On the catwalk and in front of the camera, Jena Goldsack feels as comfortable as a fish in water. After modeling, the latter is her great passion, as the Englishwoman is also committed to the conservation of the oceans.
FACES: Models always look so carefree, pretty and well-groomed! Is there a tip you can give us to look good?
Jena Goldsack: It may not be anything earth-shattering, but it actually helps me enormously in the morning to treat my face with ice cubes. It wakes me up so wonderfully and gives me plump skin and an awake complexion.
FACES: That’s a great tip for summer, but what do you do in winter?
Jena Goldsack: In summer, I use a light serum and a moisturizer that doesn’t weigh my skin down. As soon as it gets colder outside, I notice this directly on my face: my skin becomes drier, which is why I switch to slightly heavier creams.
Jena is committed to protecting the oceans
FACES: What organizations are you involved with to protect the oceans?
Jena Goldsack: I am involved in nature conservation, for example at a sanctuary for seals, whose sister organization in Iceland also looks after the welfare of whales.
FACES: You don’t seem to be afraid of open water or sea creatures at all!
Jena Goldsack: No, on the contrary! Whales are so extremely gentle, there is absolutely no reason to be afraid of them. They have never killed anyone in the wild – such accidents only ever happen in captivity. I’ve been totally obsessed with sharks since I swam with them in Australia a few years ago. Back then I was even in a cage and saw the great white shark – an incredible experience!
FACES: Which feeling prevailed: awe or fear?
Jena Goldsack: I was totally in awe at that moment. There’s this big animal that everyone is afraid of and I’m in this cage, which was a really strange feeling for me. I never want to be locked up in a cage again, it felt totally wrong to me.
The fear of sharks
FACES: Many people are afraid of sharks.
Jena Goldsack: I once came across a tiger shark while swimming in Hawaii. Its pure presence felt so natural to me that I felt no fear at all. Everyone has this idea of the fearsome shark, but underwater you are nothing more than an attraction for these animals.
FACES: What are you afraid of, if not sharks?
Jena Goldsack: My fear of spiders is huge! And of course I know how silly it sounds that I don’t feel any fear at all when I see sharks, but I go ballistic at the sight of a spider. (laughs)
Hair tips from Jena Goldsack
FACES: With your light waves, you always look like this beautiful mermaid who has just risen from the surf! How do you care for your mane?
Jena Goldsack: I didn’t used to be proud of my curly hair at all, I used to straighten it every day. When I started modeling at the age of 16 or 17, I always insisted on keeping my curls because they were somehow a part of me and my personality. To keep my hair beautiful and smooth, I use natural hair masks with coconut milk, for example. I’m also a big fan of sea salt sprays because they make me feel like I’ve just stepped out of the sea, even when I’m away from the beach.
FACES: How did you actually get into modeling?
Jena Goldsack: I actually used to clean caravans in a park before I started modeling. (laughs) I really enjoyed that! I grew up in the south of England near Cornwall. After school, I spent every free minute on the beach, I was really happy. When my agency in London wanted me to come to the city, I found it difficult. If I hadn’t been discovered as a model, I would probably still be living surrounded by nature.
FACES: What happened next?
Jena Goldsack: I first finished school and worked part-time as a model until I was 18. After that, I moved to London and then straight to New York when I was 19. Well, I’ve been on the road ever since. (laughs)
London vs. New York
FACES: Where do you like it better, London or New York?
Jena Goldsack: I like the energy of New York, but when I’m in my house in London, I hardly want to leave! It’s just so relaxing. I also have more space here, and there are more trees – the balance is just right. In New York, on the other hand, you can be anything, here every door is open to you.
FACES: How would you describe the pros and cons of modeling?
Jena Goldsack: It’s great to be able to meet so many exciting people. It used to be mainly about fashion, but now I also have the opportunity to meet people from other industries who are working for a better world. This opens up completely new possibilities. The downside is probably that I’m always tired.
Tips for modeling
FACES: What advice do you give to young people who want to start modeling?
Jena Goldsack: You need to develop a very thick skin. You used to have no voice as a model, but social media has changed that – now people listen to you even if your job is just to be pretty and beautiful.
FACES: What’s your plan for the future?
Jena Goldsack: I would like to do even more for nature conservation. I like the idea of being a coral gardener and turning the oceans back into a real habitat for numerous sea creatures. I want to make a difference with my work.
Hold your breath for three minutes
FACES: What excites you about diving?
Jena Goldsack: I know that many people are afraid of deep water. There are many who become almost claustrophobic underwater and with so much equipment. For me, however, diving is totally relaxing and really meditative because I can’t look at my smartphone or do anything else. I have to concentrate on what is happening around me. This ecosystem is so exciting: you can hear the shrimps crackling as if they were talking to each other, you can see the fish swimming back and forth and the algae moving around. This changes my perspective and shows me that this world of glamor is not so important. I’ve now even started freediving – I just started holding my breath while swimming and diving. What a feeling! It’s even better than normal diving because you have to concentrate so hard on not dying.
FACES: How long can you hold your breath?
Jena Goldsack: In a five-day course, I learned to hold my breath for up to three minutes and thirty seconds. At the beginning I only managed one minute.
FACES: What was the most magical moment underwater for you?
Jena Goldsack: When I heard humpback whales talking to each other underwater in the Caribbean during the Covid pandemic. To experience this singing, even from such a distance, was unique.
There’s nothing better than an ice bath
FACES: What do you do when you’re really stressed out?
Jena Goldsack: Then I try to meditate. It also helps me to massage my face and the pressure points around my eyes to get rid of puffiness. If it’s particularly hot outside, I get a big bag of ice and fill my bathtub with it – there’s nothing better than an ice bath!
FACES: How did you come up with this idea?
Jena Goldsack: One of my friends lives in the French Alps, where it’s always extremely cold. Once I went skiing for a visit, and despite the cold we jumped into the ice-cold lake and into the snow – I loved it so much! I heard another story about this in Australia, where I met someone who goes to the beach at six in the morning with a fold-out bathtub, fills it with ice and then enjoys the sunrise in it. It’s crazy, but it totally helps to calm down!
Jena Goldsack
With Jena Goldsack, “watch at your own risk” is the order of the day, because it’s all too easy to get lost in her blue-green eyes. The British model is almost as passionate about salt-and-vinegar potato chips as she is about protecting the oceans and marine life. So it is no coincidence that she has been an ambassador for the Sea Life Trust since 2020 and is also a beauty ambassador for Biotherm. So if you don’t find the 29-year-old in Elle or Harper’s Bazaar, you’ll probably find Jena out on the open water, where she quickly transforms into a role model.
Follow Jena Goldsack here on Instagram.
Want to become a model too? Here ‘s the ultimate guide on how to land on the catwalk.
Teaser photo: © Launchmetrics SpotlightSM
