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Photo courtesy of Estée Lauder Beauty Skincare How Carolyn Murphy, 53, Gets Better With Age How Carolyn Murphy, 53, Gets Better With Age “I believed from the beginning that real beauty comes from within; I just understand what that means more deeply now,” the supermodel tells Bazaar
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 , who landed her role as the face of Estée Lauder 25 years ago and still serves as an ambassador for the brand today.
“I grew up with the products, but I also admired Estée herself—she was an innovator and a trailblazer,” the model and environmental activist tells Bazaar. “ It’s an incredible honor that Estée Lauder has entrusted me to represent it for 25 years and to be part of its legacy. Her granddaughter, Aerin, whom I’m lucky to call a dear friend, carries so much of that same spirit.”
Over the years, as Murphy continues to be a face of the brand, she’s been joined by other ambassadors, like Paulina Porizkova, Karlie Kloss, and Imaan Hammam—all of whom she says “are forces and really do feel like family.”
What hasn’t changed over her tenure with Estée Lauder is her skincare philosophy: “I’m diligent about my skincare, but I also believe in not overcomplicating things,” she explains.
Bazaar caught up with the legendary supermodel for a closer look at her routine favorites, including the serum she’s used for decades and the nighttime ritual she learned from her grandmother.
I turned 53 this summer, and I’m quite happy to say it.
I’ve always said age is just a number; it’s really about how you feel. I feel like a wise child: I’ve learned a few things along the way, but I never want to lose my sense of wonder, curiosity, or playfulness.
My perspective on beauty actually hasn’t changed that much. I believed from the beginning that real beauty comes from within; I just understand what that means more deeply now. It’s kindness, not only toward others but toward yourself. It’s 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.
I grew up using Estée Lauder products, starting with Clinique, and then I graduated to Advanced Night Repair serum in my early 20s. I’ve been devoted ever since. At this point, it’s less a beauty product and more like an old friend, and it truly is magic in a bottle.
I love my bum! I didn’t 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—especially because, let’s 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’s part of getting older too: the things you once wanted to change become the things you’re grateful to call your own.
My mother and my Nana were huge proponents of a whole-food, mainly plant-based diet, probably because they grew up on my family’s farm in Virginia. That stayed with me. I love farmers’ markets, and to me, beautiful fresh produce is a luxury.
My Nana also…