I’ve been a longtime fan of The Hills star Audrina Patridge. I watched her on the hit MTV show, Dancing with the Stars and on her own reality show, titled simply, Audrina. But her real life is not so simple.

“The show was supposed to focus on my career, my life, my friends…but things blew up with my family and that was more interesting, so they filmed that more,” she said. “You are always being pushed to your limits and that’s what can be frustrating — and with editing, sometimes you’re not happy with how it comes out, but you just have to keep moving along.”

And moving along, she is. The reality star is currently reading scripts and looking into more hosting opportunities. “I don’t plan on doing reality [TV] again, I want my life back,” she said.

In Houston for a special appearance at Palais Royal’s Meyerland Plaza store to celebrate its remodel, Patridge happily signed autographs and took pictures with adoring fans. She also promoted Bremenn's Emergency Zit Stick (she’s a brand ambassador) in the store’s new cosmetics department, featuring brands such as Clinique, Estee Lauder, Burt’s Bees and Pur Minerals.

Though she believes her Hills days made her grow more as a person and mature more quickly than her high school classmates, she said it’s important to stay grounded and keep the people you love around you. Having met her, it was evident she did just that. I always remember her being sweet on TV, but in person, she is nice as can be and sitting down with her felt like a conversation with a friend.

Her best advice? “You’re never going to be perfect and you just have to accept that and be happy with who you are.” Words to live by, especially when you’re a reality star who has had her fair share of critics — especially online.

“You have to remember all the nice things people say [online] but then it’s those one or two mean things that stand out. Now I just block and delete all of the mean people [on Twitter] — it becomes fun — you’re blocked!” she laughed.

Starting over

After her reality show wrapped earlier this year, the starlet needed a break. “I just kind of needed time to myself after seven years [on TV] to organize my closet and my house. I just never had the time.”

Having been on many Hot 100 lists, magazine covers and in ad campaigns, it came as no surprise when she told me she had a bikini or lingerie line on her mind (her Hills co-stars Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port have been successful in launching clothing lines.)

“I’ve always been interested in fashion…when I was little, my grandma taught us how to sew and I’d make my own shirts for school.” Patridge said, adding that she would love to design a bathing suit line that complements every body type and shape — and not just for the “hot girl."

Though she loves to rock a bikini, it’s clear that her toned body comes from fun in the sun, not hours in the gym.

“I hate the gym. I live on the beach in California and it’s so easy to do things outside like swimming, riding bikes and getting together with friends for beach volleyball,” she said.

She also said she’s into the popular ballet-based Bar Method.

Speaking of fun in the sun, when I asked Audrina what she thought of her home state being the first in the nation to ban teens under the age of 18 from using tanning beds, she commented that she regretfully used tanning beds a lot when she was 16 and 17.

“The older you get, you start noticing those sun spots and I wish back then they would have had such great airbrush tanning products — you don’t need to look orange anymore,” she said.

Now she gets an airbrush tan every couple of weeks and uses sunscreen daily, the perfect recipe for a sun-kissed glow. She loves Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Light-Weight Body Lotion SPF 30, “It is so moisturizing and doesn’t have that sunscreen smell. I use it as soon as I get out of the shower," she said.

Favorite hair and makeup products

As a fashion and beauty blogger, I couldn’t possibly end the interview without asking the gorgeous gal about her favorite makeup and hair products. Patridge says she favors dewy, glowing skin and doesn’t use a lot of foundation because she prefers to focus on accenting her eyes with eyeliner for that “sex kitten” look.

She said Houston-based Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizer is her favorite foundation and that she religiously washes her face morning and night — even when traveling. She packs Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleansing Cloths for easy makeup removal on planes. Though she’s now their brand ambassador, Patridge says she was a fan of Bremenn’s products beforehand.

“I used the Miracle Cream and they have so many cool products like the Butt Lift in a Box," she said.

Her skin is so flawless in person, that I wanted to run to the makeup counter downstairs following our interview and pick up all of her favorites. Hey, it’s worth a try, right? (Truthfully, I totally did pick up an Emergency Zit Stick after our interview.)

Next, I had to ask about her hair. The natural dirty-blonde said she dyed it dark when she moved to L.A. and then for continuity. Since she was the only brunette on the show, Hills producers asked her to keep it dark.

“I was used to changing my hair every few months and then I couldn’t change it for six years… so now that I’m done I can have fun with it.”

Embracing the ombre hair trend, Patridge showed up at the event with honey blonde tips.

When it comes to styling, she’s all about making it easy and low maintenance. She gets a professional blowout once a week and only washes her hair every three days (she raved about the Bumble & Bumble dry shampoo that she uses between washings.)

“I let my hair air dry because my hair is naturally really straight and I also tie it into little buns and braids and when it dries, it kind of has a natural wave.” She also loves Moroccanoil and uses it on her hair and skin.

Lastly, I asked the question everyone wants to know about — her love life. Those who watched her self-titled reality show know that her relationship with X Games champ Corey Bohan was a little rocky.

“I know during my show filming it was a hard time. You want to keep viewers interested and keep it spicy and keep viewers on the edge of their seats.”

She added that reality and relationships don’t mix. “It destroys your relationship because you’re kind of being pushed to do things you normally wouldn’t," she confided.

She said since the show ended things have been great and they’ve had time to work on the relationship. "He’s my best friend and we do everything together,” she said.

I love a happy ending.

Fans can follow all of Audrina’s latest updates on Twitter @AudrinaPatridge.

Veronika Javor Romeis writes about fashion and beauty on her blogVeronika's Blushing.