Happy 2019 to you, our lovely Beauticate readers! To kick off our WHO profiles this year, we’re so pleased to bring you former Miss Universe Australia, Monika Radulovic. Armed with a degree in psychology, a complete obsession with health and wellness and, it must be said, the kind of killerwatt smile and enviable body you might expect from a girl used to wearing tiaras for a living, Monika has parlayed her pageant days into working with brands she loves (including HIVITA Health Care and IWC Watches). We caught up with her to find out her favourite makeup tips, skincare essentials, designer weaknesses – yep, she even admits Louboutins are as painful as they are gorgeous - and every little detail on how she gets that real life glow from the inside out.
“Growing up, I always had good skin (I think thanks to my mum’s genes), so I never really had to worry about acne or other skin conditions.
Because of that, I didn’t pay attention to skincare products – I actually remember a makeup artist lecturing me about the importance of using a moisturiser when I was 19 and not really using much of anything. In my early 20s I delved into the science behind beauty products and their potential for having long-term benefits on the skin. Since then, taking care of my skin has been extremely important to me, and I’ve found that sticking to great quality products and being religious with my regime has made all the difference to the condition of my skin.
I cleanse, tone and moisturise daily and make sure I take off my makeup before bed. This is such a simple thing but makes such a difference to your skin.
I prep my skin with the La Prairie White Caviar Illuminating Pearl Infusion, and I absolutely love the HIVITA Luminous White Skin Renewal Cream and use it to moisturise my skin day and night. It has this velvety texture and is super absorbent, and my skin has really reaped the benefits since I started using it. La Prairie’s Cellular 3-Minute Peel is another game-changing product in my routine; I use it as a weekly booster to help renew and refresh my skin – it’s like giving myself a facial at home, and I notice results right away. I also use my Nu Skin LumiSpa cleansing device every morning and night to give my skin a really deep clean.
I have a couple of simple makeup tips that I swear by.
Number one? Curl your eyelashes before using mascara. And number two – brush your brows with a tiny amount of hairspray to keep them in place all day.
I have a relatively simple hair care routine.
I wash my hair using OGX Shea Soft and Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner; I discovered OGX a few months ago and I love how soft it makes my hair feel. After I’ve washed my hair I distribute Moroccanoil treatment oil from the middle to the ends of my hair – I’ve been using it since high school and I’m such a fan of how smooth and shiny my hair is when I use it, plus it smells incredible! I blow dry my hair with the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer (it’s the absolute best dryer I’ve ever used; it dries faster while being more gentle), and my favourite styling product has to be Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray. It gives me the perfect sexy, tousled bed hair.
I really fell into working in the entertainment and fashion industry. I never could have imagined in my teenage years that I’d be here one day!
I went to uni straight after high school to study Psychology, and it wasn’t until I graduated from my Honours degree that I started to take my modelling career seriously. I ended up working as a full time model for a few years, before I decided to enter the Miss Universe Australia pageant. I won that competition in 2015, went on to represent our amazing country in the international Miss Universe pageant, and that was the start of this next chapter of my career.
I’d like to think of my style as classic and simple, with a touch of glam. It doesn’t matter what I’m doing, whether it be heading to the gym or off to a red carpet event, I always aim to look polished and put together.
My favourite pieces from Aussie brands include Alice McCall, Bec & Bridge, By Johnny and Rebecca Vallance. Another fave piece in my wardrobe is my bespoke “RAD” demin jacket. It was embroidered by Kai from All My Relations, and I instantly feel my cool-o-meter rise when I put it on.
I’m a big believer in buying investment accessories like bags and shoes, simply because you’ll wear them again and again for years. Chanel is my weakness – I think the brand is just utterly chic, and I’ve invested in a few of their gorgeous bags and shoes over the years. My black Chanel Boy bag is one of my most treasured pieces, as is my Christian Louboutin shoe collection (if only they were as comfortable as they are beautiful!). I’m always wearing my Gregory Jewellers diamond engagement ring and wedding band and complete every outfit with my IWC Portugieser Automatic Chronograph watch.
I believe that a truly healthy body is one that feels good inside and out. To me, this means eating healthy foods and working out regularly, which will benefit your physical health as well as your mental and emotional wellbeing.
I’m a serious believer in eating the right foods and for me, that means focusing on eating a huge range of vegetables, lots of healthy fats, grass fed protein and some nuts and seeds. Avoiding sugar and processed foods is something that I think greatly benefits your body, so I avoid eating these whenever I can. I know that may seem overwhelming, but you can make it a gradual process by slowly cutting down on the unhealthy stuff, and replacing it with natural foods that still taste great but nourish your body (for example, I love to snack on berries and activated nuts). Drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated is also very important (boring but true!), and I like to drink warm water with sea salt and lemon in the mornings to rehydrate, boost my metabolism and improve digestion.
Four times a week I head over to my local F45 studio and work out.
The 45 minutes of high intensity first thing in the morning leaves me feeling sweaty, energised and ready to start my day. I also train once a week with my personal trainer, Tony Akindoyin, at Virgin Active, to help with my form and make sure I’m doing the right thing. I also believe rest is really important so if I’m tired I give myself a break and just go for a nice long walk.
I like to maintain a healthy food regime as best I can, which for me means natural, unprocessed whole foods and avoiding sugar and artificial sweeteners.
I love packing my meals with good fats, minimal carbs and plenty of fresh veggies, so for breakfast I typically have two scrambled eggs cooked with coconut oil, sautéed spinach, avo and sea salt. Lunch is usually a huge bowl of roasted veggies with salmon or grilled chicken plus another avo, drizzled with olive oil and tahini and topped with some pine nuts. Then dinner I might have some bone broth with veggies and chicken thighs. As for dessert, my healthy chocolate brownies made with zucchini are my signature (I promise you can’t taste the zucchini whatsoever!) and I love nothing more than having a piece with an almond milk cappuccino.
I like to maintain a healthy food regime as best I can, which for me means natural, unprocessed whole foods and avoiding sugar and artificial sweeteners.
I love packing my meals with good fats, minimal carbs and plenty of fresh veggies, so for breakfast I typically have two scrambled eggs cooked with coconut oil, sautéed spinach, avo and sea salt. Lunch is usually a huge bowl of roasted veggies with salmon or grilled chicken plus another avo, drizzled with olive oil and tahini and topped with some pine nuts. Then dinner I might have some bone broth with veggies and chicken thighs. As for dessert, my healthy chocolate brownies made with zucchini are my signature (I promise you can’t taste the zucchini whatsoever!) and I love nothing more than having a piece with an almond milk cappuccino.
I’m a huge health and wellness junkie and will try absolutely anything if it might benefit me.
This includes using my infrared sauna for half an hour most days to assist with detoxification, and going weekly to Koa Recovery for cryotherapy, which helps with muscle recovery and to decrease inflammation.
My mum is definitely my biggest beauty influence. She inspires me with her confidence and total security in being her true self.
The fact that she doesn’t need makeup or any anti-aging treatments to feel confident is so incredible given the society we live in today. She doesn’t even dye her hair and celebrates the new greys coming through! What mum has taught me above all is that true beauty comes from within and is ultimately defined by the kind of person you are.
I see ageing as a state of mind, and don’t think chronological age is that important.
How many times have you seen someone who is sixty years old that’s just as vibrant, if not more so, than someone in their twenties? I think our true age is more determined by how we feel, and I plan to feel as vital, energetic and youthful as I can for the rest of my life!”
