After all this time, I’ve never really gotten a sense of who Irina Shayk really is. I mean, I know what she does and why she’s famous – Russian model, great body, former girlfriend of Cristiano Ronaldo and now the baby-mama of Bradley Cooper – but I’ve never known what she’s really like. I was pleasantly surprised when I read her interview with W Magazine to promote her continuing brand endorsement for Intimissimi lingerie – she comes across as sort of funny, maybe, and she actually comes across as just kind of normal and not really fancy or pretentious? She’s not Gooping it up, so I give her some credit, if we’re setting the bar that low. You can read the full W Magazine piece here. Some highlights:
The idea of sexiness: “We live in the 21st century and with everything that’s going on in the world, people always ask me what it means to be sexy, and sexy is not about wearing a push-up bra and red lipstick and high heels. Every women is sexy in her own way. It’s something that comes from inside of you. You don’t have to go out there and show it—though if you want to go out there and show it, it’s totally fine. When you see a woman dressed in a suit and sneakers, I think she’s sexy. It’s about your character, how you move, how you talk—that’s sexy to me. It’s not about a push-up bra to your neck and you can’t breathe. It’s something more classy and sophisticated and modern.
Whether motherhood changed her confidence: “I always say that being a mom is one of the greatest things in the world. I don’t think it’s changed my life. It did change in a way to make me better. Family is the most important thing in the world.
Whether motherhood changed her style: “No. Not at all. Sometimes [people] will be like, “Oh, she’s a mom and she’s wearing this?” I’m like, “Give me a break, girl.” Again, we live in the 21st century. Just because you are a mom and you have a baby doesn’t mean you have to change and dress different. Keep expressing yourself and who you are.
She’s a bra hoarder: “I have so many bras. But I’m really good at giving them away when I get new ones. My friends always call me. I’ve been so lucky, that I feel like it’s good to give some away. But what’s really funny is I still have one of my first bras that Intimissimi ever gave to me. I think it’s probably eight or nine years old. I still wear it…I have drawers. I keep moving bras from drawers to boxes, and now I have so many boxes. I’ve been giving them away. Some bras are really close to my heart though, so I’ll keep them. I’m like, “Maybe it’s for my daughter.”
Her obsession: “Well, I’m Russian, so I do a Russian sauna at least once or twice a week. It’s different because you get hit by a hot broom, and it opens your pores and cleans your skin. Then you jump in a cold plunge and the difference in temperature makes your skin tighter. It’s a Russian ritual that I’ve been doing since I was a kid. And I don’t believe in facials. I really don’t. I don’t believe in going somewhere and pay someone $300 to rub cream on your face. I believe in facials with machines, like microcurrents, so it’s actually a microcurrent for your face. My latest obsession is in London called FaceGym. They have one in New York, I think. It’s literally the best thing ever. The woman comes and does a workout for your face. When you leave, you really feel like your face is lifted.
She keeps talking about eating cakes, and she’s asked if she bakes those cakes: “No, I’m a really bad cook. I just eat cakes.”
This is maybe the most Russian sentence ever: “It’s different because you get hit by a hot broom.” Was something lost in translation or are people really sitting in saunas and getting hit with hot brooms? Cue twenty people telling me that Russian saunas are the hottest thing ever and why don’t I know about the Hot Broom Technique. You bitches are so gullible!! *insert Russian villain voice* “We will make women come into hot house and we will hit with hot broom hahahaha.” Also: I like her better for not believing in facials. I really do. I also think it’s gross/funny that she would save BRAS for her daughter.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I really wish we would do away with the myth of pores “opening”. Pores don’t open or close. They aren’t doors. Just like you cant actually shrink pores either. You cant shrink pores people. Pore size is genetic!
Yeah, I learned that the hard way, spending $$ to try and find something that could “shrink” the giant pores on my nose. Nothing ever worked, obviously, and I ended up with some very fancy stuff in the trash.
That said, I think she maybe meant that a sauna can help clean out any gunk that might be clogging your pores. I’ve never had a facial (I have adult acne and would be too scared of breaking out afterwards) but I know my skin is often nice and glowy after I’ve been in a sauna, no matter how ginormous my pores might be, hahaha.
@Lady Have you tried a glycolic peel for acne? I do one every couple of months and it makes a big difference.
I do hot yoga, not the rigid sameThingEveryClass type, but a vinyasa flow. The sweat keeps my skin nice. But then again, I’m a peasant & dont even post my face on social media. I just “feel good” in my skin.
@Mac I’ve never done a glycolic peel, actually. Right now I’m using a retinol serum 2-3 nights per week, and also a Clarisonic brush now and then. It seems to help keep things under control, but I’ll definitely look into a peel too. Thanks!
@LadyMTL – I had teen and adult acne into my 40’s. My naturopath suggested cutting out nightshades for other medical reasons, but my face cleared up after I did. If I eat tomatoes, I break out on my chin again but I have been able to stay very clear since then.
I don’t get the obsession with eradicating pores (as if we could anyway, as some posters have pointed out). IMO the no-pore look gives a vibe of parchment skin
Products that contain retinol can unclog pores and make them look smaller. Prescription Accutane shrinks the oil gland, physically making the pore smaller. It will return to its original size once you go off the medication. In-office laser treatments permanently shrink pores.
Even lasers don’t permanently shrink pores. Ablative lasers tighten the skin around pores. Which makes then appear smaller. So you still are not technically shrinking the pores themselves.
Thank you for that. I always want to scream when people are talking about how the pores are opening and closing or shrinking. If you clean out your pores with an BHA, it can make them look smaller. But they are not actually smaller.
I had very bad cystic acne that wasn’t going away with any treatment so my dermatologist had me go on Accutane. Accutane pretty much takes all the sebum/oil out of your skin and other areas too. So my pores no longer had any sebum in them and especially my nose and forehead it appeared like my pores shrank. No white heads no blackheads. I don’t recommend accutane however. Yes, my skin looked the best it ever had in years and I was emotional about that since it was my largest insecurity and a thing people/strangers alway brought up.. however.. my scalp on my head is now permanently dry and slowly it’s been 5 years now my skin is starting to break out more and more and I am starting to get little blackheads in pores on my nose now and small breakouts where I would have cystic before so it’s not permanent unfornately 🙁
Well…its true. Topical creams, masks, serums are temporary fixes. The only topical proven to work is Retin-A and acids like AHA/BHA (and only because it removed dead skin cells still surface level). Even Retinol is bunk.
Yeah I got a hydrofacial once and all it did was give me a couple big zits a week later (and I don’t normally get zits, I have pretty dry skin). Otherwise my face looked the same the next day.
I’d do a facial again if it was more of a laser thing or AHA/BHA-based.
Retinol isn’t bunk because it does exactly what retinoids do – just with a much weaker dose because it’s OTC. So you have to use them longer to get the same results.
Yeah, Retin-A is Retinol.
man i found a retinol and it really dried out my skin for a few days. i think i went a little heavy handed on it at first
Retinol is a derivative (like Retin-A) of a Retinoid/Vitamin A but the two aren’t the same. They are in the same family but have different longterm benefits. Retinol is a very watered down synthetic less potent version of Retin. While it is better than not using any Retinoid, it isn’t as effective or been proven to have longterm results. Many serums/lotions highly exaggerate the percentage of retinol in their product as well and most contain minute amounts of it. They use mostly fillers with so called Retinol derisive added and they actually contain a small portion of Retinol. Even the so called 1% Retinol pales in comparison to the lowest percentage of true Tretinoin or Retin-A. Those ads & commercials, articles hawking Retinol, it is a gimmick just like most skin products.
She is beautiful and like how she talks about being sexy mama. But i do not think she is natural now. Who knows..
They always have the most awkward body language.
Maybe he doesn’t want her bronzer rubbing off on his white suit ?
her upper lip freaks me out the way that Nicole Kidman’s does.
I also noticed this about Bezo’s “true love”. Is that filler or what?
Add Priyanka Chopra and Jessica Biel to the list.
Oh completely! That upper lip is crazy big. But it’s natural. I saw pics of her when she was a kid and in high school in Russia, and she had those gigantic lips then.
not sure if it’s fillers or an implant.
and it is not completely natural. I’ve seen pics of her as a child and, yes, she had full lips. but her upper lip has changed in size…that is, there are pics of her from just a few years ago where her lip was even BIGGER, and had that wormy look where parts of it “bulge out” when you smile. like, it looks like it gets thicker from the philtrum to the corner of the lip. that is not the case with a natural lip.
also, I have full lips, top and bottom. and my top lip does NOT look like that header pic when I smile with teeth showing, because it’s natural and the skin stretches out and my lip gets thinner. the bottom line of the lip sort of “curls under against the teeth. the way hers stretches makes it obvious that it’s an artificial plumping.
She has always had full lips. Scroll down to see images of her as a child and a teen with big, full, pouty lips. Some people have big lips 🤷🏼♀️
https://24smi.org/en/celebrity/34338-irina-shayk.html
I think it’s the lip line rather than the size that looks fake. She’s always had full lips but, just like Jessica Biel and Priyanka Chopra, she used to have a distinct cupid’s bow. Filler has pumped up that cupid’s bow to a plain curve. None of these women needed that tiny bit of filler: they had nicely shaped lips that were full and the resulting oval look the filler gives to their lips just looks off.
Asked my Russian bf about the broom beating and he said it’s a translation issue, because “it’s not a broom in the way you think of a broom to sweep the kitchen… it’s branches… You get beat with branches.” And as I continued to just stare at him incredulously he followed up with, “It’s a special branch! It gets the toxins out!”
So there you have it.
So you get beat up with a special branch?!?
Now that is the most Russian thing I have ever heard! 😂
Yes I’ve been to the Russian Bathhouse and can confirm but it is more like stiff leafy fronds from a bush and yes it is broom-ish and yes they beat you in a hot room.
….. I only have more questions now.
She was talking about a sauna whisk. They are used all over Nordic countries as well. They are usually made of young tree twigs. The most common is probably a birch whisk. You soak the whisk first in water, so that the leaves become soft and then you slap your body with it and it kind of massages your skin. It promotes better blood circulation and cleans the skin.
Perfect description. I’m confirming this as a Russian 🙂
And I once took my American BFF to one of those establishments in NYC (yup, there’s one near Wall Street and it’s super authentic) and she became OBSESSED with it. Said her skin never looked or felt better.
(Personally I am not crazy about the experience)
The things I learn on Celebitchy! I have now read up on branch slapping, never knew about it.
Yup. Correct is right. Am in the Baltics. Lots of alcohol for the men, meat too and the extreme cold is rough on the skin. I have a sauna in my basement. In that sauna we keep the birch branches in a bucket of water. Also Menthol crystals and eucalyptus essential oil in another corner. When it’s high holidays the man friends and family vodka themselves silly all day and night and then have a sauna to detox the next morning.
They also love to run naked from the hot sauna and into the – 13 C ice cold snow outside. F@cking coo coo over here in the Baltics. But the men tend to have good skin. 😊
I’m now flashing back to that scene from the 1992 film about Stalin where, after finding out Germany invaded, Stalin is in a sauna getting whipped by some branch all the while ranting .
I don’t know whether facials are effective but damn they feel good
Yes. It is a thing just like people described it here in comments. I am not a fan of sauna, thought every once in awhile I will do it with my girlfriends. It usually also includes a good body peeling as most of hitting is reserved for men among men, I prefer not to get hit with tree twigs. I often find it is an excuse to apply unnecessary force towards other people.
Secret. I don’t like massages either. Why pay someone to push my cellulite around? I mean, why subject anyone to that? Not that I’m self loathing, it’s just realistic. I’d rather work out and have a good shower & stretch. SpaStayCaytion, and FREE
I got a facial w microdermabrasion at hand and stone and i saw a big difference. Will do it again
you are really, literally are getting hit with a bunch a wet birch leaves. It’s called venik)
She seems vapid but in a sweet way. Like all she cares about is skin, bras and sexiness? Maybe that’s all she gets asked about, IDK. I don’t know if she’s a good fit for BCoop, he always seems so bored around her. Weird body language with them. Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t see them lasting much longer.
I agree about her and Bradley. I am so convinced that they have already split and are just making appearances together until the end of awards season.
Well, she’s a model who received a lot of publicity for being picked for the cover of Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition some years back. Now she has a contract with a lingerie company. To me, she merely sounds like she’s talking about things that are directly related to her work.
I got a facial years ago and it was the biggest mistake ever. I broke out and was red for days. I’ve been taking care of my own skin since then and it is just fine. I agree that I do not need to pay someone to slather expensive cream on my face.
However, you cannot keep me away from professional pedicures. My back is bad, so bending over for that type of care can be a pain at times.
As someone living with acne well into my 30s I can say that my life is completely different during periods when i get routine facials vs. when I don’t have the time/money. I use all products from Paula’s choice with salycilic acid and haven’t had a major breakout in MONTHS. but it doesn’t replace the de-clogging of pores with a facial, and the difference is notable. so the no facial thing for me is for the lucky ones.
I use Paula’s Choice, too. Excellent products!
She and BCoop are a such weird couple. Not a great chemistry in the pics. I think Ronaldo was the great love of her life
His chemistry with his female co-stars actually seems natural. Even his off screen chemistry with Jennifer Lawrence seemed natural and relaxed. His interactions with Irina have seemed forced from the beginning.
She’s going to give her used underwear to her daughter?…okay…
Right? Just because she likes hoarding bras doesn’t mean anyone necessarily wants them.
My mother used to give me her old bras until I outgrew her size. And when my grandmother died, my cousin requested her old bras (they’re both very top heavy). If the bras are well taken care of and well structured, then I don’t see the problem. To me, it’s like passing on vintage clothing.
I’m just here to say that Bradley Cooper is really quite unattractive and odd looking. Yuck.
She’s being paid to promote that line of lingerie, right? Are we really surprised that she is trying to promote bras as more than “that uncomfortable thing you have to wear.” I kind of respect the spin!
Her and Coop always look so uncomfortable together.
I’m sorry but I found this whole interview so vapid. But then again it’s not like they were asking her hard hitting creative questions but still. Ugh. I know I need to chill lol but reading this I’m mad I wasted five minutes on it lol. Only myself to blame!
I suspect the cares of this world don’t penetrate very far with her. Life is one big hunt for boxes to put bras in.
Someone mentioned Accutane and I just wanted to say- this may be a rarer side effect, but it totally messed up my friend’s vision. She had serious issues with some oil glands in her eyes that her doctor told her was a result of her Accutane use. Be careful!
I took Accutane twice for several months and afterwards my acne was completely gone. So it works. But every since then I have superdry skin, so like you said: be careful.
It can also cause candida. Google the connection between acutane and candida for more info.
Why do I feel like a loser right now for only doing a Neutrogena wash nightly.
Because I’m a broke loser maybe.
It’s not pricey and not bad as products for sensitive skins go.
Also…why do I feel like she’s too good for Bradley Cooper?
Something about him feels mean to ME. Talented but mean, selfish, arrogant. Full of the human condition.
I read too many blind gossip sites on Sundays.
The shyt you learn there…woah.
Oh. Just remembered I DID have an estee lauder spa/facial day when I lived in MY as a gift. Meh. I’ll stick with Neutrogena and a lot of water. I notice more crap about my face if I sleep less than 7 hours, though.
For me, it’s simple tbings and sleep REALLY affects my appearance.
I don’t like Bradley C either, can’t specify anything, just rubs me the wrong way.
However, I wouldn’t believe anything from blind items, look what happened with Gretchen Mol.
You’re probably right: his ex wife, Jennifer Esposito, had some choice things to say about him in her memoir. He’s a manipulator and very controlling and took away her spark and the joy in her life while they were together, apparently.
Circulation of blood through exercise, good rest, healthy diet with lots of water can do wonders for skin.
so can: not smoking, luck of the genetic lottery, sunscreen and moisturizer, aloe vera whiskey tonics.
Oy!! Clearly believes in lip fillers though…
Aye… it’s not a Russian thing, it’s Finnish and of Finnish origin. Both saunas and the birch whisk (vihta).
Well, I’m glad she doesn’t believe in them cuz I can’t afford them lol. Most people who get them end up getting major breakouts after the facial. I do like pedicures/manicures and those are more affordable for me.
My face is spotty after due to extractions
I think it really depends on where you go for a facial, the type of facial, and if you know what your skin reacts to. Once or twice a year I splurge on a top notch facial and it really clears guck from the nook and crannies of my face in a way skincare routines just isnt able to. BUT, there are a lot of places out there that sell subpar services and products. It’s so easy to waste money on mediocre service. And that’s not just facial services that you have to be mindful of….I’ve learned the hard way about spending money on massages. Yeah, no, you get what you pay for with some of those services.
Branch slapping. Salad tossing. What’s next?
Lol.
Maybe just ripping your skin off. Skin can’t suck if you don’t have any.
Sorry. Was watching Hellraiser 3 over the weekend.
lol,just imagining Miranda bathing in a tub filled to the max with salad.
I just can’t let this story go-
Who really wants old, used bras?
I would wear the shyt out of a great bra that’s barely been used if it was my size. Wash it, sure.
But why not.
I have a hard time finding the right bra after pregnancy. If the one part of the size is right, the other part of how it fits isn’t. I always have one nip showing through when I get it wrong like I’m Janet Jackson.
Is giving bras away really a thing? I mean, I get it if they’re new but used bras?
I went to the FaceGym in NYC and its amazing. My face did look much better after my treatment. As for the Russian sauna, they work, Ive seen people who go on a regular basis and they have the most glowy skin, that said, I hate cold water and I dont like the dip at the end. It does help ur skin but im not about to get in freezing cold water after being in 150 degree. I do the infrared sauna instead and love it. It may sound like a vain and strange thing for people in this country but I think everyone should go to a sauna or steam room regularly. It helps the body so much.
I think a lot of skin issues are genetic. I’m gonna be honest, at 50, I do the bare minimum. A facial scrub in the morning with a light moisturiser and micellar water in the evening. I have very few wrinkles and no acne. I take after my Dad’s side of the family and they have great skin and very few wrinkles. It’s a genetic lottery.
Irina didn’t get any hard questions. It’s impossible to know what she’s like from that interview. I hope they are a happy, functional couple for their child’s sake.
I still don’t know who she is but Native Americans have used the leaves/branches/whisks and stuff in saunas forever.
I do enjoy those minus getting beaten. ?
I have nice skin and I’M OLD compared to some of you.
Facials are a waste of money but because we are always looking to look better, I’ve had facials and I tried microdermabrasion.
Not dermabrasion. That requires hiding for at least a week and pain killers.
I didn’t see anything. Even the Esthetician said, “You don’t need this.” and you don’t need to spend a lot of money either.
You go to the drug store or online and get a Buff Puff to exfoliate.
Get some Cetaphil cleanser. A big bottle runs about 10. bucks.
Get some little tins of Nivea cream for about $1. each. Don’t get the big jars.
The jars and tins have the same ingredients but the jars are packed in Mexico and the tins
are made in Germany. Maybe it’s the water.
Speaking of which, drink water. Start early in the morning and sip all day.
Don’t smoke, don’t tan and EAT well.
I still do stupid stuff. I just ordered this “dry oil” women were raving about for $35. and guess what? Nothin’.
I’ve spent over $100. on a small bottle of cream. I don’t do that anymore.
You don’t need a facial. You just need daily care and maintenance but if it feels good and you can afford it, go ahead and a good humidifier in your bedroom during winter is helpful.
Oh, and I still have some gorgeous bra/panty sets I bought in Europe many years ago; silk, handmade lace…little works of art.
I can’t even get one leg or boob in those anymore but my younger daughter has taken a couple of sets.
I might put the others in a shadow box in my bathroom just for the memories. 🙂
I`m russian and we have them saunas everywhere, they`re popular, and they really make skin tighter, and the hot broom is amazing !