Supermodel, photographer and humanitarian Helena Christensen has added ambassador and investor for skincare brand Nimue Skin Technology to her list of roles.

The South African skincare brand announced the partnership with the 48-year-old Danish model and former Victoria’s Secret Angel prior to the recent launch of its Age Intelligence (AI) range.

Christensen was approached by Nimue’s CEO, Dr Karsten Wellner, who asked her to try the products before deciding if she wanted to become involved with the brand. Christensen says Wellner wanted her to really love the brand rather than just being a spokesperson. “They wanted me to almost approve of the products before I went into the collaboration,” she explains. “They wanted to know that I’d felt that the range was efficient, and that I trusted the product.”

Christensen tried the AI range for 18 months, and offered the company feedback throughout the process. At the end, she decided not only to be a spokesperson for the brand, but to become an investor in the company as well. “I’m not just presenting another product without really knowing what it feels like on my skin – that’s very atypical in this business,” she says.

The AI line is the latest launch from Nimue, which is distributed in 23 countries globally, including South Africa, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, the UAE and Germany. Designed to target the visible signs of ageing, AI is formulated with intelligent active ingredients, including chicory root extract, hydrolyzed myrtle leaf extract and calendula flower extract.

Christensen hopes to play an active role in product development in the future. “I’m hoping that next time I’ll even be in the lab, giving them a little nudge,” she says. “I would really like them to include a facial oil in the range.”