Shanina Shaik
On her skin pick-me-ups:
“Either an oxygen facial or if I can’t be bothered leaving the house I use the KORA Organics Purifying Mask… it revives my skin without drying it out and makes it look clean and fresh again.”
On beauty as part of her style:
“Yes… in my industry it’s important to have great skin and hair, and I like to have a well groomed, polished look”.
Products pictured:
On her look to achieve in 5 minutes or less:
“Just keep it simple… if you don’t have time to blow dry your hair, tie it up in a top-knot and when it comes to make up focus on your brows and enhancing your eyes as they frame the face… well groomed brows and mascara for me are a must. I think its also important to invest regular facials and a great moisturizer so your skin is always healthy and glowing, that way it minimizes the need for foundation and you can get away with a touch of bronzer and concealer for any blemishes.”
On her signature beauty look:
“When I’m not working I keep it pretty simple with clean skin, brushed up brows, mascara and lip balm”.
Lipstick pictured:
On her latest product obsessions:
“KORA Organics Purifying Mask and Exfoliating Cream, Maybelline Mascara, Tom Ford Santal Blush fragrance, Tweezers, Lanolips 101 lip ointment, and Coconut Oil for everything from body moisturizing to a hair treatment”.
On who cuts & colours her hair:
“It varies – whoever is the hairstylist on my shoots will sometimes cut it on-set… but if go into a salon I go to Damian West in NYC and see Joshy. When I’m home in Australia I head to Renya Xydis in Sydney or 22soho hair in Essendon, Melbourne.”
Shanina’s Louis Vuitton travel kit (shop here).
On when and how she exercises:
“LOL… when am I not exercising! I train most days… I like feeling fit, strong and healthy. I mix it up with Soul Cycle, Pilates, Body Barre and PT with my Trainer Justin Gelband at modelfit gym in NYC.”
On how she keeps her skin clear:
“I eat for my blood type and drink a cold pressed green juice each day. I also avoid coffee, carbonated drinks and alcohol.”
Products pictured:
Origins Clear Improvement Mask
Organix Ever Straight Brazilian Keratin Therapy Shampoo
On how she maintains her fitness while travelling:
“I use the hotel gym or just get out in the fresh air for a run… I also travel with resistance bands and a skipping rope so there’s never an excuse!”
Eveningwear by Johanna Johnson.
On what she loves most about NYC:
“I love the energy… it lives up to its reputation as the city that never sleeps! I’ve lived in NYC for nearly 10 years and have a great support network of friends”.
Her favourite make-up products:
On her home style:
“It’s quite eclectic – given my heritage I take inspiration from the Middle East, Asia and Australia. I also collect something special for my home from every city I visit.”
On her personal style:
“My off duty style is quite relaxed given I train most days… my personal style is probably a combination somewhere between sport luxe pieces from designers like Alexander Wang, Givenchy, training gear from VSX and a mash up of other pieces such as vintage music tee’s, denim and leather”.
On her favourite designers:
“Alexander Wang, Celine, Givenchy, Victoria’s Secret for underwear and for red carpet moments Alex Perry and Johanna Johnson.”
On her ideal Sunday morning:
“I eat for my blood type and drink a cold pressed green juice each day. I also avoid coffee, carbonated drinks and alcohol”.
On Australia vs NYC:
“It has to be Australia, nothing beats my home – I’m a Melbourne girl and I love nothing more than spending time with my family in the great outdoors.”
On her earliest beauty memory:
“Playing in my mum’s make-up drawers – I loved looking at her lipsticks and spraying all her fragrances.”
Products pictured:
Shanina with Choppa, her French Bulldog.
On what’s important to her in life:
“Family.”
It’s hard to argue with Victoria’s Secret. The lingerie mega brand is unimpeachable when it comes to knowing one thing in particular: spectacular women. Shanina Shaik has, unsurprisingly, been anointed as one such specimen.
Before her breakout turn on the VS runway, the poetically gorgeous Melbourne-born angel got her start on short-lived Aussie incarnation of Brit series Make Me A Supermodel on which she finished runner-up in 2008.
Since then it’s been up and up for the hard working model and mother of ridiculously charming French bulldog, Chopper, with whom she lives in her adopted home of New York.
Of the city she says, “I love the energy… it lives up to its reputation as the city that never sleeps! I’ve lived in NYC for nearly 10 years and have a great support network of friends.”
Those travel destinations include the legendary Grand Palais in Paris where she’s rolled catwalks for Chanel, and international runways of the world’s most famous fashion cities. But, despite the access afforded by her decade-long romance with NYC, she doesn’t hesitate when we ask if it’s gained an edge on her birthplace.
“I’m a Melbourne girl,” she promises, “and I love nothing more than spending time with my family in the great outdoors.”
Her early fashion and beauty influences come from her beloved mother. Like so many girls, her first memories of beauty products were stacked in the contents of her mum’s make-up drawers.
“I loved looking at her lipsticks and spraying all her fragrances.”
With that incredible skin and soulful eyes, her approach to beauty is appropriately understated. The body gets more specific attention.
“LOL… when am I not exercising!,” she tells us. “I train most days, I like feeling fit, strong and healthy. I mix it up with Soul Cycle, Pilates, Body Barre and PT with my Trainer Justin Gelband at modelfit gym in NYC.”
“I use the hotel gym or just get out in the fresh air for a run… I also travel with resistance bands and a skipping rope so there’s never an excuse!”
That laudable dedication to exercise must make it easier when it comes to stripping down for gigs with Victoria’s Secret and her local underwear favourite Bonds.
In fact, she’s got a similarly laudable dedication to Australian designers in general. Alongside Alexander Wang, Celine, Givenchy and, obviously, Victoria’s Secret for underwear, Shanina’s go-to picks for red carpet moments are Sydney-based Alex Perry and Johanna Johnson (who she happens to be wearing in our shoot).
Shanina is a hand-on-heart Melbourne girl at the end of the day. She’s genuine when she says “nothing beats my home.”
From someone who’s viewed the world from the lofty peaks of the VS runway and shot editorial jaunts from some of the world’s most incredible spots, that’s about as strong an endorsement a city can get.
Photographed by Soraya Zaman
Words by Susannah Tucker
