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“Sorry I’m late, I was just getting the baby settled,” says Miranda Kerr as she sits down for a catch up with GRAZIA over Zoom. The Australian supermodel is, of course, referring to her eight-month-old son Pierre—a new little brother to Flynn, 13, Hart, 6, and Miles, 5. It’s 4pm where Kerr is and amid coordinating sleep schedules, Kerr appears as radiant as ever; hair tonged, dewy skin, cheek illuminator. It’s not a picture many usually associate with newborn life—Kerr even admits to only catching a few hours sleep the night prior. But her bright complexion serves to stand as proof that good skincare and a healthy lifestyle—things she has touted since her teens—go a long way in looking your best, even on the hard days.
The 41-year-old has just launched a new Active Algae Calming Cleansing Balm to the KORA Organics stable; a mushy, buttery formula which melts into the skin to remove makeup, SPF, dirt and oil. With microalgae, pineapple enzymes, squalene, jojoba and the tropical superfruit noni, it promises a brighter, clearer complexion. It’s also scented with rose, geranium and basil which is super refreshing in the mornings and evenings.
Ahead, Kerr and I dive deep on skincare, routines with little children, finding a co-parenting rhythm, and squashing stigmas surrounding pregnancies in your 40s.
Enjoy the conversation.
GRAZIA: Congratulations on welcoming your fourth son! I love his name. How did you pick ‘Pierre’?
MIRANDA KERR: So, his name obviously means ‘Peter’, and that was my late grandfather’s name. [My other sons] Myles and Hart are also named after one of their grandfathers. And so, [my husband Evan Spiegel and I] wanted to use another grandfather, but Peter didn’t really fit as well. Pierre is a little more fitting with the other little boys whose names are not so common.
GRAZIA: It’s such a beautiful French name…
MK: Well, he was actually conceived in Paris!
GRAZIA: Day to day—and night to night—how do you manage four children?
MK: Oh, it’s a struggle. It’s always like, ‘OK, I’m running 10 minutes late, just getting the baby settled.’ But Pierre is such a peaceful baby. I just feel super blessed. I do call him ‘Peaceful Pierre’ because even though he’s starting to teeth right now, he’s just a like a very gentle soul, and you can see that come through from the moment they’re born.
GRAZIA: When do you get time for your skincare routine? And how does the new Active Algae Cleansing Balm fit into it?
MK: I wake up around 5.30am before Pierre and the other ones—although this morning, I was up at 4am and couldn’t go back to sleep. The baby’s pretty good, because he’s waking up between 6am and 6.30am at the moment. And my other boys don’t get up until 6.45am so that gives me some time to do my skincare routine and my yoga routine in the morning—just 20 minutes before they’re up. I do dinner with all the boys at 4.30pm and then I’ll take a bath with Pierre at 5.30pm. I like to keep my makeup on until after my husband comes home, and I get to have dinner with him. I’ll sit with him after the kids are down in bed and I’ll then wash my face well [with the cleansing balm], I’ll have my breast pumps in, and I don’t have to get back in the shower, because the active algae [in the balm] just melts away the day. Sometimes, if I’m pumping and I’m super tired, I’ll remove my makeup with a warm towel next to my bed, I don’t have to be at a basin. The balm has pineapple enzymes it in that just kind of like sloth away any dead skin cells. And what I love about it is it doesn’t leave an oily residue, so it cleans your skin—but it’s not stripped either. I like to use the KORA Organics Turmeric Foaming Cleanser as a second cleanser.
GRAZIA: I love that the balm leaves no filmy residue. Is one cleanse enough to melt away stubborn makeup?
MK: It’s very, very good at removing makeup. I like to massage it all into my skin—no water! Then, you get a wet face towel and wipe it all off. It’s really effective in removing sunscreen, as well, and it just leaves everything feeling really calm. And if you want to do a double cleanse, I mean, go for it. It’s not going to hurt you.
GRAZIA: Noni—a key ingredient for Kora Organics which your lovely late grandmother introduced to you—is a part of this product. Is the cleansing balm safe to use on much older skin, like a woman in her 70s or 80s?
MK: Noni is rich in antioxidants and vitamins making it beneficial for skin at any age. It helps remove impurities without stripping the skin and it is formulated for all skin types, including mature skin.
KORA Organics Active Algae Calming Cleansing Balm, 100g, $62 SHOP NOW
GRAZIA: You’re now in your 40s. What’s something you’ve discovered about yourself in this decade that you hadn’t in your 20s or 30s?
MK: In my 20s, my modelling career was at its peak, and I was 27 when I became a mother to Flynn. In my 30s, I married Evan. I was 34 a year later, we welcomed Hart into the world and then another 17 months later, we welcomed Miles and then little Pierre. So, it’s been an interesting journey in motherhood and it’s taught me so much. I know I’m so much more capable than what I realised, I’m more patient, more loving, and have more resilience. Your 40s is just a different life stage. I’ve always been focused on family, but I’m super focused now and my priority in life is my family and my business. Life just goes by super-fast and it’s important to stay present and enjoy all these moments and not take any days for granted.
GRAZIA: Sadly, there’s still somewhat of a stigma surrounding women having children when they are older. We’ve seen Sienna Miller and Naomi Campbell speak on the topic recently. What’s your advice to women who might be thinking about welcoming a child in their late 30s/early 40s on how to navigate this silly stigma?
MK: Yeah, I think [doctors] labelled my last couple of pregnancies ‘geriatric’! I was like, ‘OK I still feel fit as a fiddle’. Society can put pressure on women with certain expectations, but it’s so important to remember that everyone’s journey is unique, and you have to do what’s right for you and lean into what’s right for you at what time feels right. It’s such a personal choice, and everyone’s circumstance is so different. The love that you have for your child, and the bond that you have is all that really matters at the end of the day.
GRAZIA: You have a wonderful co-parenting set-up for your son Flynn. Did it take time to work out this co-parenting rhythm?
MK: From day one, when Orlando [Bloom] and I separated, we’ve been super amicable. I said to him, ‘Look, let’s always just put whatever’s in the best interest of Flynn at the forefront of everything we do’. So, whatever we had going on—like a holiday—it was like, ‘OK, is this in Flynn’s best interest?’ If we put that [question] at the forefront of what we do, it kind of helps us make the right decisions as a family. Flynn has grown up with two parents who adore him and want the best for him. At the end of the day, we all like love and appreciate each other. You know, Evan, Orlando, Katy [Perry] and I, we all care about each other and we want the best for our whole family and our children. We share special occasions together and birthdays and milestones and holidays and I feel very blessed. And I feel that Flynn feels very blessed having four loving parents.
GRAZIA: You have incredible skin. Beyond skincare, how do you protect it?
MK: Well, hydration is so important. We’ve all heard it so many times. Also, I think lifestyle choices, prioritising sleep—like going to bed early—and eating healthily—like fresh, multi-coloured rainbow of produce—play a big role. Try and go to the Farmer’s Market, eat locally. And try and get enough sleep. I didn’t get enough sleep last night, but you cannot tell. Stress management is also key, so find what makes you feel good. For me, that’s meditation. Yoga has also been super important for me in my life, and has helped me feel super balanced, or even just going for a walk with the kids, or turning the music on and having a little dance party. Even Pierre loves that! I think protecting your skin is also super important. I’m often wearing a big hat and KORA Organics have these new Silky Sun Drops. It’s almost like a beautiful primer for your skin. I worked on this for five years and what’s amazing is it doesn’t have like any white cast. It just gives your skin this beautiful, dewy glow. And I use it underneath makeup to give my skin that radiance. It’s obviously antioxidant rich, and it has botanicals and SPF in there, too, to protect your skin from environmental and UV rays and even blue light pollution as well. I like to reapply it throughout the day. I get a little beauty blender and pop it over the top of my makeup.
Kora organics silky sundrops protection serum SPF15, 30ml, $76 SHOP NOW
GRAZIA: Let’s chat about your ambassadorship with Michael Hill. What drew you to the brand (perhaps window shopping in Brisbane mall all those years ago)? And when deciding where to lend your name, does the fact the brand has Antipodean roots play a role?
MK: It’s really a full circle moment as I first shot for Michael Hill about 20 years ago, they were a brand that supported me at the beginning of my modelling career, so to be asked to be their brand ambassador 20 years later was such an honour. I went to high school in Brisbane, my friends and I would often go and admire the jewellery in the window at Michael Hill in the mall. My role as brand ambassador came at such an exciting time in Michael Hill’s new elevated brand positioning and global brand refresh. As a born and raised Aussie, I’ve grown up admiring the Michael Hill brand and its rich heritage. There’s a really nice sustainability synergy too, the lab-created diamonds from Michael Hill are certified sustainable and meet the highest level of ethical and environmental responsibility. Michael Hill is passionate about celebrating moments and as I reflect on my life and career to date, I’m so proud of all the moments I’ve been able to achieve and the many more that’s to come as a mother of four.
What is the most meaningful piece of jewellery you have received?
MK: The most meaningful piece of jewellery I have received is my engagement ring from Evan, it’s symbolic of our love and commitment to each other. More recently, I was lucky to be gifted some special pieces from the Michael Hill ambassador launch campaign we shot. These pieces are meaningful to me as their first ambassador and I’ve been finding any opportunity to wear them! I’ve been working closely with the team at Michael Hill to create my exclusive Christmas Gift Edit. These stunning pieces offer a glimpse into what I’ll be sharing with my friends and family this year and I hope they help inspire your own gift-giving this holiday season.
GRAZIA: What’s in your beauty case when you travel?
MK: KORA Organics Noni Glow Sleeping Mask. It’s my Holy Grail oil. I also love the the KORA Organics Noni Glow Body Oil. I take it everywhere with me, it keeps my skin nourished and gives it that beautiful glow. We have little mini travel sizes, actually, so they’re so cute. I also love the KORA Organics Silky Sun Drops when traveling because you can be exposed to the ultraviolet radiation even when flying.
GRAZIA: What about your general packing essentials? What travel accessories just make the journey that bit easier?
MK: I always have an eye mask, but the one that is cupped on your eyes. I love that one, it’s like a bra for your eyes! I take earplugs. When I was travelling all the time as a model, I got into the habit of using an eye mask and earplugs to sleep. So, now I can’t sleep without them. And then I have a little pillow that I will bring with me. I have a Louis Vuitton hoodie that I have travelled in for a very long time—it’s probably almost 13 or 14 years old. I also have these packing cubes that I use and I have my son’s initials stitched into them. So, that keeps things organised.
GRAZIA: How has travelling with four little boys been?
MK: There’s a lot of things to pack when you’re a mother of four boys! They all have their special things, and they have their little backpacks that they put on. Inside are all the things for the plane; different books and activities and lots of snacks and water.
GRAZIA: In your job, you travel the world constantly. How has seeing different cultures and cities shaped the type of person you are today?
MK: I’ve travelled all around the world and experienced so many different cultures and I feel like you can learn so many rituals and gain so many insights from each. I like to learn things and incorporate them at home, like taking your shoes off and putting slippers on before you come inside the house [as the Japanese do]. I loved trying different types of food and hearing different languages, it’s just kind of like a sensorial immersion when you go to a new country. From my time living in Japan, Milan, Barcelona, New York and Paris, I feel like I’m a child of the world, and at the end of the day, humans have so much in common, even if we’re culturally different. We have this desire to just love and be loved.
Shop KORA Organics here.
