There are few models more well-known than Christie Brinkley. The natural beauty, now 69, is famous for her appearances in Sports Illustrated, as well as her role in National Lampoon's Vacation and her stint as the face of CoverGirl cosmetics. So, if there's anyone's beauty routine we want to emulate, it's hers. At the tail end of her seventh decade, the model and actress looks as flawless as ever, with dewy skin, voluminous hair, and seamless makeup. And fortunately, she's generous in sharing her best tips and tricks for achieving the look. Read on to learn Brinkley's secrets for looking naturally beautiful at any age. And don't fret: her methods are as easy as they are effective.
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1. Start with exfoliation.
ShutterstockGreat skincare lays the foundation for flawless makeup and no-makeup looks—and Brinkley has a step she never skips.
"I start every day by exfoliating my face," she told Byrdie last year. "That’s something I’ve done for the past 40 years, and I feel like it’s really contributed to my skin feeling fresh and smooth."
The model says she first started doing this after reading that men tend to look five years younger than women, potentially because they shave and, therefore, exfoliate, often. "I was like, I’m not going to let them get away with that," she said.
Brinkley's favorite product in this category is the Authentic Skin Care Closeup Instant Wrinkle Reducer & Treatment from her own skincare line.
2. Use a sculpting tool.
ShutterstockIn a recent video on Instagram, Brinkley walked viewers through her beauty routine. It started with the SBLA Beauty The Facial Instant Sculpting Wand.
"Apply it to your forehead, around the eyes, around the mouth, and at night, [apply it] almost everywhere,” she says."It reduces the look of wrinkles right away and long term, and also smooths, brightens the complexion, de-puffs my eyes in the morning, and works great under and over makeup as a refresher!"
Those benefits come from ingredients like hydrating hyaluronic acid, moisturizing squalane, and hyperpigmentation-reducing vitamin C. The product comes in a unique roller ball wand that's easy to apply.
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3. Ace your concealer.
Many concealers on the market have a pesky way of settling into and accentuating fine lines. However, Brinkley has found her holy grail product.
"I love these Jones Road concealer sticks," she said in another Instagram video that showcased the Jones Rode Face Pencil. Brinkley says she uses one "pale" color, which she dabs on the inner corner of her undereye, and one color that's "a little more golden" that she uses toward the outer corner. She dots the pencil directly onto her skin and blends it with her finger.
4. Apply foundation with a beauty blender.
iStockAfter using concealer, Brinkly applies two foundations with a beauty blender, she says on Instagram. First, she wets her beauty blender with warm water. Then, she puts two foundations on her hand. To create her natural look, she puts the lighter shade under her eyes and the warmer shade under her cheeks.
"Then I just use a little bit of whatever is left and apply it down the neck, down the decolletage, and over the forehead," she explains. The result is a fully blended look that doesn't look cakey or overdone.
5. Plump your lips.
ShutterstockAs we get older, our skin loses volume and elasticity, and our lips are no different. Brinkley uses the SBLA Beauty Double The Plump Lip Plump & Sculpt to plump them up.
"I love them, and you will too...look how great the color is," she said on Instagram. "Look how it plumps my lips...I seriously....seriously...love this color."
6. Embrace your greys.
Ground Picture / ShutterstockJust like the rest of us, Brinkley experiences gray hairs. "The second you see gray hair, it raises the question, just like when you cut bangs... to keep or not to keep?" she captioned a recent Instagram post. "Thank goodness both are just a personal preference or a fun change of pace. My son thinks it looks cool, but I think I may want to wait till it’s more like the silver whitecaps than the grey wave itself!"
Hey, maybe we'll see her sporting a full head of silver strands in the near future.
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7. Throw in some extensions
ShutterstockBrinkley reveals that the thick, voluminous locks we often see on models and celebrities are typically thanks to extensions.
"I’ve been modeling for over 40 years, and I would say the last 20 years, or so, extensions have just been a part of a model’s life," she told Byrdie. "I would love to share this convenience with women out there and let them start thinking about it as not necessarily this vague attachment that makes you feel like you’re fooling anybody. When someone tells me my hair looks great, I say, 'Thank you. I’m wearing one of my extensions today.'"
Her line is called Hair2Wear and is available on Amazon if you're interested in trying it out.
