Model Skin

O.K. Here is the post that I said I would never do, and the one Rich least wants me to do.

Confession time.
I am a nutrition bore and health food junkie.

Anyone who has looked at my profile will see that I’m one of those health nutrition bores. I have dedicated practically every spare waking moment of the last 7 years to researching the link between nutrition, health and cancer. I have read more medical and research papers than you can possibly imagine. I really know far too much on this particular topic.

The last 7 years of research has led me into CRON (calorie restriction with optimum nutrition) and Life Extension (through nutrition) in a serious way. Yes I sincerely believe that we can extend our lifespan through monitoring and modifying what we put in our mouths. CRON is the only scientifically proven way of extending lifespan. For anyone who is interested, I recommend Beyond the 120 Year Diet by Roy L. Walford or Fantastic Voyage: Live Long Enough to Live Forever by Ray Kurzweil

As I said, I’m totally barmy. You should feel sorry for Rich for having to eat the delicious healthy stuff I cook.

I’m not going to blog much about the specifics of diets here, because there are better books and blogs that do it for me, but suffice to say that the absolute truth is:

1. Good Quality, young-looking smooth skin is essential for Art-Nude modelling
2. What you shove in your mouth directly impacts the quality of your skin


This is basically translated as GIGO or garbage in, garbage out. If you eat total crap, you will get crappy skin. And guess what ? It goes straight to your face and makes you look much older than you are.

Yes this can be fixed with Photoshop. Kate Moss, for example, has appalling skin (pre-Photoshop) and bloody amazing skin afterwards. The poor photographer, but hey, great Photoshop skills!

Richard spends a frightening amount of time Photoshopping skin quality, particularly the faces. It is his most common complaint (usually only complaint) with regard to models. The quality of skin is the first thing he looks for.

We have met some delightful models who are incredibly beautiful, amazing bodies and so forth, but how much more radiant and youthful would they look if they ate healthy food all the time ? Of course, many of them do, but quite a few do not. (I politely ask, in case you are wondering how I know).

Hey, I understand. I love food and God knows I’m no beauty myself. Boy, do I require photoshop or what ? But not my skin, at least not beyond correcting the skin for past surgical scarring. So at least I’m a “time-saved-in-Photoshop” model even if I am a relatively aged model myself.

Eating healthily is not rocket science. Any Zone-ish, natural food-type diet will do the trick. Lots of protein, extra lean meat, fish, fresh veggies, plus small amounts of low fat dairy (if you must), and some basic supplements will give you amazing skin. Just stay off the processed food O.K?

Please. For the sake of your health and your modelling career.
I guarantee you that this will make you feel better, improve your mood, improve your sex-drive, give you amazing skin and will almost certainly extend your lifespan.

And I guarantee you something else : photographers will love you.