{Beauty} Beauty Secrets of FOF Models
Who better to ask for beauty secrets then FOF models? Come on, these ladies are paid to look gorgeous. Here 3 beauties share their best tips.
Beverly Johnson / Age: 59
In 1974 Beverly made history as the first black model to be featured on the cover of Vogue. Following her Vogue shoot, was recruited by Eileen Ford to be represented by the Ford Agency. From there she landed modeling jobs at Glamour, Elle, hundreds of other top magazines. Today, at 59 she is back with Ford Agency. The “modelpreneur” also has her own haircare line sold at Target, authored a beauty book and most recently has her own reality show, “Beverly’s Full House” on Oprah’s OWN network. The New York Times named her one of the “20th century’s most influential people in fashion.”
1. You can look like a million bucks without spending a fortune.
“I’m a big drugstore products junkie. Presently, I’m liking this Pantene Pro-V ‘Shine’ Conditioner. For skincare, RoC has some really beautiful products. They’re not super, super pricey but they are high-end.”
2. Dress the way you feel.
“When I was younger I was very self-consciously sophisticated. Now, I dress the way I feel. I’ll wear shorter skirts or cheetah print. My girlfriend and I go out and dress alike, that’s how bold we are. People say, ‘Do you two know you’re wearing the same dress?’ And we say, ‘Uh huh!’”
3. Read fashion and beauty magazines for inspiration, but not to compare yourself.
“I read magazines for ideas. I’ll see they’re doing this kind of vest now and not this kind… Looking at them is not punishment anymore. I don’t look at them and say, ‘Ohmigod I used to be that thin.’”
4. You don’t necessarily have to hit the gym to get a great workout.
“I work with my trainer, Tanya Evans, via Skype. She’s so fabulous, she’s one of those people who stays on the cutting edge of everything. She was a former Ms. Fitness and she really knows the woman’s body. And she can see everything on Skype. I can’t cheat!”
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Susan Hersh / Age: 50
As a teen Susan Hersh idolized supermodel Twiggy and as a young adult worked in fashion under designers Calvin Klein and Norma Kamali. In her 30s Susan was discovered by a model scout while she was sitting in a California coffee shop but passed on the opportunity. In her 40s, when she was scouted for a second time–this time by Ford Modeling Agency–she accepted. “I was starting to think, maybe it’s my calling–it just keeps coming back to me,” she says. Since then, you may have seen Susan’s face grace issues of O Magazine, Good Housekeeping, and Macy’s, Sephora, Nordstrom and Target ads. She was also the “face” of Silver Expressions for Pantene and walked the runway for Barney’s. “I’ve had a pretty good run,” she says.
1. Splurge on your sunscreen.
“I use Kiehl’s Vital Sun Protection SPF40 for my body and Kiehl’s Super Fluid UV Defense 50+ on my face. It’s not cheap, but, in the summer I’ll have suntan lotion on my skin sometimes for up to ten hours–I have to make sure it doesn’t make me break out.”
2. Use Moroccan Oil in your hair.
“This product is amazing. I put it on after I blow dry my hair. You don’t need that much. It’s a miracle product–it immediately makes it soft, shiny, luxurious and contained.”
3. Eat green, leafy vegetables.
I eat kale, brussel sprouts, broccoli rabe, swiss chard, zucchini and string beans. I rotate all of my vegetables. I steam them instead of boiling them to keep in the nutrients that are so beneficial to your health and beauty.
4. Just come to terms with the fact you’re aging already.
“We cannot chase beauty our entire lives. You can have your eyes done and a facelift and everything else and still not feel satisfied. At this age, it’s time to come to terms with the fact you are aging and may have flaws.”
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Robin Bobbé / Age: 60
In 1999, at age 47, Robin Bobbé married a photographer and the two ran a successful commercial photography business together for print advertising. Later, she honed in on what she liked best–casting–and started to do that full time. When an agent looking for new faces of the 50+ market asked if she knew of anyone, Robin thought, “why not me?” This year, at age 60 she went pro with her first gig modeling for a pharmaceutical company ad campaign.
1. Start your workout before you get to the gym.
“I go to the gym every day and alternate what I do there–yoga, weights, etc. But, as a warm up I ride my bike to the gym.”
2. Use tinted moisturizer, instead of foundation.
“I use Kiehl’s Tinted Moisturizer because I get good coverage from it. I think when you’re older you really have to be careful about not using too much product. You don’t want to look pasty and made up plus, foundation can go into your lines and make them more pronounced.”
3. Good genes.
No secret here. “I have a little gray but not much. My mother at 87 years old [her hair] just went white.”
4. Beauty starts internally.
“There’s sunblock, there’s Cetaphyl but to me it’s all about self-discovery. Without that, there’s no beauty. At 60, I’m discovering for the first time who I am. I was feeling very stagnant, I didn’t know what do with myself. My therapist said to me you must try new things…and I did. I started writing, I tried yoga and I took a sewing class. I became more confident–and to me, confident people always look more beautiful.”