How Carolyn Murphy, 53, Gets Better With Age

Carolyn Murphy, now 53, marks 25 years as the face of Estée Lauder, a partnership that began when she was a fresh‑face supermodel and continues as she describes herself “getting better with age.”

A quarter‑century with the brand

The model first appeared in the company’s campaigns in the early 2000s. She says she grew up with the products and admired the founder, calling her an “innovator and a trailblazer.”

“It’s an incredible honor that Estée Lauder has entrusted me to represent it for 25 years and to be part of its legacy,” Murphy tells a fashion magazine. She adds that the founder’s granddaughter, Aerin, is a dear friend who “carries so much of that same spirit.”

During that span, other ambassadors have joined the roster, including Paulina Porizkova, Karlie Kloss and Imaan Hammam. “They are forces and really do feel like family,” she says.

Skincare philosophy and daily routine

Murphy’s approach is simple: she is diligent about skin but avoids overcomplicating it. Her “holy‑grail” product is the Advanced Night Repair serum, which she began using in her early 20s after starting with Clinique.

She describes the serum as “more like an old friend, and it truly is magic in a bottle.”

What aging has taught her

When asked how she feels about her age, Murphy answers, “I feel like a wise child: I’ve learned a few things along the way, but I never want to lose my sense of wonder, curiosity, or playfulness.” She notes that real beauty “comes from within” and now means kindness toward oneself.

She loves her “bum” now, a feature she didn’t have much of when younger, and she adopts her thick, curly hair, acknowledging it will eventually thin. She also enjoys showing off her once‑teased skinny legs.

She says the biggest surprise of growing older is that “it’s not so bad and it truly does get better.” She adds that the cliché “with age comes wisdom” actually holds true for her, especially the ability to laugh at herself.

Practical advice she repeats

She stresses sunscreen as the single most important tip. “The money I’ve spent correcting unnecessary sun damage is frustrating,” she says, urging everyone to “wear the sunscreen.”

Her favorite fragrance, White Linen, remains unchanged, and she believes certain products “don’t need reinventing.” She also highlights the importance of hydration.

Beyond skin, she stays lively by spending time with her daughter, friends, playing tennis, traveling, enjoying chocolate, the occasional martini, and driving with the windows down, music blaring, singing loudly.

In a recent interview she summed up the best part of aging: “Feeling more at home in myself, knowing what deserves my energy, trusting my intuition, and having the freedom to keep showing up.”