When it comes to embracing certain realities and complexities that can come with age, Paulina Porizkova is an open book. The author and supermodel’s memoir, No Filter: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful, details a number of her most meaningful experiences in adulthood, including her first Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue cover in 1984 and fitful relationship with beauty conglomerate Estée Lauder, which began shortly after.
“My previous partnership with Estée Lauder, from 1988 to 1995, felt more like a job. I was an image, a blank canvas onto which desires and aspirations could be projected,” the supermodel tells Bazaar. “I was seen but never heard, and I was helping to sell a vision of beauty inextricably linked to youth.”
Now, at 60, the star is once again serving as the face of the storied brand's beauty campaign, rejoining its ranks as a brand ambassador. “Thirty years later, partnering with Estée Lauder to amplify my message around positive aging and to connect with women from all over the world is so much more than a job; it’s my calling,” Porizkova explains.
Bazaar caught up with the supermodel to gain expert insight into aging gracefully, her must-have routine regulars (which include plenty of spritzes of celebrity hairstylist Sam McKnight's Cool Girl texture mist), and her thoughts on the best part of growing older. Porizkova also shares the one thing that never fails to keep her feeling unapologetically vibrant and youthful.
If you don’t mind sharing, how old are you? What age do you feel you are in your head?
Do I feel younger? No. But every year I feel smarter, wiser, and better. So, I guess that makes me 60!
Do you have a beloved beauty product that you’ve worn for most of your life?
SPF. Not consistently one brand, but SPF is a must-have. My latest favorite is the Estée Lauder Perfectionist Pro Aqua UV Gel SPF 50.
Estée Lauder Perfectionist Pro Multi-Defense Aqua UV Gel SPF 50
What aspects of your physical appearance do you love more now, as you’ve gotten older?
I love my gray hair. It still requires maintenance, believe it or not, but I feel very good about my hair.
Which beauty products would you say have aged well?
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum has stood the test of time. I used it when I was younger and didn’t even need it, and here I am using it still, and now I can truly see a difference.
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex
Please give us a quick breakdown of your current beauty routine.
My boyfriend laughs now while I do my multistep skincare routine, and he’s just brushing his teeth, but I love it. I feel like I do all of the work at night with my serums and creams, and then I wake up and see the benefits. I love the full Advanced Night Repair regimen: the Cleansing Balm, Gel Cleanser, Serum, and Overnight Treatment. There’s also a new eye product launching later this year that I’m completely obsessed with.
For hair, I love Sam McKnight’s Cool Girl shampoo, conditioner, and texturizing spray. I also love Aerin fragrances: Lilac Path and Amber Musk Santal are two of my current favorites. Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille is another go-to.
Hair by Sam McKnight Cool Girl Barely There Texture Mist
Hair by Sam McKnight Cool Girl Volume Cleanse Shampoo & Nourish Conditioner
Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille Eau de Parfum Spray
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Moisturizing Overnight Treatment
Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme and Youth Power Creme Moisturizer SPF 25
In the morning, I use the Revitalizing Supreme+ Crème with SPF 25. I love it because it already has SPF in it. For makeup, I like using makeup products that are more like skincare hybrids, like Estée Lauder’s Futurist SkinTint. It has coverage but also hydrates the skin, which is great for more mature skin like mine. Also, I’m almost always wearing lipstick on my cheeks; just a little dab of color goes a long way. Then mascara and I’m good to go.
What keeps you feeling vibrant and youthful?
Hope. And how do you cultivate hope? Gratitude. I sound like an Instagram meme, but unfortunately, it’s kind of true. Because I’ve gone through a part of life where I utterly lost hope, I understand what it’s like when you’re living a life you don’t want. And it’s a horrible feeling. It robs you of everything. So, hope is really the most important thing there is. I write about it in my book, and I stand by it, because if you have hope, even that just tomorrow is going to be a better day, then you’ve got it. And I have hope. I’ve had hope for a while that tomorrow will be a better day, and now I have the gratitude that it is better every day.
Many people fear growing older. In your opinion, what is the best part about it?
The best part is that you finally turn into the person that you were meant to be all along. And perhaps that’s not always a happy finding. But I think if you try to live your life with an understanding that other people matter, that connections matter, and that love matters, then you won’t be disappointed with who that person is that you truly are.
