What's the downside to being one of the most beautiful women on the planet?
Well, besides the hours spent dieting, working out, being spray-tanned, taped, waxed, curled,
and costumed...
Behind the glitz and glamour, being an Angel's a lot of hard work!
Pre-show prep
Supermodel Adriana Lima, who's been an Angel since 2000, said she went on a liquid-only
diet for nine days before the 2012 fashion show, saying she needed to lose weight after
giving birth to her first child.
According to The Sun, Lima "guzzled powdered egg protein shakes and a gallon of water a
day.
Twelve hours before the show, she stopped drinking altogether, declaring 'you can lose
up to eight pounds just from that.'"
But don't pop on a bikini and try this at home.
Dr. Mike Roussell warns this type of crash diet is dangerous, telling Shape, "I wouldn't
recommend this diet to anyone.
There are better ways to get the same results."
Measuring up
If you want to become a Victoria's Secret model, you have to fit the biological mold.
According to the Sun, Angels must be about "5 feet 9 inches tall with a 24-inch waist
and no more than 18 percent body fat."
To put that in perspective, the Sun reports, quote, "Healthy 'normal' women have between
21 and 24 percent body fat, while athletes have between 14 and 20.
Anything lower and you risk organ failure and death."
Sweating it out
To cut those killer bodies, models Erin Heatherton, Gigi Hadid, and Lily Aldridge perform rigorous
ballet workouts with Ballet Beautiful's Mary Helen Bowers, the same teacher that trained
Natalie Portman for Black Swan.
Others prefer boxing, swimming, Muay Thai, or Pilates.
These ladies train like pro athletes, sometimes working out even twice a day.
Trainer Dan Roberts, who works with some of the models, told the Sun, "I treat their bodies
like athletes and prepare for shows through scientifically-designed nutrition and exercise
plans."
Model Candice Swanepoel said the workouts are worth it, telling Vogue, "The best part
about training for the show is the amount of hard work, blood, sweat, and tears you
put into something you always dreamed of doing."
Making the cut
Ed Razek, chief marketing officer of Victoria's Secret, reportedly has final say over who's
in and who's out of the fashion show.
Razek has said, "You don't get a free pass to this show, you don't get in because you
are somebody, you get in because you earned it."
Some of the most famous names in the biz, including Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid, have
reportedly not made the cut in the past.
For Hadid, the third time was the charm.
She earned a coveted spot in 2015 after enduring some intense preparations.
She told Refinery29, "I did cryotherapy...which is freezing-cold, but it's really good for
blood circulation.
And, you know, after having two workouts a day for a week, it's really good for healing
your muscles and feeling fresh and having good energy."
Cryotherapy involves standing in a deep-freezing tank for several minutes — colder than minus-200
degrees Fahrenheit!
Hadid shared an emotional image from her audition on Instagram, telling Refinery 29, "[I] cried
all day…
It's something I've dreamed about my whole life."
What's most important to Razek when choosing Angels for the show?
He told Forbes, "The answer will surprise you.
It's how women respond to them.
We're interested in appealing to women because women do 99 percent of the shopping in Victoria's
Secret."
Sorry, dudes, this show's for the ladies!
Representing
Some Angels have fallen from grace just for expressing opinions that don't mirror the
brand.
According to The Sun, model Jessica Hart lightly criticized performer Taylor Swift after the
2013 show, saying, "God bless her heart.
I think she's great, but I don't know, to me, she didn't fit.
I don't know if I should say that."
Apparently she shouldn't have said that.
Razek made a point to tell Us Weekly that "everyone at Victoria's Secret was blown away
by Taylor's performance.
She could not be more beautiful or talented."
Hart hasn't walked for the brand since.
Heels for days
Angels wear heels constantly in preparation for the show.
They wear them during fittings, rehearsals, and just about every other waking moment.
The ladies need to make sure they're as comfortable as possible in heels on the catwalk.
Y'know, so they don't pull a Carrie Bradshaw.
Sticking it
What could possibly take a superhuman body to the next level?
Double-stick tape!
According to Cosmo, this secret weapon is used to keep lingerie in place, and give boobs
a boost.
Reportedly, bra inserts are also available to models that wanna rock them.
Smoke and mirrors
Before a Victoria's Secret show, models sit in the makeup chair for hours.
There are at least six manicurists on hand, 32 makeup artists, and hairstylists burning
through at least 40 cans of hairspray.
Airbrushed makeup and bronzer is also applied all over their bodies.
Victoria's Secret spray-tanner Jimmy Coco explained his process to Harper's Bazaar,
saying, "I always define the center line of the abdominals and the spine of the back.
I tan around the breast to give a lighter appearance at the top....My butt contour is
a heart-shaped contour which also gives the appearance of a butt-lift."
Many models also utilize hair extensions, which can take hours to install — and don't
forget the waxing!
Hunger pangs
Tho ugh some models may not want to eat or drink 12 hours before the big show, there
are reportedly three catered meals provided during rehearsals — and some of it is actually
eaten!
Some models also told The Daily Beast they treat themselves to junk food after the show
is over.
Allesandra Ambrosio talked about a congratulatory ice cream sundae.
Doutzen Kroes waxed poetic about French fries and burgers, but industry rebel Cara Delevingne
said she ate McDonalds and pizza before the show and brought her own bacon in her purse.
Now that's the kind of model life we can get behind.
"Holy moley…
I can't taste anything anymore."
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