Adriana Lima works hard. Since winning Ford’s “Supermodel of Brazil” contest at 15, she’s gone on to become the longest-running Victoria’s Secret Angel in history and was ranked No. 2 on Forbes’s list of top-paid models. Her career longevity shows that it takes more than being professionally good-looking to be a successful model — you need to figure out how to be well and healthy early on. The Cut talked to Lima, who is the face of Marc Jacobs’s new Divine Decadence perfume, about her favorite smoothie recipe and how she plans to live to be more than 100 years old.
How do you start by practicing wellness in the morning?
I wake up around 7 a.m. and I put my sunblock on. I go have my breakfast. I usually like to have an avocado smoothie; it’s good for your skin and hair. In [the smoothie], I put an avocado, whole milk, honey, and lots of ice. It’s something my mom used to make when I was little. Every Brazilian kid, we grew up having smoothies in the morning. My kids love it for breakfast now, too. They call it the Green Monster.
What I eat for breakfast changes depending on my mood. Today, I had an omelette with okra and asparagus. I also had a cappuccino, because I’m Brazilian and cannot leave without my coffee. I do coffee with honey, because it stabilizes the sugar levels. I find if I have honey, I don’t crave as much sugar later. After breakfast, I get my kids ready and spritz a little fragrance on.
What is your beauty routine like in the morning?
After I put on sunblock, I work out. I sweat so I don’t put anything else on my skin. Right now, I’m only using the stuff by my facial guy in Paris — Hervé Hérau. He’s amazing. My best friend introduced him to me.
His facials are unbelievable. You can see the results for a few weeks. What I love about him is that a facial from him is not like a menu. You walk in, he looks at your skin and creates a personalized facial for what you need that day. Everybody’s skin is different and changes everyday, sometimes because of the weather. I use his facial cleanser, serum, and light moisturizer. Then I’ll use something heavier for nighttime.
What does wellness mean to you?
It means that you take care of yourself, starting with being healthy in what you eat. And then it goes to your body and your skin and hair — in that order! After I had my children, I feel more beautiful. I don’t know why that is. I feel more beautiful now.
Some people say that they feel more like a woman after having a baby.
No. [Laughs.] I have always felt like a woman! It’s not like I did not feel like a woman before. It’s just different stages. I’m happy with this stage where I am now.
How do you think practicing wellness has contributed to your career longevity?
I want longevity. I want to be over 100 years old, seriously [Laughs]. When I first started out as a model, I knew I had to start young and take care of myself so I could keep my skin, body, as long as I can. So when I was 19, I started looking for an exercise I could do. I wasn’t a big fan of workouts at the time.
I knew I had to find something that I loved — that was the only way I could be happy with working out and going to the gym. I tried yoga, dancing, and aerobics. I knew I had to find something I loved, and didn’t find it until I found boxing. That’s the secret. There are so many different types of exercises, you just have to find your passion.
I’m still doing boxing for my workout. I try to do it everyday. Sometimes when I travel, I’ll have someone else hold the mitts for me. If not, I can go running, I do burpees, or shadow boxing. Today, I’m running.
How do you think your body has changed over time?
I think right now, I’m very toned. I like it. I see it especially in my face. I used to have a baby face and now you can see more of my bone structure. I’m more consistent now. I know what I like, and the effects of things, and what not to do.
What do you not do?
I don’t go out every night partying. It’s so important to have beauty sleep.
How do you sleep?
[Laughs] I sleep in decadence — I just sleep with two drops of Divine Decadence.
This interview has been condensed and edited.
