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10 Cindy Crawford Beauty Secrets Everyone Should Try

Here's how the 59-year-old maintains her inner and outer beauty.

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Supermodel, entrepreneur, mom and wife: Cindy Crawford — who turns 59 on February 20 — has embraced many roles in her life. Since appearing in her first modeling shoot in the '80s, she’s become an icon of poise, confidence and inner and outer beauty.

As a young girl who once dreamed of becoming president or a nuclear physicist, Crawford has endured decades of changes in her life and career. From music videos to makeup, books and her own skincare line, Crawford has remained vocal about the need for women to be in charge of their own narrative and have more control over their career and life decisions. She also speaks frequently about the importance of self-care and a skincare routine.

The supermodel is as stunning now as before, perhaps even more as she’s matured. Here are Crawford's top beauty secrets that she believes are essential to looking beautiful and feeling good at any age.

1

Drink water, water and more water.

cindy crawford beauty secrets drink water
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Crawford has said in numerous interviews that staying hydrated is essential. “The source of life is the source of hydration necessary for glowing skin and overall health,” says Crawford on her skincare website.

RELATED: Here's Exactly How Much Water You Need to Drink in a Day

2

Embrace what makes you “you.”

cindy crawford beauty secrets be yourself
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She’s spoken often about how being comfortable in your own skin is sexy. When asked why she never removed her iconic mole, she told Howard Stern in a 2015 interview that it’s part of her. “It somehow punctuates my face,” said Crawford.

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3

Sun protection is non-negotiable.

cindy crawford beauty secrets sunscreen
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While Crawford wears products from her own skincare line for sun protection, she has said that wearing sunscreen is vitally important year-round. She wears a minimum of SPF30 every day. And, of course, she always dons glamorous sunglasses to protect her eyes.

RELATED: The Best Sunscreens for Your Skin, Tested by Scientists

4

Eat 80% healthy, 80% of the time.

cindy crawford beauty secrets 80 percent rule
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No one is perfect, so the 80% rule is a realistic approach to eating. In an interview with Allure, she said, “At the end of lunch, I always have a small piece of dark chocolate — it tells my body that I'm done with my meal. In my experience, if you're craving something and deny yourself, you wind up eating five other things, and then you eat the thing you're craving anyway."

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5

Stick with a routine.

cindy crawford beauty secrets routine
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“You and your skin will age better when you consistently stick with a routine,” says Crawford. At the most basic levels, she starts with a cleanser, serum, moisturizer and eye cream.

RELATED: Audrey Hepburn Beauty Secrets You Can Use to Recreate Her Elegant Look

6

Dry brushing should be part of your skincare.

cindy crawford beauty secrets dry brushing
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Crawford includes dry brushing as part of her daily skincare routine to exfoliate and remove dry skin so moisturizers absorb better. “I dry brush every day,” she says. “That’s the first thing I do every morning.”

RELATED: What Is Dry Brushing and Can It Really "Cure" Cellulite?

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7

Don’t forget your neck!

cindy crawford beauty secrets neck
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Crawford told In Style that you have to pamper your neck and chest, too. She uses a cream from her own skincare line, but you can look for products that contain hyaluronic acid, which plumps lines, and vitamin C to brighten hyperpigmentation.

RELATED: The Best Neck-Firming Creams That Actually Worked in Our Lab Testing

8

Be passionate about something.

cindy crawford beauty secrets be passionate
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Crawford told Into the Gloss that beauty isn’t about how you look: “Beauty, to me, is really about two things: confidence and passion. It's the way you carry yourself, trusting that what you have to say is interesting, being engaged, and having that spark of excitement in your eye.”

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9

Take time for yourself.

cindy crawford beauty secrets time for yourself
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Of course, even for such a stunning supermodel, beauty is only skin deep. Wellness includes setting aside time for yourself, even if it’s only a few minutes a day. In an interview with The Skinny Confidential, Crawford said, “I do try to find that 20 or 30 minutes where I’m unplugging, not doing, just being.” She said it may include breathing exercises, listening to a podcast or even taking a quick nap.

RELATED: 50 of the Best Self-Care Activities to Try

10

Live in the moment.

cindy crawford beauty secrets live in the moment
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Crawford said in the same interview that she’s learned how to stay present. “You can’t multi-task present. That has been an important lesson for me. I’m not thinking about what’s next. I’m just doing this, and when this is over, I’ll be present in whatever that next moment is.”

Headshot of Arricca Elin SanSone
Arricca Elin SanSone
Contributing Writer

Arricca Elin SanSone is a writer, editor, and content creator who specializes in lifestyle and gardening. With a background in health reporting, she applies these same research skills when writing about the science of growing things. She trials new plants in her expansive garden, and her houseplant collection consists of 60+ varieties. Arricca has written thousands of articles for publications such as Country Living, House Beautiful, Good Housekeeping, Prevention, VERANDA, Southern Living, and more. She’s happiest when digging in the dirt, baking, or spending time with the people and dogs she loves.

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