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Apparently it wasn't enough for Cindy Crawford to be fantastic at just one thing. Twenty-two years after her iconic Pepsi commercial aired, the original supermodel is now a supermom, skincare guru, home goods mogul, and soon-be-be published author, too. Here the 48-year-old talks all things health and happiness, from lending clothes to her kids' Instagram photo shoots to drinking tequila to help her stay beautiful.
Why did you decide to go into skincare and start Meaningful Beauty?
I always felt as a model, my job was to take care of my skin. Just show up so that everyone else could do their job, which meant that I fit the clothes, that my skin looked good, that my hair was clean, that my nails looked decent. I always took that seriously as part of my job. I met Dr. Sebagh when I was 28 and I just loved the vitamin treatments he was doing and the way my skin felt. And I would jokingly say, 'Why can't you bottle this stuff?' So we did!
Can you tell me about the new serum?
We're really excited about the ultra lifting and filling treatment, mostly because it offers two new benefits to the Meaningful Beauty line that we didn't have before—hence the name, lifting and filling. As my skin ages and I have different concerns, we address those needs in the line because I know that our customer has similar concerns as me.
What advice do you have about aging for people who worry about looking older?
I think the most important thing is, if you're happy in your life and you're doing work that you like, that comes across. As well as if you've taken care of yourself over the years, that shows. Like I was never a party girl, and I don't smoke, and I eat right, and I exercise, and I drink water, I try to get enough sleep, which is usually easier now that my kids are older, except I have to stay up later on weekends to drive them home. True beauty is the energy you give out, and that comes through being happy.
ELLE Magazine
Why did you choose the name Meaningful Beauty?
Primarily because when we started talking about doing the line, I just kept saying, 'I'm busy and I assume everyone else is too, and I just want each product to be meaningful and deliver results.' So we kept saying, 'Is it meaningful, is it meaningful?' But in a broader sense, it's this idea about 'Why is beauty meaningful?' And it's really because we feel more confident as women when we feel beautiful. I think that that translates and trickles down into everything you do in your day: how you parent, how you are in a business meeting, how you walk down the street.
Speaking of parenting, what beauty lessons are you passing on to your daughter?
My philosophy as a mother is that a lot of times kids don't really listen to what you say, but they observe you. You lead by example. For my daughter, I want her to feel beautiful with and without makeup, that she can go out of the house with a clean face. That's why it makes taking care of your skin even more important. Because when your skin looks good, you don't feel like you have to hide behind your makeup. She's 13; she loves playing with makeup, but I don't want her to see it as—and I don't act that way myself—that you can't go out of the house without makeup on.
What makeup products have you shown her?
Jane Iredale mineral powder because I feel like you can't mess it up. It doesn't streak; it's not like a liquid foundation that you can put on too thick, or you can forget a spot. I feel like that's really easy for her to use. But she actually does her makeup really well. If she wants to know something, I teach her. But she can do liquid eyeliner way better than I can. She might have to start teaching me things too.
I'm excited she and your son started up their Instagram photography project again. How did that come to be?
You know, it's cute because it's something that they can do together. They live in a world where we've had shoots at our house before—we're friends with photographers—so it's not foreign to them. Presley likes taking pictures, so they did a few, and then they forgot about it (as kids do), and then the other day they were bored, so they did a photo shoot. It's so funny because my son really has opinions about the clothes. So yesterday when they were doing the pictures, I happened to be home. Of course my daughter raids my closet, and we had to do a fitting. He was like, 'No I don't like that, it's too this, it's too that.' I'm like, 'Seriously, Presley! I don't have that much time!' But then I totally get out of it. They went out in the yard and they just started taking pictures. I really want it to be their thing.
Does Presley want to be a fashion photographer?
I mean, I don't know; he's 15 so he wants to be a lot of things. Who knows what he'll end up doing.
Does Kaia want to be a model like you?
I think she would like to model some, but she's also so young. It's fun for her. Like I said, they've been around photography their whole life; they've done shoots with me. They were in a Pepsi commercial with me when they were babies, so it's just the natural thing for them to do.
Do you give her any modeling tips?
No. Nor would she listen to me. And it's good; she needs to be her own person. Maybe she's seen me do it, so she has a comfort level. She's got good instincts.
Do you have any things you're really into right now when it comes to your health?
I think I've grown up enough to not do the fad like, 'Hey I'm not doing any of this, I'm not doing any of that.' I certainly went through those stages. Now I always say 'I try to be 80 percent good, 80 percent of the time.' Because that's achievable, you know?
Do you have any beauty or health tips?
One thing that I notice, and I never had this problem with salt before, is that I get puffy in the morning. Now when I go to a sushi bar I put lemon on my sushi not soy sauce. And by the way, it's more delicious. Now my son does it too because we just like it better. I also don't really drink wine anymore. It makes me puffy under my eyes. Fortunately tequila does not, and my husband has an excellent tequila. So we just drink tequila. I can't do the sugar, so I drink it on the rocks with lime and ice. I feel good and I also don't get puffy.
What do you usually eat on an average day?
You know those Urban Remedy shakes? Those meal replacements that they make? I just make them myself now and I have the mint chocolate chip one every morning. It's like a cup of almond milk, a cup of raw spinach, a quarter cup of fresh mint, then half a frozen banana and cacao chips. I put in protein powder as well. Even when I am traveling, I have them sent to my hotel. It just sets the tone for the day, then it's pretty easy to be good at lunch, and that way by dinner, I can just eat dinner with my family and not worry about it.
On a whole different note, I love your Throwback Thursdays on Instagram. How do you pick them out?
Oh gosh, it's just kind of random. But I'm actually doing a book that's coming out next fall; we're putting together these albums, like '80s looks or cutoffs. We're taking old pictures and making editorial stories with a mixture of my old pictures. So that has been fun because we've been going through a lot of old stuff. Even stuff I might not be using for the book, I'm like, 'This would be hilarious for Instagram.' The thing I like about Instagram, is it doesn't only have to be those iconic, favorite images, it can be anything.
So you've definitely adapted to social media.
Totally. I mean it's really cool, especially for young models. Those girls are getting an opportunity to be their own voice and define their own brand, which I think is cool. We didn't have that opportunity. I was lucky because I had House of Style and I got to talk and people got to know me, but other than that we were just two-dimensional pictures in a magazine.
Are there any young models now that you're particularly into?
I like Coco [Rocha]. We've been friendly, she's unique. But then there's also Cara Delevingne, who my daughter tells me who to follow.
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