Plenty of celebrities have go-to skin care steps that us regular people clamor to learn about. "How do they look so awake all the time? Do dark circles just not exist in California?" You get the idea. But when it comes to supermodel Christie Brinkley's skin care routine and secrets, it's nearly impossible not to pay attention, whether you're fazed by the allure of celebrity or not. Brinkley is 62. Really. The modeling legend has been in the industry for over 40 years now, making her an absolute expert on the subject of skin care.
I spoke to Brinkley about her new line of products, Christie Brinkley Authentic Skincare, and learned about some of her most important steps in her skin care routine — whether they pertain to creams and serums, or something as simple as what she drinks every morning when she wakes up. Brinkley also talked to me about some things she wished she had done differently to her skin over the years because, yes, even supermodels forget to wear enough SPF every now and then. While you might be thinking her biggest tips come in the form of expensive routines or treatments, the truth is that Brinkley's secrets are everyday habits (and regrets when it comes to skin care mistakes) in her teens that any of us could learn from and incorporate into our daily lives.
If we're being honest, we've all had a bad burn or two, right? If you're like me, you've probably had a few more than that, but it's incredibly important to think long-term when it comes to your skin, and that means the more SPF, the better — and Brinkley agrees, telling me her biggest skin care mistake by far was being outside all day without any SPF on.
"I grew up a surfer girl in Malibu. The sun as a surfer, the sun as a model.... on exotic beaches all over the world, on the equator. From early morning to night," Brinkley says. "The number one thing I wish I hadn't done was baked myself in the sun."
While neglecting to wear SPF may be a common mistake you've been warned against in your life, Brinkley says there's one other big skin care regret she has when she looks back at her habits growing up — and it's something you may not have thought about in terms of its possible effects on your skin.
"As a teenager, I started to smoke, but I stopped, and thankfully I did that," Brinkley says. "That's horrible for your skin."
Brinkley says she regrets smoking as a teenager and wishes she hadn't for the sake of her skin, but also that quitting the habit was one of the best things she's ever done.
While Brinkley has, of course, quit smoking and started wearing SPF daily since her teenage years, she says there are two other daily habits that have had amazing effects on her skin — and one of them you may have heard something about a time or two. But even if you haven't heard of drinking lemon water every morning for health and beauty purposes already (or haven't paid attention yet), Brinkley is about to convince you to adopt the morning ritual into your routine.
"It really does so many things for you. In that little cup of water, it helps your whole elimination — keeps your body flowing — I like to say 'greases the joints.' You get vitamins, and if you just Google 'warm water and lemon,' you'll all be doing it too. It's great for your immune system," Brinkley says. "It's just the best way to start the day."
Another thing Brinkley does daily that she says contributes to her amazing complexion? Exfoliate. Brinkley says she's been a longtime advocate of exfoliating her face each and every day — so much so that she developed her own line of exfoliator for Christie Brinkley Authentic Skincare that's gentle enough for daily use.
"I wanted to design something that was specifically made for daily use. I think that it's really a major part of why women are getting these amazing results. With that daily exfoliation, [the women who are using the product] are getting a faster cell turnover and their skin feels instantly smoother and better," Brinkley says.
Brinkley suggests doing what she does and using the Authentic Skincare Recapture 360 Day Cream after exfoliation for maximum results, noting that "you can instantly feel the difference."
Brinkley's tips and lessons learned are a big reminder that our daily, everyday habits are often what makes the biggest difference in our beauty routines. And if you're interested in using the most Christie Brinkley-approved products there are, be sure to check out her Christie Brinkley Authentic Skincare Line on the brand's site. The line will also be available on HSN as of April 29.
