On a recent Wednesday afternoon, Stephanie Seymour is perched at a pink linen table outside her Greenwich estate. Her skin is poreless, her hair is thick and swingy, and she is dressed in a prim peach Azzedine Alaïa dress that’s fit to her hourglass frame. “I thought about wearing vintage couture, but I came back to this,” says Seymour of diving into her storied fashion collection in honor of the day’s occasion—a lunch in celebration of her role as the newest face of Estée Lauder. “Go with your first instinct.”
Trusting her impulses is what the supermodel, who turns 46 today, does best. After more than a lifetime of noteworthy accomplishments (five Vogue covers, a Victoria’s Secret contract, and a second career playing muse to artists like Francesco Clemente, Eric Fischl, Richard Prince, Julian Schnabel, and Maurizio Cattelan), she recently marked another career milestone—shooting her first campaign with the iconic American beauty company, due out this fall. Here, she sits down with Vogue.com to talk about skin care and fitness in her forties, why beauty is an every day commitment, and getting better with age.
When did your relationship with Estée Lauder begin?
Since I was young, my mom wanted me to be a model. She worked in the beauty business as a hairdresser and is a really beautiful woman—she probably could have been a very successful model. When Avedon met her, he was blown away. She always followed models and beauty trends and she absolutely loved Karen Graham. When I was really young, she would say to me ‘One day, you’re going to be an Estée Lauder model just like Karen Graham.’ [Laughs] So later on, when I was modeling, that became the pinnacle for me. There are certain things you want to do as a model, everyone wants the American Vogue cover, for example, and working for a luxury beauty brand like Estée Lauder was one of them for me. Whenever the company was looking for girls and I wasn’t in the running I was like “Come on!” [Laughs] So it was a great feeling to get that phone call.
Any products you swear by from them?
I’ve been using their mascara for 15 years. It is the best mascara—it never clumps or dries out, but it thickens and elongates your lashes and it wears really well.
What else is in your makeup bag?
I don’t wear a ton of makeup. I’m more into the skin care aspect of beauty. But I want my cheeks to look illuminated, to get rid of the dark circles, do my eyebrows a little bit, then mascara, and lip gloss. I like pinks. Blush, too.
You have the most incredible skin. How has your skin care changed as you’ve moved into your forties?
I had acne in my late twenties and early thirties. It was horrible. I started using Proactiv, which, for acne, was super effective. But my skin has changed since then. Now I need moisture and firming. I love Estée Lauder’s Re-Nutriv cream. And to tighten and hydrate my skin I use masks every other day. I like sheet masks and eye patches—Bliss eye patches are really good. Serums have made a huge difference in my skin. My mother taught me how to layer them. One for firming, one for brightening, one for hydration—they enter your skin immediately. Then you put a cream on at the end. I like to change up the ones I use all the time, whether I’m finding new things to use or it’s something that my facialist gives me.
Who is your facialist?
My facialist is amazing. Her name is Wanda Innes. She’s unbelievable! She uses these little electrical pads on your face that promote circulation and healthy rejuvenation on a cellular level. Then she has these firming electric, metal gloves that she holds on your face, neck, and chest. If there’s anything cutting edge out there she is on it. And I absolutely love an oxygen facial. You can get an oxygen facial on your whole body and it’s amazing. It lifts your butt. It takes a long time, but who cares. If it works, it works.
What else do you do to stay in shape?
I was raised in a really strict household in terms of health. We were never allowed to have candy, chips, or soda. I should be more regulated about my exercise, but thankfully I’ve had really good dietary habits. I’ll have a cheeseburger, but I don’t indulge in junk food ever. My favorite forms of exercise are Pilates, swimming, and walking. I have a great Pilates instructor that I’ve been working out with for over 15 years, MeJo Wiggin. She got me in shape after several of my children. She’s just amazing. She trained with the original Joseph Pilates instructors. I can work out for 35 minutes twice a week with her and just do a little bit of walking and stay in shape. I’m not cut, but I’m not into a really muscular physique. I think women’s bodies should be soft and toned but not cut. That’s not for me.
You’ve been modeling since you were fourteen. What is your favorite beauty moment in your career?
I loved the way François Nars did my makeup. Also, there’s something that I can’t do for myself that only professional makeup artists can do for me, and that is a little tiny wing on the outside of my eye with a few little individual eye lashes. My eyes have a tendency of turning down on the corners, so when a makeup artist lifts my eyes up like that, that’s my beauty moment. That makes me so happy. It lifts your whole face.
What is the best beauty advice you’ve ever been given?
My mother used to say, “Pain is beauty, beauty is pain.” [Laughs] And after years of having to tolerate all different kinds of facials and having the patience to do all the things you need to do to take care of yourself, I think my mother was right. It’s not always fun getting waxed or whatever it may be. I can tolerate discomfort. My facialist, with the electricity will be like, “Is that too much?” And I’ll say, “No! Turn it up higher!” [Laughs]
What about from work—have you learned anything that you incorporate into your daily routine for makeup, hair, or skin care?
That maintenance is really important. Beauty is not something you can just decide that every once in a while you’re going to take part in. You have to take care of yourself, keep your hair healthy and nourish it, take care of your skin, and just keep up with basic maintenance like getting your nails done. Anything after that is just extra.
You’re mother to Peter Brant II and Harry Brant. Do you share any beauty advice with them?
My boys are always in my bathroom asking for a mask or what to do about this or that. They get it. Harry knows just as much about beauty as I do. He is seventeen and his best friend is Pat McGrath! They’re like Frick and Frack. Even my husband puts a face mask on—I make him. It’s important for men to take care of their skin, too.