Okay, we’ll be honest: we’re a little jealous (and rightfully so) of Cindy Bruna. The 21-year-old French supermodel is a Victoria’s Secret angel — the kind of woman who looks better in a ponytail and jeans on an average Sunday than we’ll look in a wedding dress.
But then she greets us at Wilhelmina offices — with a hug, not a shake — and anything but love for Bruna melts away. Cindy’s description of her very French cheese-meets-wine-meets-wellness routine is interrupted by constant laughter. She’s also genuinely concerned we understand her English, speaking with an adorable lilt that makes everything sound so much, well, sexier — which, we suppose, is why she’s a lingerie model. Lunge on for the (should-be-patented) Bruna routine.
On general wellness
“I’m French, so, I tend not to like a lot of stuff. Take my skincare routine, for example. I love a good lip balm, love a good cream. I use La Roche Posay everything because that’s what works for me. But I don’t like putting a lot of product on my face — it’s best to let the skin breathe. And I don’t use anything fancy, just stuff I get from the pharmacy in France. That’s a mantra I apply to all aspects of my life: beauty, fitness, cooking, anything. Keep it simple; keep it cool.”
On mental health
“My personal trainer, Morgan Biancone, has me do this combination of a workout and sophrology called “Body and Mind.” Sophrology is like meditation… exercises I do at the gym where I listen to Morgan’s voice and do mental work that takes away my stress, gets rid of bad moods and builds my confidence. It’s so good. So, for example, I’ll lay on the floor after a workout, and Morgan will tell me to imagine my stress is a cloud — a cloud that’s just floating, floating away. Or he’ll have me imagine a blue point, and focus on that. This type of exercise is very popular in France; I see a lot of people, especially businessmen, doing it at the gym.”
On travel
“I fly a lot. [Laughs] And it’s definitely difficult to keep up with my routine when I’m not in Paris. I start by using La Roche Posay moisturizer and whatever pharmacy brand of lip balm I have with me during the flight. And then the second I land, I have to exfoliate. Then, say I’m in New York for Fashion Week — I’ll have my trainer give me a list of exercises I can do in the apartment where I stay.
But honestly, I prefer to be at home. All I ever want is to be in Paris — I just bought my own apartment, which feels so incredibly adult — or to visit my home in the south of France where my family still lives.”
On fitness
“I try to sleep by 10 or 11 every night so I can wake up and go to the gym. I’m a naturally very sleepy girl. And look: my dream of getting 10 hours of sleep every night isn’t always possible. I’m a young girl who goes out, drinks wine. [Laughs] But I try to wake up early, drink an entire glass of water and go to the gym at least three or four times per week. I don’t do anything crazy — planks, donkey kicks, lunges, the TRX. Some pilates. But I do love working with my trainer. I love having someone there to push me.
I belong to a gym in Paris called Le Klay. My friend, [designer] Olivier Rousteing, is also a member. He’s there every morning, and is always asking me to workout with him… But he goes so early. I guess I should probably go with him sometime…”
On food
“I’m French. I love wine and cheese. But my father’s Italian, so, I grew up eating a lot of those dishes: eggplant parmesan, pasta. It’s not the healthiest, but that’s why I workout! [Laughs] My dad gave me all of his recipes, and I love cooking... I try to cook for myself almost everyday when I’m home in Paris. But if I go to a restaurant, I’m going to splurge. I don’t go out to order salad! But do you want to know the best restaurant in France? My grandmother’s house. She makes the best vegetables, the best chicken. Give me the choice of visiting the Maldives and eating at my grandmother’s, and I’ll pick her house every time.”
On her advice to anyone trying to get healthier
“My best advice is not to get too caught up in all this stuff. Eat if you want to eat. Exercise, but in a way that’s balanced. Don’t find a routine that’s difficult; find a routine that’s cool. And also, remember: water’s good but wine is better.”