Elle Macpherson is known for many things, but if there’s one phrase that comes to mind when thinking of the supermodel, it’s her nickname “The Body.” As a young model starting out her career, Macpherson’s incredibly fit physique scored her the moniker, and at age 54 her figure is just as unbelievable. As it turns out, Macpherson credits her youthful and fit body to her healthy living habits, using both a wholesome diet and dedicated fitness routine to keep her in tip top shape. Luckily for us, Macpherson disclosed all her youth-boosting secrets in a recent interview to celebrate her brand WelleCo’s flagship store opening. Read on!
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NewBeauty: How do you stay looking and feeling as youthful as you do?
Elle Macpherson: Well, my concern is not to look youthful, my concern is really to feel as good as I can possibly feel and fortunately, when my body is nourished, the wonderful byproduct is that my skin looks great and my body looks great. I take my [WelleCo] supergreens every day, maybe even twice a day, I do an hour of yoga in the afternoon, I drink a lot of water, sleep seven hours and have a very committed plant-based diet.
NB: Can you tell us a bit more about your plant-based diet?
EM: [I eat] plants, seeds, nuts, and fruit. What I learned from my nutritionist is that it’s not about the quantity of food we eat, it’s the quality of food and what we absorb from our ingredients. I noticed that with the quality of food I’ve been eating, I can eat a lot more, I’m more satisfied and my body is really loving having very nutritional meals.
NB: Are there any beauty or wellness practices that you never did in your 20s or 30s but felt has been a good addition to your routine in your 50s?
EM: Yeah—I never used to do saunas and now I have a home sauna that’s an infrared sauna you sit in with your head out. I take regular saunas because they support your immune system, they’re great for detoxing and this particular one is a gem sauna so its great for healing. I also do a lot of dry body brushing, which I did when I was younger but then I stopped and now I’ve started again. It’s easy to figure out—there are lessons online—but it’s just circling with a natural bristle brush towards the heart. It’s great for not only circulation, but also exfoliation. I also never did yoga when I was younger, I did a lot of running and working out at the gym and today, I just choose more holistic practices because I feel like my body benefits from them in ways I didn’t expect.
NB: How often do you do yoga?
EM: Well I aim to do it every day but I’d say I do it 5 days a week.
NB: Is there one beauty product, trick or treatment that you used during your early modeling days and still use to this day?
EM: Drink lots of water—it’s a game changer, people underestimate the value of hydration and I think people undervalue the value of good nutrition.
NB: Are there any in-office treatments or facials that you love?
EM: No—I’m not really a facial person, I’m more of a wellness girl than I am a beauty girl. And the great thing is that if you look after your body from the inside, the skin looks after itself.
NB: Do you use retinol? If so, which one is your favorite?
EM: No, I live in the sun. I live in Miami.
NB: Do you have any tricks for taking a great photo/selfie?
EM: Smile! Usually I tell people to find your light. Find a great light source.
NB: What is your diet and fitness routine like leading up to a big photoshoot?
EM: I’m actually somebody who believes in maintenance. Maintenance is so much easier—there’s nothing worse than having something come up and then trying to go full force into some program to prep for a shoot. I find it so much easier to stick to a maintenance program all the time.
NB: Tell us a little bit about the store opening and expansion of WelleCo?
EM: We have 100 doors open globally, but opening our first flagship in America, let along NYC, is so exciting. We’re enjoying every moment right now. We’re on Crosby and Broome—come visit it!
NB: What’s next for the brand?
EM: We have a big launch with Sephora next month which is very exciting for us!
Spoiler: The Brand is launching their new SuperBoosters supplement which contain potent adaptogens and medicinal botanicals with targeted benefits for both men and women. With seven different varieties, there’s something for everyone, so be sure to check out WelleCo.com in November for more information.
