6 models who launched their own natural beauty brands

Models are subjected to endless hours of heavy makeup application and split-end inducing styling—especially during Fashion Week.

So it’s no wonder that when they’re inspired to create their own beauty lines, they often focus on products formulated with natural, nourishing ingredients that will help restore damaged skin, hair, and nails.

Most of the beauties use these plant-based products at home, and their fans gladly do the same, hoping to capture their own catalogue-ready complexion. And some bring their natural and organic products back to the runway, like Kim D’Amato, whose nail polish line, Priti NYC, is appearing at a dozen of this week’s New York Fashion Week shows.

Here are six gorgeous and inspiring models who turned their talents from runway beauty into beauty entrepreneur… —Lisa Elaine Held

Photo: May Lindstrom

Gisele Bundchen

Environmental outreach work around the globe inspired this humanitarian Brazilian supermodel to begin paying more attention to what she was putting on her skin. So, Bundchen created Sejaa, a pure, all-natural collection that includes moisturizers and mud masks, all of which are made with your health, and the preservation of the environment, in mind—from plant-based ingredients to recyclable packaging. www.shopsejaa.com

Kim D’Amato

Australian-born former model Kim D’Amato opened an all-organic nail spa in New York after searching for a less toxic way to have pretty nails during pregnancy. The salon closed, but the polish brand she created, Priti NYC, is now a celeb-loved line and a Fashion Week runway staple. And D’Amato’s formulations made waves: While Priti was one of the first to create lacquers free of scary chemicals like formaldehyde, many brands have now followed suit, making the whole category safer for both models and us common-folk. www.pritinyc.com

Cindy Joseph

Cindy Joseph became a Ford classic supermodel at age 49, and the former makeup artist emphasizes natural beauty at every stage of life, calling her products pro-age, rather than anti-aging. Her makeup line, Boom! by Cindy Joseph, makes multitasking color sticks that leave out some of the gross chemicals, like parabens, that mainstream brands use. www.boombycindyjoseph.com

Miranda Kerr

Aussie bombshell Miranda Kerr is passionate about all aspects of healthy living. She practices yoga, is a fan of dry brushing, and is all about organics, when it comes to both food and beauty. Her line, Kora Organics, reflects that ethos. The face and body cleansers, mists, and moisturizers are made with noni, an antioxidant-packed South Pacific fruit, and other nourishing botanicals like rosehip oil and roman chamomile. www.koraorganics.com

May Lindstrom

“Artisanal. Epicurean. Euphoric concoctions for the beauty gourmand.” That’s the way Los Angeles-based Lindstrom talks about her luxe line of earth-loving, super sensual skin care. The intermittent model wants to inspire women to “create decadent rituals” out of the daily grind of removing your makeup and cleansing your pores—and she puts her modeling to work in how-to videos. They’re not tricky, though—and there are just four Lindstrom products, all small batch and handmade with organic and wildcrafted ingredients. Two must haves: The Youth Dew, a light yet effective plant-oil-powered hydrating serum, and The Problem Solver, a raw-food-style masque that banishes redness, expels dirt from pores, and brightens like nobody’s business. www.maylindstrom.com —Melisse Gelula

Josie Maran

Maran was once the face of Maybelline, but her first pregnancy inspired her to seek out less toxic beauty products. When she discovered argan oil, she immediately fell in love and created her eponymous cosmetics line around it. The line, which is sold widely in stores like Sephora, still sells 100 percent pure argan, but also infuses the nourishing oil into an extensive line of all-natural products, from sunscreen and concealer to lipstick, mascara, eyeshadow, and more. www.josiemarancosmetics.com

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