A Supermodel's Guide to Never Aging
Cindy Crawford
Can you believe Cindy is 50? Neither can we! The supermodel and mom to 17-year-old son Presley and 15-year-old daughter Kaia is lending her beauty smarts to the rest of us via her skin-care line, Meaningful Beauty.
Your signature look is quite natural. What's your go-to makeup?
It's funny, I wear far less makeup now than I did at 20. I apply a sheer foundation and a dusting of Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour bronzer [$58]. Too much powder emphasizes lines. My lip shape is uneven, so I balance it with Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat pencil in Pink Venus [$22], then a neutral gloss like Hourglass Truth. For a night out, I accentuate my eyes with dark brown liner, Maybelline Lash Stiletto Mascara, and Charlotte Tilbury's The Sophisticate shadow palette.
How do you keep your hair healthy?
When I was 20, my hair looked great even if I'd fallen asleep with it wet! Now it's gotten weaker and more delicate, so I use less heat. Usually I let it air-dry, or if I do get a blow-out, I'll make it last by pinning up a loose bun when I go to bed. The next day, my hair has instant volume.
What are your favorite hair products?
I wash my hair only twice a week, usually with Kevin Murphy Hydrate-Me Wash shampoo and Rinse conditioner [$27.50 each]. My daughter turned me on to Lush Jasmine and Henna Fluff-Eaze, a conditioning treatment I apply a few times a week - hairstylists say they've noticed a change in my hair since I began using it. I mist on a detangler while my hair is damp, then once it's dry I work a drop of Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment [$27] through the ends to nix frizz. For hairspray, I like Living Proof Flex Shaping Hairspray [$25]; for body or texture, I spritz Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray [$44] at my roots.
You seem like you focus on really good skin care. What do you use on your face?
I showed up tan to a photo shoot when I was 19 and was told that they couldn't cover up a sunburn - I've protected my skin from the sun ever since. The other aha moment came when I met [cosmetic doctor and Meaningful Beauty collaborator] Jean-Louis Sebagh. He gave me a face mask that I applied before my wedding, and it later became part of our skin-care line. My daily regimen is all from Meaningful Beauty: I use the Skin Softening Cleanser [$36] and the Antioxidant Day Crème SPF 20 [$45]. At night I smooth on the Crème de Sérum. I also get microdermabrasion once a month.
And how about for your body?
I do dry brushing to exfoliate, brushing toward my heart because I heard that's good for circulation and reducing cellulite. Then I shower, and after I get out I use Neutrogena Body Oil.
You honestly look like you've hardly aged - what else do you do?
There's no secret! Looking good is about eating right, getting enough sleep, and drinking lots of water. Also, you have to get moving. I work out several times a week, and I hike and ride bikes. I also eat healthy, but I don't deprive myself. I live by the 80 percent rule: I try to be 80-percent good 80 percent of the time.
Brooke Shields
She's been famously beautiful since she was a kid, and her teenage Calvin Klein ads were nothing short of a sensation. Now 51, the actress and mom of two daughters (Rowan, 13, and Grier, 10) is still knocking 'em dead with her killer looks.
Let's start with those famous eyebrows of yours, which look as lush as ever. How do you groom them?
I don't let anybody touch my brows besides me - I leave them as natural as possible and never tweeze or wax. I'll pluck a stray here or there, but I don't mess with the shape. Sometimes I use MAC Veluxe Brow Liner in Brunette to fill them in a bit or extend them slightly, then comb them with the pencil's brush.
Are you as low-key with other makeup?
Yes, I've learned that less really is more. Instead of foundation, I prefer a tinted moisturizer - Bobbi Brown makes a great one - which I blend on with either a flat foundation brush or by pressing it into my skin, then I pat a little concealer under my eyes. For my lips and cheeks, I'll use the same stain on both for a subtle look. Right now I'm into Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Calypso Coral. I don't wear much eye makeup because anything too dark makes my eyes seem less open, but I love mascara: First I brush on IT Cosmetics Tightline Full Lash Length Black Mascara Primer [$24] - the super-skinny wand gets right at the base of your lashes to coat each one-followed by Maybelline New York Great Lash Mascara. The combination really thickens my lashes but doesn't flake.
When you have an early-morning call time for a photo shoot or TV gig, what's your trick for looking great?
I used to sink my face in a bowl of ice water, like Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest - it really does wake up your skin! These days, though, I just rinse my face with cold water. I also try to work out before going on camera, which I find gets rid of puffiness and gives me a rosy glow. To illuminate my eyes, I draw TheBalm Mr. Write Now in Brian B. Beige [$17], a nude pencil, on the inner rims.
What other tips have you picked up?
It was actually my mom who told me not to pull on my skin when applying makeup or moisturizer. "Be gentle with your face," she'd say. And I discovered years ago that Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream works for everything: I rub it on my lips, hands, cuticles, even my face when it's really dry or when I'm on an airplane. It's my go-to for locking in moisture.
You have such incredible hair. How do you keep it in good shape?
I love the Davines hair-care line - the products smell delicious and leave my hair so shiny and manageable. I use the OI Shampoo [$29] and OI Conditioner [$36], or the All In One Milk [$32] as a leave-in conditioner. Then I apply a few drops of the OI Absolute Beautifying Potion to calm frizz and add sheen to my hair once it's dry.
How do you normally style it?
My hair is really thick and is neither straight nor curly, so I apply a curl-enhancing product, then I blow-dry with a diffuser. I just learned how to use a wand curling iron to make the beachier type of waves I love: I twist each section of hair first, then wrap it around the wand. And I always curl back away from my face, never forward, and leave the ends straight. In the '80s, it was all about clamping the ends for that perfect curl, but now it's about leaving them out for a more casual look.
What are your skin-care essentials?
I'm obsessed with SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic serum [$163]. It's packed with antioxidants and really brightens my skin, and since I began using it, I've noticed a difference in my fine lines. So I pat that on every morning, followed by EltaMD UV Daily Broad-Spectrum SPF 40 [$26.50]. At night, I glob on Bobbi Brown Extra Balm Rinse, a thick gel, and wipe it off with a damp towel. It dissolves even heavy on-camera makeup but leaves no greasy residue. Afterward, I wash my face with Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser [$40], which doesn't strip my skin, and use the prescription retinoid Renova. Then I finish with a rich, luxurious moisturizer like Fresh Crème Ancienne [$145]. I don't believe in spending exorbitant amounts of money on miracle creams, but I like to indulge in one of my favorite-smelling moisturizers.
What beauty lessons are you trying to teach your daughters?
Sun protection. My girls have such pure, perfect skin, and keeping sunscreen on them is the bane of my existence. When I was growing up, there was a whole different attitude - I used baby oil to get a tan, and I did beach photo shoots in the blazing midday sun. As I've gotten older, sunscreen has proven to be my best friend.
Veronica Webb
The first African-American model to land a major beauty brand contract, Veronica graced nearly every top fashion runway and magazine cover in the '90s. Today, the 51-year-old mom of three teenage daughters is still modeling, and also serves as beauty editor of As If magazine.
You have amazing skin. How do you maintain it?
After 40, you have to be careful about over-cleansing. So in the morning, I just splash my face with really cold water, which closes your pores. Then I have a big glass of water and fresh fruit, and I try to drink at least a liter of water throughout the day. At night I take my makeup off with a vitamin E oil, then wash my face with Tom's of Maine Daily Moisture Beauty Bar [$2.99], which is gentle. I blend on Kypris Beauty Elixir I: 1,000 Roses [$225], a moisturizing serum with organic rose oil, and a few nights a week I apply a retinol treatment. Also, I always use eye cream; right now it's Tatcha Ageless Revitalizing Eye Cream [$135].
Any other anti-aging essentials?
I love microneedling, which creates a very mild, controlled skin injury that signals your body to make more collagen. I use the Rodan + Fields AMP MD Micro-Exfoliating Roller [sold in the AMP MD System, $200]. It's like aerating your lawn: The stainless-steel prongs create little lanes for your skin care to sink in. I run it over my face, neck, and chest for a few minutes before my moisturizer. It hurts a bit, but I'm pretty immune to pain after giving birth!
You've spoken about having melasma, a skin condition that causes dark patches on the face. What do you find helps?
I've dealt with melasma since I had my kids. It's an ongoing battle, and you have to stay on top of it every day with antioxidants, sunscreen, and retinol. What's made the biggest change for me is Rodan + Fields Reverse Dual Active Brightening Complex. I smooth it on every morning under my sunscreen and again at night. It has antioxidants and vitamin C to fight sun damage and dark splotches.
What else keeps you feeling young?
I try to work out daily - for me, it's like washing your face or brushing your teeth. It's my mental and physical hygiene. I change it up with barre, boxing, and ice skating. And let me be very clear: Coffee makes me a better mother. I think it counts as a beauty product, because it puts a smile on everybody's face once I've had it.
What's your everyday makeup look?
I mix a few drops of Cover FX Custom Cover Drops - a foundation you can blend into any lotion-with a nickel-size dollop of Cover FX Clear Cover Invisible Sunscreen SPF 30 [$45] and spread it all over my face and neck. I can't live without Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Corrector in Dark Peach [$40]. It brightens my entire face. I tap a bit of RMS Beauty Living Luminizer highlighter [$38] on top of the concealer to bring more light to my face - this always makes you look younger. I'm not good at eye makeup, so I only wear mascara. For a sun-kissed effect, I dust bronzer all over, then sweep Sephora Baked Blush Duo in Tangerine Tease on my cheeks, eyelids, the tip of my nose, and chin. I top things off with Lancôme lip gloss in a coppery caramel shade and a spritz of Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist [$48] for a healthy finish.
How do you care for your hair?
My mother used to say to me, "Don't let your hair stop you from doing anything." I have fine, curly, dry hair, so it helps not to shampoo too often. Most of the time I just rinse it with water, apply Pantene Pro-V Curl Perfection Conditioner, then do a final rinse with cold water, which makes my hair extra shiny. When I really need intense hydration, I use Oribe Signature Moisture Masque.
Your mom taught you some great beauty habits. What's the best one?
My mother was incredibly beautiful, and never wore makeup. She was natural and simple. She used almond oil on her hands, and vitamin E oil on her hair and nails. My grandmother, though, wore high heels her entire life and was done up every day. I try to marry those two sides: health and glamour.
Do you have any pro tricks for looking fantastic in a photo?
Don't slouch! Posture is the number one thing. Stand up straight with your chin slightly lifted, pull in your stomach, relax your shoulders back and down, and imagine you're looking at someone you love: That changes your whole gaze. A lot of taking a great picture is having a great attitude.
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