While it’s true that models are blessed with good fortune and excellent genes, they also have a host of experts (and a large pot of money) to rely on to keep them camera-ready year-round.
So how exactly do you look like runway models without makeup? Read on to discover our industry-proven top tips.
Nutrition
Good nutrition is a really important part of a model’s life. Model’s don’t have the luxury of slacking on their healthy lifestyles; they must look good year-round or risk losing work. Good nutrition means eating the right amount and having a good balance. Eating lots of vegetables and fruit is also important to get enough vitamins and minerals.
As well as maintaining weight, eating well has a host of other benefits including keeping the skin clear, making the hair and nails stronger, and strengthening the immune system.
Exercise
Nutrition and exercise go hand in hand. Exercise is important to keep muscles, bones and ligaments strong and toned.
It’s recommended that we do at least 150 minutes of cardio a week for a healthy cardiovascular system. Many models also like to use weights to tone and lengthen muscles.
Skincare
Having a good skincare routine is vital for keeping skin clear as well as for preventing premature aging. Having a good skincare routine doesn’t have to be expensive nor time-consuming; the most basic essentials include having a good cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen. Sunscreen should be worn daily to protect the skin, even in the winter months.
Having good skin isn’t a major priority, but it will definitely give you an edge over the competition. That’s because having good skin means you’ll spend less time in the make-up chair. It also means the post-production photography editing team will spend less time editing your photos, which will save both time and money.
Having good skin can be difficult to achieve, especially if you struggle with skin conditions like acne or rosacea. It’s a good idea to visit a dermatologist if you’re struggling as they are skin experts who will be able to recommend the best course of action.
Don’t panic if you do have acne – there are plenty of top models with it who have proven it won’t stop your career. Kendall Jenner, who has worked with Victoria’s Secret, has struggled with blemishes throughout her life and she is one of the biggest-earning supermodels currently.
It’s not just about the skin on the face, either. Models need to look after the skin on their bodies too. Models regularly exfoliate their skin to get rid of dead skin cells and reveal glowing, fresh skin. They also need to moisturise to keep skin hydrated and healthy.
Salon/Spa Visits
Models spend a lot of time visiting salons and spas to get professional beauty procedures done. These can include:
– Brow tinting and waxing
– Lash tinting or extensions
– Hair extensions and regular trims
– Facials
– Laser hair removal
– Body exfoliating treatments
– Light therapy treatments (for hyperpigmentation etc)
– Massages for lymphatic drainage and for sore muscles
– Manicures and pedicures
– Spray tans
– Fillers and other injectable treatments
Over time, keeping these things topped up can be very expensive. Fillers alone can cost hundreds of pounds. Models are never looking to achieve a fake look (unless they work in the glamour industry), but they will regularly use cosmetic procedures to emphasize their looks in a natural, barely noticeable way.
If you’re an aspiring model, having these procedures is likely out of your budget. Fortunately, you can DIY many of these yourself at home for a fraction of the cost. Buy a buffing brush to buff the nails on your hands and feet into an attractive shape and to make them shine. Use an exfoliating mitt in the shower each day to smooth skin. Polish dead skin off of hands and feet regularly. Pluck brows and use at-home tinting treatments to darken and define the hairs. There are plenty of YouTube videos showing you the best and safest way to do these things, an example of which is below:
Hair removal
Hair removal is really important, especially for models who regularly wear little clothing (lingerie, swimsuit and high-fashion models).
Many brands and jobs will request for the model to have no hair. How the model removes this hair is up to them, but many models choose to get laser hair removal as, over time, this has permanent results. Waxing is another option, but waxing requires the model to grow their hair to a certain length between each wax, so this can be annoying if a model has back-to-back jobs. Shaving is another go-to but can result in redness, irritation and ingrown hairs which are unsightly.
Remember – even models don’t always look perfect!
It’s easy to think that all models look perfect constantly, but this simply isn’t the case. They are only human after all and they have off days like the rest of us. They do, however, have things to fall back on when they are looking less than perfect.
Filters & Photo Editing
Filters are now commonly used on social media, in particular the photo-sharing app Instagram. It’s become commonplace for people to whack a filter onto a photo – you don’t need any photo editing skills to do it, and many apps are free. Models without makeup can use a filter to make it appear as though their skin is completely flawless – all with the click of a button.
It’s important to recognise that these photos are edited. Unfortunately, we are starting to lose track of what is real and what isn’t due to the highly edited photos we regularly see passed off as “untouched” on social media. Fortunately, some are calling out for edited photos to be labelled as such, so we can begin to redefine our thoughts on natural beauty to be healthier and more realistic.
Make-up
Models have access to the best make-up artists in the world. Do not underestimate the transformative powers of make-up; even when it looks like a completely natural makeup-free selfie, they may be wearing a full face! It’s very uncommon for models to share a truly make-up free, filter-free photo – that’s because it’s their job to look perfect year-round, and they don’t want us seeing them as unpolished.
Models Who Look Stunning Without Makeup
– Cindy Crawford
– Bella Hadid
– Heidi Klum
– Adriana Lima
– Jourdan Dunn
– Gigi Hadid
– Chrissy Teigen
– Jasmine Tookes
– Taylor Hill
– Gisele Bundchen
– Chanel Iman
Yes i really want to become a beauty model!