Brazilian model Alessandra Ambrosio might be relieved that she’s officially retired from the Victoria’s Secret show (‘you work all year long for that one moment on the runway and when you blink it’s done; it goes so fast’), but that doesn’t mean she’s any less dedicated to her daily beauty and exercise regimes. ‘My beauty essentials? There are a few of them. I love beauty,’ the 37-year-old model laughed, when asked about the kit she relies on.
Alessandra was in Shanghai in her role as an ambassador for Omega, for the launch of their new Constellation watch, so perhaps understandably jet lag – and the benefits of mood-boosting products and hotel-friendly workouts – was on her mind. ‘I’ve grown up with jetlag; I’ve been in more than eight different continents this month. What I try to do when I go to a place is meditate, do yoga, lots of stretching, drinking tea and keeping healthy.’
Being honest about balancing that busy, jet-setting lifestyle with being a mum of two kids (Noah, 6, and Anja, 10) is something Alessandra is determined to also talk about. ‘I’m a working mum, I travel all the time all over the world, I have a career, but I’m home with my kids and I’m appealing to all the women out there that have the same kind of lifestyle,’ is why she believes that Omega first approached her about joining their team of ambassadors in 2016, during their work around the Olympic Games.
Alessandra Ambrosio - Omega
1 of 3Alessandra Ambrosio
2 of 3Alessandra Ambrosio
3 of 3Alessandra Ambrosio
That she was a Brazilian supermodel can’t have also hurt. ‘Being Brazilian I always love the natural beauty,’ she says of how growing up in Erechim impacted her thoughts on beauty. ‘So, a girl just walking on the beach and a little bit suntanned, like the salty hair. That to me is what’s pretty. When we put make-up on, it’s to just enhance us, to look prettier and enhance whatever you want to enhance in your face, but you don’t want to change everything. You want to be yourself.
Here’s what else to take from the Brazilian supermodel.
THE HYDRATING SKIN BOOST
‘I love wearing Vitamin C serums. I’m using three different ones right now from three different dermatologists.’
Try Sunday Riley CEO Rapid Flash Brightening Serum, £70, Space NK
A FACE REFRESHER
‘I have a rose water spray from Madonna’s beauty line MDNA that I love. I have one in my bag and I’m always spraying rose water around – it has a nice smell and keeps your face fresh. You can actually put it in your hair too; it gives that nice texture.’
The Rose Mist, $120, MDNA
THE BEDROOM WORKOUT
‘I take an amazing workout in Los Angeles with my friend Brooke Burke; it’s an aerobics class with really fun music so it kind of feels like I’m going to a club to dance. Now she has this app [Brooke Burke Body on the App store] that I can do everywhere. It’s a ten-minute workout, where you can build your own regime; depending on if you want to focus on abs, butt or legs. Whatever you want to do you can put it together so wherever I am and whatever time I have I’ll do it.’
Brooke Burke Body, App store
OVERNIGHT REPAIR
‘I use an eye cream every night I like the La Mer one; it smells good and is very rich.’
La Mer The Eye Concentrate, £155, SpaceNK
THE INSTA-WORTHY FACE MASK
‘I love my facialist Mimi Luzon and she has this mask that I wear sometimes and you can do it at home too. They have a silver and gold one but the latest is an anti-wrinkle powder one that I brought on this trip with me. I’ll be going to three different continents in a week so I’m trying it.’
Mimi Luzon 24K Gold Mask, £275, Net-a-Porter
Alessandra Ambrosio is an ambassador for Omega watches www.omegawatches.com