{"id":589497,"date":"2026-09-04T03:14:35","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T03:14:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/589497\/"},"modified":"2026-09-04T03:14:35","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T03:14:35","slug":"how-carolyn-murphy-53-gets-better-with-age","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/589497\/","title":{"rendered":"How Carolyn Murphy, 53, Gets Better With Age"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Estimated5 min read<\/p>\n

Long before influencer brand deals and celebrity endorsements became the norm, the faces of American beauty were supermodels. One of the most notable early-aughts faces was Carolyn Murphy<\/a>, who landed her role as the face of Est\u00e9e Lauder 25 years ago and still serves as an ambassador for the brand today.<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up with the products, but I also admired Est\u00e9e herself\u2014she was an innovator and a trailblazer,\u201d the model and environmental activist tells Bazaar. \u201cIt\u2019s an incredible honor that Est\u00e9e Lauder has entrusted me to represent it for 25 years and to be part of its legacy. Her granddaughter, Aerin, whom I\u2019m lucky to call a dear friend, carries so much of that same spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over the years, as Murphy continues to be a face of the brand, she\u2019s been joined by other ambassadors, like Paulina Porizkova, Karlie Kloss, and Imaan Hammam\u2014all of whom she says \u201care forces and really do feel like family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"2024<\/p>\n

Gotham\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

What hasn\u2019t changed over her tenure with Est\u00e9e Lauder is her skincare philosophy: \u201cI\u2019m diligent about my skincare, but I also believe in not overcomplicating things,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n

Bazaar caught up with the legendary supermodel for a closer look at her routine favorites, including the serum she\u2019s used for decades and the nighttime ritual she learned from her grandmother.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t mind sharing, how old are you?<\/p>\n

I turned 53 this summer, and I\u2019m quite happy to say it.<\/p>\n

What age do you feel you are in your head?<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always said age is just a number; it\u2019s really about how you feel. I feel like a wise child: I\u2019ve learned a few things along the way, but I never want to lose my sense of wonder, curiosity, or playfulness.<\/p>\n

How has your perspective on beauty changed over the last 25 years?<\/p>\n

My perspective on beauty actually hasn\u2019t changed that much. I believed from the beginning that real beauty comes from within; I just understand what that means more deeply now. It\u2019s kindness, not only toward others but toward yourself. It\u2019s self-care, self-love, self-worth, and learning to extend yourself some grace when those things feel harder to access. On those days, I ask myself what I would say to my daughter. We can be so much kinder to the people we love than we are to ourselves.<\/p>\n

Do you have a holy-grail beauty product that you\u2019ve used for most of your life?<\/p>\n

I grew up using Est\u00e9e Lauder products, starting with Clinique, and then I graduated to Advanced Night Repair serum in my early 20s. I\u2019ve been devoted ever since. At this point, it\u2019s less a beauty product and more like an old friend, and it truly is magic in a bottle.<\/p>\n

What aspects of your physical appearance do you love more now, as you\u2019ve gotten older?<\/p>\n

I love my bum! I didn\u2019t have much of one when I was younger, and somewhere along the way it decided to show up. I also love my unruly, thick, curly hair. I spent years trying to tame it, and now I appreciate it for exactly what it is\u2014especially because, let\u2019s face it, it will eventually thin! And I was teased about my skinny legs when I was younger; now I love showing them off. Maybe that\u2019s part of getting older too: the things you once wanted to change become the things you\u2019re grateful to call your own.<\/p>\n

Was any beauty item or wisdom passed down from your mom?<\/p>\n

My mother and my Nana were huge proponents of a whole-food, mainly plant-based diet, probably because they grew up on my family\u2019s farm in Virginia. That stayed with me. I love farmers\u2019 markets, and to me, beautiful fresh produce is a luxury.<\/p>\n

My Nana also always took a bath before bed to unwind and used Youth-Dew Bath Oil<\/a>, so I\u2019m religious about that ritual. There\u2019s something wonderful about ending the day that way\u2014slowing down, soaking in the bath, and letting everything else go.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s kindness, not only toward others but toward yourself. It\u2019s self-care, self-love, self-worth, and learning to extend yourself some grace when those things feel harder to access. What keeps you feeling vibrant and youthful?<\/p>\n

Being with my daughter, my friends\u2014and her friends. Laughter, gratitude, staying curious, tennis, chocolate, travel, the occasional martini, listening to my intuition, saying how I feel, and driving with the windows down, music blaring, singing really loud. I think staying youthful has a lot to do with staying open to life.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s one piece of wisdom you would tell your younger self\u2014or even your daughter?<\/p>\n

Use sunscreen<\/a>! I\u2019m serious here. The money I\u2019ve spent correcting unnecessary sun damage is frustrating. Of all the profound wisdom I could pass along, apparently this is it: Wear the sunscreen.<\/p>\n

\"Carolyn<\/p>\n

David M. Benett\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

What has surprised you about growing older?<\/p>\n

That it\u2019s not so bad and it truly does get better! \u201cWith age comes wisdom\u201d isn\u2019t a clich\u00e9; you really do begin to understand yourself differently. But maybe what has surprised me most is the ability to laugh at myself more and not take everything quite so seriously. That has been a big, well-earned relief.<\/p>\n

What beauty products would you say have aged well?<\/p>\n

Advanced Night Repair was so ahead of the curve in its formulation, and it will always be a mainstay for me. The same goes for Re-Nutriv cream because hydration and moisture are really the foundation of good skin. And White Linen perfume\u2014it\u2019s simply timeless. Some things don\u2019t need reinventing.<\/p>\n

\"White<\/a>Many people fear growing older. In your opinion, what is the best part about it?<\/p>\n

Growing older is inevitable, so you might as well embrace it and try to have a good time along the way. For me, the best part is feeling more at home in myself. I know myself better\u2014what deserves my energy, what doesn\u2019t, when to trust my intuition and when to let something go. There\u2019s a freedom that comes with that. You realize you don\u2019t have to have everything figured out; you just have to keep showing up, stay curious, and be open to what\u2019s next. That, to me, is getting better with age.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the best piece of beauty wisdom you\u2019ve ever received from someone older and someone younger than you?<\/p>\n

Diane von Furstenberg told me to embrace new chapters\u2014no holding back, no regrets\u2014and to live and love to the fullest. And, well, look at her: she looks fabulous! But I think what stayed with me is the idea that being open to life is its own kind of beauty.<\/p>\n

My daughter reminds me daily to play and to drink a gallon of water, but she also makes sure I do every step of my skincare routine because, as she reminds me, those extra layers help create a healthy skin barrier. So apparently the wisdom goes both ways.<\/p>\n

Please give us a quick breakdown of your current beauty routine.<\/p>\n

My current routine is Advanced Night Repair Cleansing Balm, Re-Nutriv Treatment Lotion, Advanced Night Repair Serum during the day, followed by Revitalizing Supreme+ cream and Perfectionist Pro sunscreen. At night, I use Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Brilliance Serum and Soft Creme. I don\u2019t wash my face in the morning\u2014I only splash it with ice-cold water. I see Joomee Song<\/a> twice a month for facials and do Clear + Brilliant laser treatments twice a year.<\/p>\n

Carolyn\u2019s Routine\"Advanced<\/a>Est\u00e9e Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Balm Cleanser with Lipid-Rich Oil InfusionCredit: Est\u00e9e Lauder\ufeff\"Re-Nutriv<\/a>Est\u00e9e Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Age Reversal Treatment Lotion TonerCredit: Estee Lauder\"Advanced<\/a>Advanced Night Repair SerumCredit: Estee Lauder\"Revitalizing<\/a>Revitalizing Supreme+ Youth Power CremeCredit: Estee Lauder\"Perfectionist<\/a>Est\u00e9e Lauder Perfectionist Pro Multi-Defense Aqua UV Gel SPF 50 with 8 Anti-OxidantsCredit: Estee Lauder\"Est\u00e9e<\/a>Est\u00e9e Lauder Est\u00e9e Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Transformative Brilliance Serum\"Re-Nutriv<\/a>Est\u00e9e Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Transformative Brilliance Soft Cream Moisturizer