THE PREMIER GUIDE TO LOOKING AFTER YOURSELF IN MODELLING
BLOG - BEAUTY & WELLNESS
21/05/2026
Living Well: The Premier Guide to Health, Wellness and Looking After Yourself in Modelling
Modelling is a career like no other. The early starts, the travel, the long days on set, the constant movement between cities and clients and creative teams - it is exciting, it is varied, and it can be genuinely brilliant. But it also asks a lot of you, physically and mentally.
At Premier, we have been looking after models since 1981. Over those 45 years, we have learned that the models who build the longest, happiest careers are not just talented or photogenic - they are people who genuinely look after themselves. This is our guide to what that looks like in practice: how to eat well, how to protect your skin on the road, how to stay active in a way that works for you, and - most importantly - how to look after your mental health and know that your agents are always in your corner.
Let's Talk About the Industry's Reputation - and the Reality
It is no secret that the modelling industry has faced difficult conversations over the years - around body image, the pressure placed on young talent, and the question of whether the welfare of the people doing the work has always come first. Those conversations have been important, and the industry as a whole has been listening and evolving.
We represent people - real people, with lives and health and futures that extend far beyond any one shoot or season. The standard we set is simple: the wellbeing of our models comes first. Always. We work with clients who share that standard, and we do not work with those who do not.
The modelling world is changing. The conversation around body image, diversity, and model welfare is louder, more serious, and more impactful than it has ever been. Premier has always been part of that conversation - and this guide is part of our commitment to it.
A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE: WHAT IT ACTUALLY MEANS
Healthy living is not a set of rules. It is not a diet plan, a specific body shape, or a list of things you should and should not eat. It looks different for every person, and that is exactly how it should be.
What we do encourage, genuinely and consistently, is a lifestyle that nourishes you. One that gives you the energy to do your job well, the resilience to handle a demanding schedule, and enough left over to actually enjoy your life outside of work. We want our models to feel strong, well-fed, and looked after - and where we can, we will always point you in that direction.
That looks different for everyone. But some principles hold across the board.
EATING WELL: FUEL, NO RULES
Food is fuel. It is also pleasure, culture, and one of the great joys of travelling to new places.
What we do know, from 45 years of working with people whose bodies and energy are central to their livelihood, is that eating well makes an enormous practical difference.
Eat regularly: Skipping meals to get through a long day is one of the fastest ways to feel depleted on set and affect your performance. Models who eat consistently show up with more energy, better focus, and better skin.
Prioritise whole foods: A diet built around vegetables, protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates does not need to be complicated. It just needs to be consistent. Think less about what to avoid and more about what to include.
Stay hydrated: Water is genuinely underrated. Hydration affects your skin, your energy, your concentration, and your mood. On long shoot days and during travel especially, drinking enough water makes a visible difference.
Drink alcohol mindfully: The social side of the fashion industry can involve a lot of events, parties, and occasions where alcohol is present. There is nothing wrong with enjoying yourself. But heavy alcohol consumption affects your sleep, your skin, your energy levels, and your mental health in ways that add up quickly. Looking after yourself means being honest with yourself about your relationship with alcohol - and knowing it is always okay to say no.
Eat more, not less, when the schedule demands it: Fashion weeks, back-to-back castings, and international travel are physically exhausting. This is not the time to eat less - it is the time to eat better and more intentionally. Your body is doing a demanding job. Treat it accordingly.
On size guidelines - let's be honest about this: The modelling industry does have size guidelines, and we are not going to pretend otherwise. Certain clients, shows, and briefs work within specific measurements, and that is a real part of how the industry operates. But here is what is equally true, and equally important: those guidelines exist in the same way they exist for professional athletes or dancers. A marathon runner trains to a certain physical standard. A ballet dancer works within the requirements of their art form. Being a model involves a body that works within certain professional parameters - and like any professional, the way to maintain that is through a healthy, nourishing, active lifestyle. Not through not eating.
Restriction is not a professional standard at Premier. It is not something we encourage, suggest, or consider acceptable. Eating well, eating enough, and fuelling your body properly is not in conflict with a modelling career. It is what makes one sustainable.
SKINCARE ON THE ROAD: A PRACTICAL GUIDE
Your skin takes the brunt of the modelling lifestyle - travel, long hours under studio lighting, regular heavy makeup application, and constant shifts in climate and humidity. The good news is that protecting your skin does not require an expensive or complicated routine. It requires consistency.
Keep it simple. The best skincare routine is one you actually maintain. Cleanser, moisturiser, and SPF every day without exception will outperform an elaborate regime that falls apart the moment you are on the road. Find products that work for your skin type and stick to them.
SPF is non-negotiable. Sun protection is the single most impactful thing you can do for the long-term health and appearance of your skin. It applies whether you are shooting outdoors, travelling to a sunny location, or sitting by an airplane window. Make it a daily habit regardless of the weather.
Hydrate before and during flights. Cabin air is extremely dehydrating. Drink water consistently throughout any flight rather than relying on the service. Apply moisturiser before boarding and consider a hydrating mist for longer journeys.
Give your skin recovery time. After a long run of jobs with heavy makeup looks, your skin needs space to breathe. Rest days - minimal or no makeup, simple skincare, early nights - make a real difference. Build them into your schedule when you can.
Remove your makeup. Every night. No exceptions. It sounds obvious, but after a 14-hour day it is the first thing that gets skipped. It should not be. Sleeping in makeup is consistently one of the most damaging habits for skin health.
Diet and water show on your face. No serum or treatment works as well as consistent hydration, regular sleep, and a diet with plenty of vegetables and whole foods. The skin reflects what is happening internally - always.
Staying Active: Move in a Way You LovE
Models lead active lives - and many of the models at Premier are genuinely, enthusiastically sporty. Not because the industry demands it, but because staying active is good for your body, brilliant for your mind, and one of the best ways to manage the physical and emotional demands of this career.
The best form of exercise is whichever one you will actually do. That might be running - plenty of our models are serious runners and some have completed marathons. It might be Pilates, yoga, dance, swimming, cycling, netball, football, tennis, or gym training. It might be walking - long walks are underestimated as both a physical and mental reset, and exploring a new city on foot is one of the genuine pleasures of a career that takes you places.
The point is not what you do. The point is that you move regularly, that you enjoy it, and that it gives you energy rather than depleting you. Exercise should feel like something you are doing for yourself, not a job requirement or a way of managing your body's appearance. If it ever starts to feel like the latter, that is worth paying attention to.
A few things that help models stay active across a demanding schedule:
Find activities that travel well. Running, yoga, and bodyweight workouts require no equipment and can be done almost anywhere in the world.
Having a physical practice that is not dependent on a specific gym or location means you can maintain it through fashion weeks and international jobs. Walk whenever you can. A city you are visiting for work is also a city worth exploring. Walking between appointments rather than always taking cabs is both practical and grounding.
Do not push through injury. Rest is not laziness - it is maintenance. Ignoring an injury to keep working is a short-term decision with long-term consequences. Tell your agent, take the time, get it looked at.
Make it social if that helps. Team sports, group classes, training with a friend - the social element of exercise is a real motivator and a genuine source of connection, particularly when you spend a lot of time on your own on the road.
MENTAL HEALTH: THE CONVERSATION THAT MATTER MOST
Physical health gets talked about more easily than mental health. That needs to change.
Modelling can be a wonderful career. It can also be isolating, unpredictable, and emotionally demanding in ways that are not always visible from the outside. Constant assessment. Rejection that feels personal even when it is not. Long periods away from home and the people who know you best. The pressure to always present well, always be on, always be available. These things accumulate. They affect people. And they are nothing to be embarrassed about.
At Premier, we want to say this as clearly as we can: your mental health matters more than any booking.
If you are struggling - with anxiety, with the pressures of the industry, with loneliness, with your relationship to food or your body, with anything at all - please talk to your agent. That is what we are here for. Not just to manage your bookings and send you to castings, but to look after you as a person. We have seen what this industry can ask of people, and we will never minimise what you are going through.
YOUR AGENTS ARE HERE FOR YOU WHEN:
You need a break. If you are burnt out, overwhelmed, or simply exhausted and need time off - say so. We will work around it. Your long-term health and happiness is worth more than a short-term booking.
Something at a job did not feel right. If you were made uncomfortable on a shoot, if someone said something that felt wrong, or if a client or photographer behaved in a way that concerned you - tell us immediately. We take this seriously, we will act on it, and you will never be penalised for speaking up.
You are struggling with how you feel about yourself. The modelling industry involves a lot of assessment of your physical appearance, and that is genuinely hard. If you are finding it difficult, please come to us. We can help you find professional support, we can adjust your schedule, and we can make sure the jobs you are doing are ones that feel good rather than ones that make things harder.
You just need to talk. Sometimes there is nothing specific - just the weight of everything. That is enough. Your agents are people who care about you, not just a management resource.
We also encourage every model to maintain a life outside their career. Friendships, hobbies, interests, passions that have nothing to do with the industry. A strong sense of self that is not dependent on how a casting went or whether the bookings are coming in. Those things are not separate from your career - they are what sustain it.
Premier Is Here - Always
We have been representing models for 45 years. In that time, our models have appeared on the covers, walked the biggest shows in the world, and fronted campaigns for the most celebrated names in fashion. We are enormously proud of every one of those achievements - they represent real talent, real work, and real moments that matter.
And alongside every one of those achievements, there are people. Models who have come through Premier and gone on to live full, healthy, happy lives. Careers built on their terms. Experiences that made them stronger. It is the combination of those two things - the work and the wellbeing - that we measure ourselves by.
That is what we are working towards with every model we represent. If you are part of the Premier family, know that your agents genuinely care about how you are doing - not just professionally, but as a person.
And if you are considering applying to Premier, know that this is the standard you can expect from us.
Ready to take the next step?