"I was 25 when I took a break from modeling. I started when I was 14 and always started out thinking that I would model for one or two years, then another year passed and another year. Eventually, I wanted a little bit more of a stable life. So I went to school and studied chemistry, which was super interesting but was too much of a change. It lasted for six months and I was like, ‘This is not for me.’ Then I worked in a bar for a few months, and it was so much fun. People would come in and say, ‘You should try modeling!’ [Laughs] Finally I decided to study art history, and that was really good. There are beautiful museums everywhere in Amsterdam, where I’m from. But a little over a year ago I told myself I wanted to model again, so I signed with Wilhelmina in the U.S. and I’m back. I just love New York—it’s so much like it is in the movies. There’s such character, and while there is so much wrong with this country, I feel like there is so much freedom here. This time around, there’s more to life now than modeling. Modeling was my whole life when I started—now I know there’s more. That’s a nicer approach I think. The stakes aren’t as high.

In my day-to-day life I like to be pretty natural. I’ll wear mascara. My dad’s girlfriend gave me the Clinique one that washes off with warm water. It’s perfect because cold water doesn’t do it—if you’re in the rain, it’ll stay. I wear a little bit of concealer if I have a spot somewhere. I have one from Chanel. It doesn’t become patchy or clunky. I like to wear red lipsticks—the ones I have are from MAC, I like their color and that they’re really matte. I don’t use anything in my brows except a clear mascara from The Body Shop.

I like it when my hair isn’t too straight—I like voluminous hair. I got highlights pretty recently in Amsterdam at this beautiful canal salon, Firki. I wanted to get highlights because it makes your hair feel like it has a little more life. It’s like when you take a long holiday where you had your hair in the sun a lot. I wanted that feeling, just a little bit sooner. I don’t cut my hair—I like it longer. I like to wash it at night and let it dry when I sleep. If I wash my hair in the morning, it dries all fuzzy. I switch my shampoos up a lot. The Phyto shampoo is good, and I also like the Kerastase one if my hair’s looking too fuzzy, and then I like the Weleda shampoo. Sometimes I’ll put some Kiehl’s Grooming Oil in it. It smells really good and it’s great for when my hair gets fuzzy. Sometimes it helps to put it all in a bun as well.

For skin, it’s face wash and cream. I like the Dermalogica Essential Cleansing Solution. I think someone suggested it to me—it’s very neutral and not too drying. I also like Kiehl’s products—I’ll use their Foaming Cleanser with birch extract. I use Dermalogica for hydration—they have this aloe mask that’s really good. I like that it doesn’t make me break out. Whole Foods has this Aztec Clay Mask, I do that sometimes when I feel like I should do something extra for my skin. It’s simple, not too many ingredients.

I really like to run but I’m a little bit self-conscious. I feel like people are looking so much at you! I used to run by the Hudson but I feel like it’s too much of a scene. They’re wearing sunglasses and caps and headphones—they’re all shut out from the world. I’m still looking for a nice yoga place. In New York, you walk so much. At the end of the day, I’m exhausted. I don’t have a bath in my place, but I love taking baths with lots of oils. I have a cute place in Amsterdam, near Jordaan, but if I want to take a bath, I either go to a hotel or my dad’s house. [Laughs]"

Kim Noorda photographed by Tom Newton on October 27, 2017. Makeup and hair by Ingborg.