Kloss Act
Pilates, argan oil, protein, and chocolate ... supermodel Karlie Kloss takes her health and beauty regimen very seriously, learns Carrie Buckle.
It’s all lights, cameras, and make-up backstage at Victoria’s Secret, and Karlie Kloss is holding court, rocking her signature choppy bob, known as “the Karlie”, sporting flared jeans beneath her slinky striped robe, and spreading Angel love handing out her very own wholesome Kookies. Just like good pal Cara Delevingne (at a nearby hair station sticking out her tongue for a selfie), 21-year-old Kloss isn’t afraid to embrace what makes her stand out from the crowd.
“This is the first year I’ve had short hair for the show. Last year I had extensions,” recalls the 185-centimetre model du jour, chatting with BAZAAR before a show featuring a record 40 models (and 28 pairs of wings). “Everyone here is beautiful, but in different ways.”
Up close and personal with runway-ready Kloss, we can report that her skin is dewy and glowing, and there is no mistaking those sky-high cheekbones. The starlet’s bewitching green eyes are accentuated with smokey chocolate brown shadow and pencil, she has flushed cheeks, and a perfect rosy pout. “I learned a new trick today,” says the chatty, down-to-earth girl from St. Louis, Missouri, describing how make-up artist Dick Page started by sweeping a reddish lipstick along her nose and cheeks (“almost like war paint”), before blending with a brush. He then applied concealer and tinted moisturiser “for a natural glow”.
How is Kloss feeling about strutting down a 30-metre shimmering runway for a show aired in 185 countries? Last year’s extravaganza cost a fortune to stage – a reported USD12 million (RM38 million) – and this year’s is no exception, with a performance by Taylor Swift, a bejewelled USD10 million (RM32 million) fantasy bra, and Swarovski crystals aplenty. Have the past few months seen her in hardcore training mode? “I’ve been doing a combination of high-intensity cardio like SoulCycle and Pilates-type strength training, isolating certain muscle groups and using rubber bands to strengthen legs and arms,” she shares. “Also, lots of butt lifts. It’s all about toning and feeling strong; that’s what I think is sexy.” The key is switching it up, so she does cardio one day and then strength
training the next. “It’s okay to take a day or two off training, but I always try and be active at some point,” says Kloss. “It doesn’t have to be at the gym; even if you’re running around with your dog in the park, breaking into a sweat makes your body work.” Alongside this exercise regimen, she stepped up her healthy eating. “In the run-up to the show, I’ve tried to ensure I’m getting enough protein.” She stresses the importance of this when working out. “You need to keep up your energy levels and get plenty of sleep. You’re in your underwear going down the catwalk, so I think everyone here has been working out more than usual,” laughs the former ballerina known for her distinctive walk.
“I don’t want to be skinny, I want to be strong,” she adds. “That’s what I think is really beautiful.” Any tips for us mere mortals? “Before wearing a short dress, I rub olive oil or argan oil into my legs. It gives that extra shimmer and shine, and it photographs really nicely.”
Globetrotting Kloss’s skin endures lots of wear and tear, so simplicity is key to her everyday beauty routine. “In the morning, I use a basic Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit face wash with exfoliating beads in the shower. To save time, I also brush my teeth in the shower.” She flashes her bright smile, admitting she’s a fan of Crest 3D White toothpaste. In the day, she slathers on Clarins Beauty Flash Balm (“It’s really good for your skin, especially in the winter or when you’re flying”). In the summer, she wears Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, and at night her secret weapon for hydrated skin is Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair.
Despite her supermodel credentials, Kloss isn’t immune to the odd pimple. “I get breakouts all the time. I woke up this morning and felt a couple coming through,” she sighs. “The biggest thing is sleep. I also try to take care of my skin by cleansing properly because working in fashion, I constantly have make-up applied.” When off-duty, she goes au naturel: “I won’t even wear concealer. The more you put on your skin, the more you clog your pores.”
Not one for indulging in newfangled treatments, Kloss sticks to two essentials: facials and massages, both at Bliss Spa in New York. When her skin needs some TLC, she splurges on a Triple Oxygen facial. “It gives amazing results,” she enthuses. Once or twice a month, she treats herself to a full-body massage. “It’s the best thing to just kick back after working out super hard.”
Make-up is kept simple with her trusty Laura Mercier palette. “It has everything you need for a basic natural look, so I apply a little shimmery blush on the cheeks. I love a brown cream eyeshadow and then mascara.” Her hero is RMS Beauty “Un” Cover-up from make-up artist Rose-Marie Swift’s organic line. “I use it for everything, as an under-eye concealer, to cover blemishes or for a nude lip.”
On the red carpet, the model favours understated elegance. “I like to keep both my hair and make-up very classic,” reveals Kloss, who plucks her own eyebrows rather than going to a salon. “A beautiful red lip is always striking or a nude lip with a fresh face, coral blush, and a smokey eye; you can’t go wrong with that.” For a hot date with her 28-year-old beau, investor Josh Kushner (brother of Ivanka Trump’s husband, Jared Kushner), her go-to look is sultry eyes. “I love a nude lip and a mysterious eye,” she exclaims, describing how she uses dark brown shadow and black liquid eyeliner to define the lids. “Then a good mascara with a thick brush to get in the top lashes and define the bottom lashes, for that baby doll look.” How does her boyfriend find her most attractive? “Less is more. He doesn’t like too much make-up,” she smiles. “I think that’s the thing about boys; for the most part they like it more when you’re natural. At the end of the day, I think getting dressed up and putting make-up on is more for the woman – it’s more about making her feel beautiful. The man, if he has any sense, should love her regardless of whether she has make-up on.”
Today, her honey-tone tresses look effortlessly chic, as always. The textured bob was the brainchild of stylist-to-the-
“I don’t want to be skinny. I want to be strong.”
stars Garren Defazio. Since snipping off her long locks, she finds her wash-and-go cut a breeze. “It’s so easy. The texture of my hair is very fine and straight, so the cut works.”
Kloss is the queen of snacks, so you’ll find healthy goodies in her bag at all times – from nuts to Kind granola bars. Her diet is packed with whole foods and she substitutes cow’s milk for almond milk. For breakfast, her favourite meal of the day, she whips up a protein shake, egg white omelette or porridge, or she simply munches on fresh fruit with yoghurt. “I’m a vegetarian, so I try to take care of my body and get enough protein even though I don’t eat meat.”
Her not-so-guilty pleasure is chocolate “in all forms”, and if she can incorporate it into her daily diet, she will, from chocolate chip pancakes to chocolate protein bars. She has even developed her own line of biscuits, the aforementioned Karlie’s Kookies, with Momofuku Milk Bar to raise money for Lauren Bush Lauren’s Feed Projects, which provides meals to those in need. Free from dairy, gluten, and raw sugar, they contain almond flour, oats, olive oil, dark chocolate, and agave. There’s talk of launching muffins next.
As well as sweet treats, Kloss has a penchant for coldpressed juices. Today it’s a Killer X smoothie with apple, lemon, and ginger from New York’s Liquiteria. “I’m trying not to get sick, so this is packed with vitamin C,” she explains, adding that she often gets fresh food delivered. “Beauty starts from within, so for me eating healthily is a big part of that. When I take care of myself, exercise, and eat well, that’s what makes me feel most beautiful and confident.”