Walking in the Victoria’s Secret show is no longer viewed as a young woman’s game, as a lineup of familiar models in their 30s and 40s returned to the catwalk on Sunday night.
Supermodel Adriana Lima, 45, who made her Victoria’s Secret debut in 1999, returned to the runway alongside Irina Shayk, 40, who was making her first appearance at the show in a decade.
Brazilian model Caroline Trentini, 39, confidently showed off her figure at Sunday night’s California show, having first walked for the brand in 2005. Puerto Rican star Joan Smalls, 38, was another model approaching 40 to make a comeback at the fashion event.
Several of the more mature models returning to the American lingerie brand’s runway appeared remarkably youthful, with smooth complexions and few visible signs of ageing.
Clinical facialist Smita Ahluwalia told The Daily Mail: ‘Some of these models have definitely had some work done. They have sharper jawlines, raised eyebrows, fuller cheeks and very glass-like skin.’
‘I’d say they may have had Botox in their foreheads to soften frown lines and lift the brows, along with fillers to restore volume to the cheekbones or add fullness wherever needed.’
‘Filler can also be used to straighten a bump in the nose. Lip filler may make the lips appear fuller while improving their proportion with the chin.’
‘They may even have undergone surgery around the eyes to raise the brows or reduce puffiness. Their smooth-looking skin could have been achieved through skin boosters, peels and regular facials.’
Read on to see how experts believe the models’ appearances have changed over the years—and the treatments they think may have contributed to their youthful complexions.
CAROLINE TRENTINI, 39
Caroline Trentini attends the 10th Victoria’s Secret show in 2005, pictured left. Pictured right, Caroline walks the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2026.
Caroline turned heads on the catwalk in lime green and pink lace lingerie at the 2026 show.
Dr Ross Perry, medical director of Cosmedics, said some of the models look ‘remarkably different’ from their Victoria’s Secret debuts when compared with their returns to the runway on Sunday night.
‘Caroline looks remarkably different from when she first walked for Victoria’s Secret,’ Dr Perry said. ‘Her figure appears slimmer, while changes to her skin tone and hair colour give her a more polished appearance and make a considerable difference to her overall look.’
‘Her lips look noticeably fuller today, so I suspect she may have had a small amount of filler. Her skin also appears exceptionally smooth, with very few visible signs of ageing, which could indicate Botox around the eyes and forehead.’
‘A consistent skincare routine, possibly including laser treatments, as well as avoiding excessive sun exposure, may also have contributed to Caroline looking so good.’
The Brazilian supermodel, who first appeared on a Victoria’s Secret runway in 2005, has never confirmed undergoing plastic surgery. Instead, she has attributed her glass-like skin to maintaining a strong skincare routine.
JOAN SMALLS, 38
Joan Smalls at Victoria’s Secret’s 2011 fashion show, pictured left. Pictured right, Joan walks the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2026.
Joan made her return at the 2026 show in a blue lingerie set paired with sculptural angel wings.
‘Joan Smalls has probably aged the best of all the models—you can barely tell the two images apart,’ the expert explained. ‘She appears to have been blessed with good genetics and exceptional skin.’
‘She has a naturally slender build, so her weight appears to have remained consistent over the years. Aside from a healthy lifestyle and an effective skincare routine, I’d suggest she has had very little work done, other than perhaps non-invasive skin boosters and possibly a small amount of Botox.’
Professor Ali Al-Hussaini, a facial plastic surgeon and managing director of Elevate Medical & Aesthetic Clinic, agreed, adding: ‘Her skin looks beautifully smooth, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s had some subtle Botox and collagen-stimulating treatments to keep it looking youthful.’
Joan, who made her debut at a VS show in 2011, has never confirmed she’s had plastic surgery, instead attributing her radiant complexion to a simple beauty regime and clever makeup tricks, including contouring, or like she apparently calls it, ‘sculpting’.
IRINA SHAYK, 40
Irina Shayk walks the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on November 30, 2016 in Paris, pictured left. Pictured right, Irina at the 2026 show
Irina Shayk hit the 2026 runway in a pair of black lace hold ups, a white lace boydsuit and white angel wings
Dr Farah Latif, physician and medical director at Elevate Medical & Aesthetic Clinic, said: ‘Irina Shayk has always had one of the most striking faces in modelling, and she looks just as beautiful today.
‘Her cheekbones remain incredibly prominent, and she’s maintained that sculpted appearance without losing her natural features.
‘It’s possible that subtle Botox and skin treatments have helped keep her complexion looking so smooth, while treatments such as micro needling can help improve mild skin laxity and support facial definition as we age.
‘Irina also has a naturally athletic figure, and maintaining that level of fitness takes consistency. Her appearance is a good example of how genetics, lifestyle and potentially subtle treatments can work together.’
Irina has consistently denied undergoing plastic surgery, and in 2019, the Russian model hit back at rumours that she’d had lip fillers.
She told Harper’s Bazaar: ‘Look, if somebody wants to inject their lips because they feel bad, God bless them. I don’t judge anyone.
‘I always promote natural beauty because I think we live in this perfect world where everyone wants to be perfect. But I’m not perfect. Sometimes I have a double chin. Perfection doesn’t exist.’
She added: ‘I’m going to have wrinkles and I have wrinkles. You just have to accept the idea of aging and of bodies at every stage, and just celebrate it. In life, we have to let it go and understand it’s a human process not to be perfect.’
She credited her looks to genes, gua sha-inspired facial workouts at FaceGym, and avoiding alcohol and smoking.
Gua sha is a traditional Chinese healing method in which a smooth-edged tool is used to gently scrape areas of the skin to improve circulation.
In 2015, a year before her Victoria’s Secret show debut, Irina told The Telegraph: ‘I don’t believe in plastic surgery. I believe women have to love their bodies, and that it’s all about confidence.’
ADRIANA LIMA
Adriana Lima displays lingerie during the fifth annual Victoria’s Secret spring fashion show at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City on February 3, 1999, pictured left. Pictured right, the supermodel at Sunday night’s show
‘Adriana Lima has always had incredible bone structure, and that’s something that really contributes to her youthful appearance,’ insisted Fadi Hamadani, international plastic surgeon.
‘Her cheekbones and facial features remain beautifully defined, and she’s aged extremely well.
‘It’s possible that subtle filler and Botox have helped maintain that smooth, lifted appearance, alongside regular skin treatments such as chemical peels and collagen-stimulating treatments.
‘Her body is also in incredible shape, and she’s well known for her dedication to fitness. She still looks recognisably Adriana, even after decades on the runway.’
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Fans have previously speculated that Adriana, who has not confirmed any plastic surgery, tweaked her face in 2023, after she had just given birth to her third child.
However, the Brazilian model responded with a makeup free selfie on her social media, with the caption: ‘The face of a tired mum of one teenage girl, two pre-teens, one active boy, a one-year old learning to walk, and three dogs… thanks for your concern.’
She is also stepmother to her husband film producer Andre Lemmers’ two children from a previous relationship.
ELSA HOSK
Model Elsa Hosk walks the runway during the 2011 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, pictured left. Pictured right, Elsa on the catwalk at this year’s event
Dr Perry said: ‘Elsa Hosk looks very different in 2026 compared to 2011. Firstly, we’re seeing a very different nose so I suspect she’s undergone a nose job here.
‘Equally we’re seeing a much fuller-looking mouth which I suspect has been achieved with filler.
‘The eye area also looks very different so again possibly upper and lower blepharoplasty (a cosmetic procedure that removes excess skin or fat from the eyelids to improve their appearance).
Swedish fashion model Elsa, 37, has not officially confirmed undergoing any plastic surgery.
BARBARA PALVIN
‘Barbara Palvin looks a lot different,’ insisted Dr Perry when comparing her catwalk appearance on Sunday night (pictured right) to her debut in 2012 (pictured left)
‘Barbara Palvin looks a lot different,’ insisted Dr Perry when comparing her catwalk appearance on Sunday night to her debut in 2012.
He added: ‘She originally epitomised the all-American girl-next-door in terms of looks and was incredibly natural.
‘Today we’re seeing a much more chiselled and defined facial appearance. A possible nose job, fuller lips, higher cheekbones and a more defined chin.
‘She still looks incredible, but there’s very likely been some carefully placed filler going on, a possible eyebrow lift and upper blepharoplasty to open up the eyes.’
The Hungarian model, 33, who is married to American actor Dylan Sprouse, has never confirmed she’s undergone any kind of cosmetic surgery.
GRACE ELIZABETH
Grace Elizabeth walks the runway during the annual Victoria’s Secret fashion show at Grand Palais on November 30, 2016 in Paris, pictured left. Pictured right, Grace walks the runway during the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show
‘Grace Elizabeth has a beautiful, naturally youthful appearance, and her skin looks incredibly healthy and radiant,’ said Anastasia Coles, aesthetic nurse and founder of ALTA Medi Clinic.
‘At her age of 29, the focus is generally more on maintaining skin quality than correcting significant signs of ageing.
‘Treatments such as microneedling, skin boosters and gentle chemical peels can help maintain smooth texture and hydration, while subtle Botox may be considered for early expression lines.
‘She’s also retained her natural facial fullness, which contributes to that youthful look. With someone like Grace, the key is not to do too much too soon, particularly when her natural features are already so beautifully balanced.’
Grace Elizabeth credits her looks to skincare and naturally ageing, rather than plastic surgery.
ALESSANDRA AMBROSIO
Alessandra Ambrosio walks the runway in 2000, pictured left. Pictured right, the model at Sunday night’s show
‘Alessandra Ambrosio is one of the original Victoria’s Secret icons, and she looks remarkably youthful more than two decades later,’ said aesthetic nurse Anastasia.
‘Her skin appears incredibly smooth, particularly around the forehead and eyes, and it’s possible that subtle Botox and collagen-stimulating treatments have helped maintain that appearance.
‘She’s also spoken about Pilates, yoga and looking after her diet, which likely contributes to her beautifully toned figure.
‘Treatments such as skin boosters or laser rejuvenation could help maintain skin quality, but what makes Alessandra so striking is that she’s retained those recognisable features that made her famous.
‘She looks like a beautifully maintained version of herself rather than someone who’s tried to completely change her appearance.’
Alessandra, who made her Victoria’s Secret show debut in 2000, has in the past told of how she is ‘freaked out’ by cosmetic surgery after a botched ear pinning procedure left her in severe pain at the age of 11.
In December 2013, she revealed to Net-A-Porter’s The Edit that she went under the knife because she didn’t like the way her ears ‘stuck out’.
However, the doctor who she found in her hometown in Erechim, Brazil, had only carried out the surgery once before and the second attempt did not go as planned.
‘I was a guinea pig. The first few nights, it felt like someone had cut off my ears,’ she recalled.
GIGI HADID
Gigi Hadid on the catwalk in 2015, pictured left. Pictured right, Gigi walks the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2026 held at Sony Pictures Studios
‘Gigi Hadid looks absolutely stunning, and she’s maintained those beautiful, naturally full cheeks and soft facial features that have always made her so recognisable,’ said Anastasia, when comparing the model’s 2015 catwalk look to her 2026 outing.
‘Although she’s previously denied having filler, I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s had some subtle Botox over the years to keep fine lines at bay.
‘Carefully placed filler is another treatment that can help maintain facial volume, although there’s no way to tell from photographs whether she’s had it.
‘Her skin looks incredibly smooth and radiant, and she still has that youthful, natural beauty without looking dramatically different from her earlier modelling days.’
In 2021, Gigi fired back at rumors that she has had plastic surgery, insisting that any changes to her appearance over the last few years are the result of advanced makeup skills – not filler or cosmetic procedures.
She addressed the speculation in a Vogue Beauty Secrets clip, saying that she has ‘never’ undergone any cosmetic procedures to change her appearance.
‘People pull up pictures [of me in high school] and they’re like, “Oh, Gigi’s nose looks different in these pictures than now.” Or they’ll talk about something with my face and be like, “It’s changed on Gigi.”
‘…That’s the power of makeup. I’ve never done anything to my face, but the way that I’ve learned to contour in certain places, to put bronzer in some places and leave it out in other places, that’s something that you have to learn. I [used to] just put it everywhere. And then [your face] is just all one shape!’