Christie Brinkley Is Absolutely Stunning Without Makeup
Christie Brinkley is a supermodel, so it goes without saying that she knows a thing or two about makeup. Through endless hours of getting dolled up for shoots, red carpets, and runway shows, Brinkley has undoubtedly picked up plenty of tricks and techniques just by watching the professionals at work. It's a process she's always enjoyed, as the legendary beauty told her daughter, Sailor Brinkley-Cook in a 2014 chat for Into the Gloss, to the extent that she ventured into cosmetics by releasing her own makeup line, Christie Brinkley Authentic Beauty, in 2018.
"I feel like it's a work of art," the Sports Illustrated model gushed in her chat with Brinkley-Cook. "I study it to see how they do it; I always thought that was part of the fun." Before becoming a model, Brinkley wasn't accustomed to wearing makeup in her day-to-day life, usually going barefaced. Growing up, it was all about embracing one's natural beauty, and it wasn't until mod makeup was popularized in the 1960s that she started experimenting with it.
"We had a phase where makeup was just not a thing, and then I think it was Twiggy that had us painting the little rays of sunshine underneath our eyes," she recalled. "You could even paint your eyelashes on the top to appear as if they were going all the way up. It was amazing." It's perhaps for this reason — and the fact that she's naturally gorgeous, of course! — that Brinkley is perfectly comfortable showing off her face to the public even without any makeup on.
Christie Brinkley likes to keep it real
Christie Brinkley's beauty shines through regardless of whether she's got a full face of makeup on or not. The legendary supermodel is unafraid of going without her glam in photos and clips that she shares on social media, inspiring her millions of followers to do the same and embrace their beauty in all its natural glory. In 2022, she took to Instagram to post a video of herself with a completely bare face — as in, fresh-out-of-the-shower bare! — as Brinkley detailed her morning skincare routine. "I don't know how they talked me into doing this, but here I am without any of the magic," she said in the clip. "You don't even need any makeup!! Absolutely still so gorgeous!" one fan wrote in response. "Always a true beauty!!"
That very same year, Brinkley also shared a series of makeup-free photos while showcasing her home garden in a simple plaid shirt and denim overalls. One of the pictures offers a closer look at Brinkley's gorgeous face with her fine lines and wrinkles visible. Clearly, she's all about keeping it real and is unashamed of showing her age (rightly so!). Speaking to People in 2024, Brinkley confirmed that she's absolutely fine with having a few creases and lines on her face. "I want to accept certain wrinkles," she stated firmly, adding, "That's the way I'm approaching aging." When it comes to facial enhancements, the mother-of-three doesn't want to go overboard either, reasoning, "I want a little life to show on my face, you know?"
Brinkley shared her beauty secrets
So, what does Christie Brinkley do to achieve her natural glow? Fortunately for us, the iconic supermodel and businesswoman spilled all the deets on her beauty secrets and how she manages to confidently go makeup-free so often. To put it simply, it's all about taking care of your skin. "My routine is very simple: I cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize. I use Olay's Regenerist line and Clarins neck cream, and I'm religious about wearing sunscreen daily," she detailed with Harper's Bazaar in 2014. Staying hydrated and eating well is super important, too.
Brinkley had been an avid vegetarian since she was a teenager. However, after getting injured on "Dancing with the Stars," in 2019, which ultimately led to an early departure from the show, she became a pescatarian and added fish to her diet to aid her recovery. Brinkley mostly stays away from sugar and eats plenty of leafy greens. "My diet is plant-based. I've raised my kids on what I call the 'rainbow diet.' I want as many colors as possible," she explained to Byrdie in 2022. "These are all the ingredients that do wonderful things to your skin." The beauty mogul also exercises regularly, whether that's lifting weights, spinning, or just walking.
Lastly, a little help from science doesn't hurt either. Every now and then, Brinkley does Ultherapy, a non-surgical treatment used to improve sagging skin. "My choice for aging gracefully is to dabble in treatments," Brinkley divulged in a 2018 interview with The Cut. As she argued, "To ignore science would be ridiculous. It's my pleasure to be able to let other people know about these things." The evidence is clear based on her makeup-free photos alone.