Victoria’s Secret Angel Sara Sampaio Wants You to Know Her Life Isn’t Perfect

Anyone with an Instagram account can attest to the comparison trap. Whether our follower list is comprised of celebrities, beauty influencers or that impossibly beautiful woman who lives up the block, we’ve spent an embarrassing amount of time insta-stalking someone’s page. We’ve wondered how they manage to look nearly flawless in every selfie, go on picturesque vacations and rub elbows with other good-looking people, all while avoiding the same anxiety we experience observing their life from a distance.

And though we wouldn’t completely write off someone who claims to not be caught in this vicious cycle, the truth is it rarely happens, even for top models like Sara Sampaio. Though many would assume someone who travels the world for work and has a fanbase of her own actually has time to get caught in the unhealthy trappings of social media, the reality is quite the opposite.

Source: Instagram

While catching up with the Moroccanoil Beauty Ambassador at a launch event for the brand’s Night Body Serum, the Portuguese beauty opened up about a years-long journey to taking better care of herself from the inside-out.

“I think self-care comes in all different shapes. For me, it’s taking care of yourself mentally. It’s not just about physicality,” she said. “It’s being kind to yourself; taking to rest, to eat, to sleep. Just making sure you take care of yourself in all parts of life.”

Ahead, the catwalker offers a snapshot of all the things she does to ensure her self-care routine stays on point; from regular workouts to captivating reads and regular social media breaks.

Body Talk

I really love going to get massages, like really strong deep tissue, because I get really sore from working out and traveling. And I put a lot of stress on my shoulders, so I always have the worst knots. I go to this Chinese place next to my house—looks very dodgy, but they’re so good there. I always come out of there with a new back.

And I just started doing ShapeHouse. They wrap you like a burrito and the treatment is infrared. And you just sweat a lot, which is great for the skin.

One thing I still do whenever I go home and see my family is we always have dinner together and there’s no phone or TV at the table.

Nightstand Essentials

I keep vitamins, a book, my jewelry, always water and pictures of my family. And of course, the Moroccanoil Night Body Serum. It really hydrates and firm. My favorite part of it is you know how sometimes with oils, you just stay oily forever? This one actually absorbs really fast.

I always tend to go for instructive books and I just finished an acting book. I also love romances and thrillers. I just finished If You Love Me and it’s this mom telling this story about her daughter dealing with an opioid addiction. It’s just powerfully told by the mom’s perspective. I highly recommend it.

I suffer a little bit from anxiety so one thing my doctor’s told me to do is to workout because it just helps out with stress.

Source: Instagram

Food Rules

If I could just eat comfort food, I would do it. I love pizza. I love milkshakes, pasta, bread, cookies—I just love it all. Me and my boyfriend love the lobby of the Mercer for brunch. I always love getting takeout from Shake Shack. Instead of waiting in line, I’ll just Postmates it. I also have Seraphina near my house, so I’ll go there a lot.

Also, one thing I still do whenever I go home and see my family is we always have dinner together and there’s no phone or TV at the table. Those are moments that I really cherish and appreciate. I think that time is really important when you’re actually talking to each other.

Post-Fashion Week Reset

I like to stay home two or three days and just do nothing. For me, it’s just getting back into a routine. Go to the gym, sleep in—my problem with Fashion Week is I tend to not eat very healthy. You just want comfort food because you’re so tired and always on the go. So you tend to just eat a lot of fast food or things that are just easy to eat, but not healthy for you.

I suffer a little bit from anxiety so one thing my doctor’s told me to do is to workout because it just helps out with stress. So it’s always been a really big tool for me. I try to do it almost everyday. When I work out, I’m eating healthier. I just feel stronger and good about myself when I’m active. I do a little bit of everything. Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of resistance and weight training. I have trainers depending on where I am in the world. I’ll also do classes sometimes, like the Mile High Run Club.

Source: Instagram

I’m in an industry where we’re just constantly compared to other people and being booked by the way we look. So it’s very hard not to fall into that pattern of comparison.

Self-Care > Comparison

I’m in an industry where we’re just constantly compared to other people and being booked by the way we look. So it’s very hard not to fall into that pattern of comparison. Sometimes, we judge our lives based on what other people are posting. And it can be hard to disconnect from that. That’s something I particularly struggled with a year or two ago. And that’s why now I’m just really working on my self-care and knowing my worth. Everyone is here for a reason. Everyone has their place. And once you start talking about it, you quickly realize that basically everyone suffers from it. Talking to other people about it definitely helps.

Remember that what everyone’s posting isn’t real. My life isn’t perfect or whatever you see on Instagram. You’re only seeing one part that I feel comfortable showing. I’ve also just distanced myself from it all in general. If it wasn’t for my job, I probably wouldn’t be on it. But it is still part of my job and I do enjoy certain aspects of it. But you really have to find a balance. Like when I’m on vacation, I really try not to be on my phone for half of it. Just trying to disconnect and not worry if I have a picture posted to Instagram. I have amazing days and when it comes to the end of it, I’m like ‘shit, I had the best day of my life and I didn’t take any pictures because I wasn’t worried about that.’ And that’s…nice. It’s more special if it’s just your’s.