Christie Brinkley has revealed her simple, yet effective self-care routine that has helped her feel sexy and empowered for decades.
At 70, Christie is as radiant as ever, sharing her wisdom and tips while paying homage to her days as a Sports Illustrated icon by posing in a chic white swimsuit.
“I’ve decided to take off my glasses, and I encourage others to do the same,” Christie says in a new cover interview for the July issue of Social Life magazine.
“When I put on a little makeup or even when I look at my Instagram, I make sure my glasses are off because I don’t need to overthink or criticize every little detail. Who has time for that?”
Christie, who first appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 1975 and graced the cover three consecutive times from 1979 to 1981, also emphasizes the importance of small, personal rituals.
Painting her toenails red is a significant part of her self-care routine. “I like taking the time to do my own nails,” she shares. “My toes are always red. The shade of red changes, but the color doesn’t. I usually don’t bother doing my hands because I’ll just mess them up in the garden. That’s why I stick with my toes.”
Gardening, for Christie, is another crucial tool for maintaining her physical and mental well-being.
“That really is my self-care,” she explains. “I put on my oversize hat and get my hands dirty. Connecting with nature makes me feel like me.”
Christie also reveals her guilty pleasure: “Hot chocolate. I love making the entire family hot chocolate.” This simple joy, shared with loved ones, is a delightful reminder of the small pleasures that can lift one’s mood.
In recent months, Christie has been candid with her fans about the importance of self-care, especially after her skin cancer diagnosis in March.
On Instagram, she explained that doctors found a basal cell carcinoma, a common type of skin cancer, on the upper left side of her face. “They took care of it, and luckily, my hair grows in that direction, but the scar is barely noticeable,” she shared.
Basal cell carcinoma, as explained by the American Cancer Society, begins in the basal cells of the outer layer of the skin. These cancers typically develop on sun-exposed areas of the body, especially the face, and grow slowly without often spreading to other parts.
Christie advises her fans to wear sunscreen and hats when stepping out in the sun. Her cancer was discovered by chance during a dermatology appointment she attended with one of her daughters.
“I wasn’t even scheduled for a check-up; I was accompanying my daughter to the dermatologist,” she recalls. “I thought, ‘There is that little spot right on the side of my head right here... Should I say anything? It’s not my appointment.’ Right at the very end... I said, ‘Before you put that away, do you think you could just look at this?’ The doctor then said, ‘We’ve got to do a biopsy immediately. This is something.’ Then the biopsy came back as cancer.”
Christie, a devoted mother of three, shares daughter Sailor, 26, and son Jack, 29, with ex-husband Peter Cook. She also has a daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, 38, with another ex-husband, Billy Joel.
The family recently celebrated Sailor’s 26th birthday with a festive Italian-themed bash at their Hamptons home.