Getty Images
Linda Rodin is a quiet, but strong, force: super stylish, striking silver hair and the kind of energy you spot from a mile away. And she’s not close to slowing down. The 68-year-old model, stylist and creator of the cult-classic facial oil line Rodin Olio Lusso sat down with us at Cos Bar in New York to share some of her best beauty secrets and hinted at some very big upcoming launches for the brand.
On her biggest beauty secret…
“I get nine hours of sleep a night. For me, sleep is key. I eat dinner very early. I eat at 5 p.m., so by 7 p.m. I’m not stuffed or drunk. I do everything very early. Recently, I’ve been glued to the TV. Nighttime is my time to watch TV, answer emails, text. I’m not a big nighttime socializer. I’m out all day, so at night, I just want to be my myself. Someone recently asked me, ‘Don’t you have FOMO [fear of missing out]?’ No, I have FOBI. Fear of being invited.”
On her bath time ritual…
“I take a bath every night. I stay in as long as I can or as long as my dog will let me. I cleanse my face with my facial oil, I use my soap and I use my body oil. I’m pretty much a one-stop shop; I use all my own stuff. We’re thinking about creating something for the bath, but it’s not that simple to make a bath oil that doesn’t smell commercial. But we are working on it!”
You May Also Like: The Secret Ingredient That Fights Stress
On the facial-oil revolution…
“Oils have been around since Cleopatra; there’s nothing new about them. But I think everyone was afraid of them before, for all the wrong reasons. Women have sent me testimonials that they had acne for 30 years and my oil helped them; the truth is, you need oil to help with oil. So I think the light bulb went off.
I just always loved oils and I was making my oil [as the story goes, Rodin mixed her first oil in her kitchen, launched the line in 2007 and Estée Lauder acquired the brand in 2014] for myself. The fact that it snowballed is kind of funny, but gratifying. I still think mine is the best, but that is subjective! Now, there’s a million of them. There’s a new oil a day. I’m sure some of them are great, but, and this may sound snotty, I have no interest in trying them. I love mine.”
On her new lipsticks…
“For me, it’s not about lipstick—there are a billion reds out there. I made the lipsticks because I don’t leave the house without lipstick. I have five shades, they are all mix-and-match, they all look great together, but they aren’t trendy. It’s more about the formulation and how I wear it. I make things that I use, use repeatedly and are classic.”
You May Also Like: The 25 Most Iconic Lipsticks Ever
On the one shade she won’t wear…
“At my age, I don’t look great in the nude shade, but I made one because I lived in nude from 20 to 40. I think it’s better on younger people. It just doesn’t work with my gray hair—it makes me look really tired. I do mix it with the other shades and it makes the other colors look more vibrant.”
On the beauty step she skips…
“I don’t wear foundation. I haven’t worn it since my early 30s. I never really felt comfortable in it. If I have a pimple or a spot, I’ll cover it up.”
On her signature hair…
“I use purple shampoo. It really does work. It’s great. We want to make one because it’s all I use. I started going gray when I was 35 and I’ve been using it ever since. People see what they want to see in the mirror; in my mind, I’m still a brunette! I wash my hair once a week. I used to straighten it, and I ruined it for years. I gave that up about five years ago. It’s amazing I have any hair left. Now, I just put it in a tight ponytail. It has to be easy for me; I never wear it down.”
You May Also Like: The Best Shampoos for Gray Hair
On what we can look forward to from the brand…
“I have a lip pencil coming out. And possibly some eye stuff. I don’t consider the line to be a color brand; it’s a lifestyle brand. I want it to be things I use every day. My thinking is you have to pick your lane and stay in it.”
