philosophy has always been to prioritise balance. Her followers connect with her message that fitness should be accessible, empowering and based on achievable goals, rather than unattainable ideals shaped by social media and celebrity image.
Central to her fitness ethos is the importance of strength training, which she believes every woman, regardless of age, should prioritise for long-term health. “I think the biggest misconception was that lifting weights would make you bulky or manly,” she says, laughing. “But I’ve been lifting since I was a teenager, and I’m still trying to get bulky!”
For Gemma, fitness isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about longevity, resilience and building trust in your own body. “Women have been scared of lifting weights for so long, but it’s really about training for the quality of your life,” she says, adding that strength training plays an important role in helping to prevent osteoporosis and reduce injury risk as we age.
And for busy mothers who are hesitant to start? “If you’ve got kids, you’ve been lifting weights your whole life without even knowing it! Why stop now?”
Read more: ‘Women are strong, beautiful and extraordinary’: Krissy Cela on bump-shaming and working out while pregnant
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How’s motherhood impacted Gemma Atkinson’s health and fitness ethos?
In her recent Channel 4 documentary, Protein: Everything You Need to Know, Gemma took the supplement industry head on, exposing brands capitalising on the current protein obsession while selling products laden with harmful ingredients.
Becoming a mother has only deepened her desire to challenge misleading marketing in the fitness and wellness industries, driven by the instinct to protect her children from those same harmful health narratives and traps.
“I don’t want my kids growing up being conned into thinking what is and isn’t healthy,” she explains. “Our health is in our own hands, in the choices we make, the foods we eat and the products we buy.”
Gem & Tonic — a beauty brand for modern women
That inertia towards authenticity is continued in her brand. Launched in September 2025, Gem & Tonic is Gemma’s vision for what beauty should be — effective, sustainable and honest.
Though she’d been approached by other beauty brands in the past, none felt aligned with her values. “I couldn’t be the face of a brand that doesn’t reflect my beliefs,” she says.
Her belief? That ageing is something that should be celebrated, not fought against with piles of expensive, chemical-laden products. “Ageing is a natural part of life. The alternative is death, right?” she laughs. “With Gem & Tonic, I wanted to create a brand where women can feel good about themselves and enhance what they’ve already got.”
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Launching Gem & Tonic at this moment in her life feels timely for Gemma. Her main goal is for the brand to cater to people just like her: busy women who juggle multiple responsibilities but still need a beauty routine that fits seamlessly into their lives and, crucially, doesn’t require a 15-step regimen that costs more than the weekly food shop.
“I’m 41, a mum of two, and I’m juggling everything. But I still make time for my beauty regime, and I want other women to feel the same way,” she says. “We all deserve a routine that’s easy and delivers results, it shouldn’t be complicated to look after yourself.”
Is the Gem & Tonic brand natural and effective?
The Gem & Tonic product line, priced between £15 to £28, strikes an important balance for Gemma — “not too high-end, but not bottom shelf either, sacrificing quality.”
But it’s the brand’s inclusivity that’s key for Gemma. The formulations all contain naturally derived ingredients meaning that anyone can use it, whatever their skin type or condition. She’s even had heartfelt feedback from customers thanking her for helping them find products that truly work for their skin:
“We’ve had people say how grateful they are because they can use it with eczema, rosacea and psoriasis. There’s no fragrance, which makes it gentle for sensitive skin,” Gemma shares. “We’ve even received before-and-after photos from customers whose skin completely cleared up.”
Read more: ‘It all just needs to be simple’: Strictly’s Karen Hauer on the habits that ground her
A surprising yet key element of the line — the clue is in both her name and the brand’s — is the use of the gem extracts in the products. While some may find it “a bit woo-woo” — Gemma recalls pondering over it in initial team meetings — her love of natural sources of healing is a core part of the brand’s ethos.
Materials like malachite, a gemstone known for being rich in copper, and quartz, which can supposedly help promote collagen production, are key ingredients in the skincare line — which she’s proud to offer as an ethical and sustainable alternative, and one that’s also free of harmful chemicals, to many mass-market beauty products.
Overcoming self-doubt
Despite having tackled so much in her career, Gemma admits that she felt anxious before she launched Gem & Tonic. “There was a moment when I thought, ‘What if people don’t like them?’” she recalls.
The positive response has, no doubt, been a relief for Gemma and her team. But more than sales and praise, what’s meant the most is empowering women — particularly mothers and anyone navigating midlife.
“It’s a community of women and we’re all in the same boat,” she says. “I don’t think women prioritise themselves enough. We let ourselves fall to the bottom of the pile while keeping everything else running.”
“But when you feel like you look better, you end up feeling better, so giving yourself that time — a beauty ritual that’s affordable and doesn’t take hours — helps,” she says. “If your skin and hair are healthy, you feel more confident showing up every day.”
Read more: The secrets to Jessica Alba’s stunning skin
What’s next for Gemma Atkinson?
Although Gemma may have seemingly done it all, she’s only just getting started. Her next target? Supplements.
“The industry is so unregulated, it’s terrible,” she says. “I feel it’s so important that someone tackle this, why not me?”
We can expect the same transparency and commitment to honest, quality ingredients as seen in her Gem & Tonic: “We’ll be as careful as we were with the beauty lines, everything will be third-party tested and of the highest quality.”
The supplement industry may be oversaturated and proffer a fair few challenges, but Gemma is poised and ready for the challenge.
Feature image: Gemma Atkinson/ Doma Dovgialo
