Trans Model Valentina Sampaio Makes History on VS Runway

Valentina Sampaio has stamped her name in the history books a dozen times over. Most recently, she became one of the first transgender models to take part in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, strutting her stuff alongside icons like Kate Moss, Tyra Banks, and Adriana Lima.

Walking the 2024 runway as an angel was a dream come true for Sampaio. When she took those boundary-breaking steps out onto the runway, she says she did it not just for herself but for every member of her community who has ever suffered from discrimination.

“I’m not working for myself, but for everyone,” she tells PS. “For everyone who, like me, faced prejudice and discrimination just for being who we are. It means everything to me. It made me feel seen, accepted, and valued for who I am as a person. And as a professional. It was a huge step forward in celebrating the right of my community to live and work with dignity.”

But while Sampaio filled the runway with confidence and attitude, behind the scenes, she admits she suffered from a lot of nerves — something that she thanks her fellow VS models for helping her to overcome. “We were all encouraging each other,” she says. “It was so amazing to be there, especially to be on the same stage as some huge celebrities, people who inspired me as a child.”

The other key tool for achieving confidence on the catwalk? Self-love. “I think the secret is to keep in mind that we are all beautiful, bringing your self-esteem as high as possible, only thinking positive things, and bringing good energy for yourself.”

When it came to looking her best on the runway, Sampaio explains that her process starts “from the inside out,” starting with a consistent regimen of exercise, healthy eating, positive thinking — and a lot of water. “But also focusing on my mind, thinking only positive things, and being kind and showing love to myself.”

Of course, a solid skin-care routine also helps, and Sampaio says she relied on one tried and trusted product to help her achieve that perfect runway glow: the La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5 ($17). “It’s not something that I like to use every day because it’s heavy, but it really helps with skin recovery,” she says. “I knew I wanted to have a glow on the morning of the show, so I used that the night before.”

Ordinarily, she says she keeps her skin-care routine pretty simple, relying on a small supply of must-have products each day, like the SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic ($182) and the Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 ($38). However, on the day of the show, she wanted to focus on hydration and moisture, revealing that she added a couple of additional formulas to her routine to give her skin some extra TLC. “The night before the show, I used the SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defense ($110) and then I applied a little bit of Dr. Barbara Sturm’s Hyaluronic Serum ($325).”

As for her incredible natural curls, Sampaio has nailed down a system. “Because of my job, I get a lot of heat styling done, so I’m always using heat protection,” she says. “And when I’m not working, I try not to use heat on my hair. I just let it dry naturally.”

She uses a variety of hair masks a few times a week, particularly when she’s had a lot of photo shoots. “I’ll do a moisturizing and hydrating one, then a reconstructive one once a week, especially after a big shoot when they’ve flat ironed my hair a lot.” She really likes the Kérastase Curl Manifesto Nourishing Mask for Curly Hair ($68).

But while Sampaio has her glow-getting beauty routine down to a fine art, she says that focusing on her self-worth and self-love is truly the key to looking and feeling her best. That’s the message that she wants everyone to take away from her VS show appearance — realizing that self-acceptance is the only way to achieve a runway-worthy level of confidence.

“You have to be the first person to love and accept yourself. We need to realize that we are all special and unique, and we all deserve to love and be loved. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad about yourself. Be confident in yourself and trust enough in yourself to live life as your true self.”

Charlie Lankston is a freelance beauty, fashion, and lifestyle writer and media strategist based in New York City, having relocated to the US in 2014 from her home in London. Charlie spent 10 years working at DailyMail.com, where she oversaw the website’s style, beauty, fashion, and lifestyle content. Charlie also appears as an on-air royal and celebrity correspondent.