Beauty that Dares
Evoto
Meet this month’s cover star Cristal / @Cristalplayboy_official
Photographer Mike Cohen / @Mikecohenphotos
Hi Cristal, such an absolute honor to have you on Playboy. Tell us about the moment you found out you would be featured in the magazine. What was your initial reaction? Thank you for the invitation and this amazing experience. It’s a real honor to be on the cover of Playboy Sweden again. It’s a real gift from God and a blessing. I thank all my fans because thanks to you, I’m here. I never dreamt that one day I would be in Playboy; it’s a blessing. It’s like a fairy tale, how an ordinary girl from a small town in Poland, who had to overcome many hardships throughout her life, ends up on the cover of Playboy. My biggest dream has come true. The Playboy invitation has helped me believe in myself even more. It has given me a lot of hope and belief that everything is possible and the world is waiting for me. An unforgettable experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. Thank you. The most beautiful things in my life always happen by accident. I recall the feeling of excitement when I received an invitation to the first Playboy event. An unforgettable feeling, then came the next invitations from Playboy, and now I can reveal that there will be more in the future, and other magazines, interviews, and my guest appearances in artists’ video clips. All this helped me believe in myself, in the fight against complexes, but above all, interacting and working with all these wonderful people photographers, models, musicians created me as an artist and I decided to start my own perfume brand which is created entirely by me and the scents are inspired by my memories from traveling to my magical places and my cosmetic brand to leave some kind of legacy and be able to fulfill my dreams about a foundation supporting young talents and people with autism.
Which three words describe you the best? I think it is more than three lol: loyal, respectful, honest, patient, optimistic, trustworthy, solid, goodhearted.
What’s a childhood dream you’ve held on to? As a child, I dreamed of building wells and water infrastructure in Africa in the future to provide people living there with access to drinking water. It was my childhood dream to have an organization that helps people. I wanted to build schools and hospitals, to give something back, to help others live better in civilized conditions, to have enough food, medicine, and water.
What’s a must-have item in your wardrobe right now? Honestly, my perfume. Wait, let me show you lol I love it. JustFetish by Joanne, the world has gone crazy for it; everyone wants it, especially after several publications in world-famous magazines.
If you could be any animal, what would you be and why? Maybe a beautiful butterfly so I could fly as well, maybe in my ex-life ( because I believe in reincarnation), I was a butterfly because I’m multiented and my soul and generally life is so colorful like a butterfly. I even often have dreams in which I fly, and these dreams are so real that I know the skills and memories from the past.
How do you define true success, and do you feel like you’re living it? I think that the measure of success is the realization of your own dreams. I think that I have achieved some kind of success in my life, something that I can be proud of with my hard work, perseverance of character, but it is only thanks to you, my readers, and your support. I love you and I am always mentally with you.
What’s the boldest decision you’ve ever made that changed your life? Without a doubt, it was leaving my homeland, which is Poland. It was the most difficult experience that shaped me into who I am today.
What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t dared to try yet? Definitely a parachute jump and a balloon flight.
A lot of young women look up to you. What advice would you give them on pursuing their own dreams? One of the most important lessons I have learned in my life is: be true to myself. This means not just in my personal life, but at work, too. Quite a few people have challenged me over the years, saying that you can’t run a business based on personal values. But I completely disagree. You need to identify the opportunity, act on it, and not give up until you have a solution. Try not to change under pressure from others, be yourself, be authentic and natural. My basic values are respect and loyalty. I treat others the way I would like to be treated. In my career, I’ve had lots of moments when I feel I’ve achieved something, and also lots of other moments when something has gone wrong. I’ve learned that it helps to use neither to define who you can be or what you can achieve. There are days when you won’t put in much effort, and everything good will fall in your lap. There are other days when you will try your hardest and nothing will go right. That’s just life.
But it is important to always remember that Failure is a natural part of learning and an opportunity to grow. As I mentioned earlier. Even if stones land on your face every day, be strong and fight adversity, and think positively. I am the best example that the impossible is possible. In moments of failure, don’t waste time analyzing your mistakes. They are your lesson for a better future. I want to go down in history as an icon of style and class. People with a great appetite for life, I think that
I am already becoming an inspiration for people, which is why it is worth believing in dreams, because you just have to believe in yourself and start fulfilling them. I believe that the recipe for success is hard work and determination. I am an example that the concept of impossible does not exist, starting from the covers of Playboy to the covers of the most prestigious magazines. Additionally, I have developed my cosmetic brand focusing on perfume design, which was immediately picked up by the leading magazines on the market, making my perfume brand “JustFetish by Joanne” recognizable on the market. Currently, I have already appeared on several covers of magazines with bottles of my perfumes, and I already have more invitations to the next ones, as well as invitations to participate in perfume shows in the USA and Europe.
Is there a dream brand or platform you’d love to work with? For years, I have had a great fondness for the Louis Vuitton brand; it is an icon of style for me. Just as my grandmother was once for me. She infected me with love for this brand, it is the story of my grandmother’s youth interwoven with war memories of her emigration and return to Poland with all her belongings locked in a Louis Vuitton trunk, which we found together in a dark corner of the basement as children. It has always been with me, later as a coffee table and a designer piece of equipment. I still have it today. The same story also applies to my perfumes, these are the scents of childhood, one of them I will recreate my grandmother’s favorite scent. The essence of omnipotence is locked in a retro bottle. It was my grandmother who told me that if I work hard, one day I will buy myself a Louis Vuitton bag. For years, I have been a loyal collector of accessories of this brand, an ambassador and guest invited to special Louis Vuitton shows, I pose for photos with accessories of this brand, and I even appeared on the cover of Playboy. I am currently focusing on my perfume brand „JustFetish by Joanne.” In the future, I intend to continue designing home decoration accessories and interior design, which I have done before when decorating my hotels.
What are your future goals? I dream of a happy family and achieving my goals. I want to establish a Foundation for children with Touret’s syndrome. It’s a cause close to my heart for certain reasons. My greatest dream is to complete a biography about my life. It was not a bed of roses with many tears and sacrifices. It will include my memories and motivate people to never give up and have faith that the sun always comes after the storm.
What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your career as a model? One of the most important lessons I have learned in my life is: be true to myself. This means not just in my personal life, but at work, too. Quite a few people have challenged me over the years, saying that you can’t run a business based on personal values. But I completely disagree. You need to identify the opportunity, act on it, and not give up until you have a solution. Try not to change under pressure from others, be yourself, be authentic and natural. My basic values are respect and loyalty. I treat others the way I would like to be treated.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your career? In my career, I’ve had lots of moments when I feel I’ve achieved something, and also lots of other moments when something has gone wrong. I’ve learned that it helps to use neither to define who you can be or what you can achieve. There are days when you won’t put in much effort, and everything good will fall in your lap. There are other days when you will try your hardest and nothing will go right. That’s just life.
But it is important to always remember that failure is a natural part of learning and an opportunity to grow. As I mentioned earlier. Even if stones land on your face every day, be strong and fight adversity, and think positively. I am the best example that the impossible is possible. In moments of failure, don’t waste time analyzing your mistakes. They are your lesson for a better future.
Who is your celebrity crush? I am a big fan of Lady Gaga because she is a multi-talented person as a singer, actress, and dancer, but she also has a very interesting character, and her vision of looking at the world motivates and inspires. From the world of FHM, Playboy, and this industry is definitely Pamela Anderson but also Anna Nicole Smith – many people tell me that I am supposedly similar to her haha. I recommend watching documentaries about their lives on Netflix; they are very inspiring.
What is the absolute worst thing a man can do to completely put you off? The worst thing you can do to offend me is to treat anyone, including me, without respect. If you only respect the wealthy, it’s unsavoury and unacceptable to me. Men who decorate themselves in expensive ways will be valuable, but they are selfish, false, disloyal, and disrespectful to women. Wealth comes from within; it cannot be bought with any amount of money. To win my heart, be a caring, good-natured, loyal individual. You will love me for who I am, my character, not what I have or don’t have as benefits for you. I only like well-mannered gentleman who treats me like a lady, be old-fashioned with good manners. Thank you
What has been your favorite project or collaboration to date? For sure, Playboy, it all started with him. He opened the door to international fame, participation in many photo shoots, interviews for travel magazines, and meeting wonderful people. Founding a cosmetics brand. Playboy gave me wings. It’s an unforgettable experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. Thank you for this wonderful gift from God. I never dreamt that one day I would be in Playboy; it’s a blessing. It’s like a fairy tale, how an ordinary girl from a small town in Poland, who had to overcome many hardships throughout her life, ends up on the cover of Playboy. My biggest dream has come true. The Playboy invitation has helped me believe in myself even more. It has given me a lot of hope and belief that everything is possible and the world is waiting for me. An unforgettable experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. Thank you.
What does a typical day in your life look like? When I wake up, I squeeze fresh orange juice, I look through my mail, and I go to the park with my dog. Then, when I come back, I make my favorite coconut latte macchiato, tabouleh salad, definitely with pomegranate seeds and fresh mint. I put on my favorite music, and that’s my time for meditation. Then some yoga exercises, a few deep breaths, and I’m ready for the whole day. My daily routine includes photo shoots for magazines, interviews, make-up, hairdresser, and beautician. I go to the factory where we create perfume scents in the laboratory. I’m just finishing work on my own line of makeup, candles, and air fresheners for the home. Every day of mine is intense, but I love it. When I have a lot of things to do, I feel alive.
How do you stay motivated and focused in a fast-paced industry? From my experience, if you are very busy, you don’t focus on details but on organizational issues, and I think this is the key to success. You just have to remember about healthy eating, and the rest will take care of itself. Because when I am very busy and have a tight schedule, I can find more free time than when I have a looser schedule, it turns me into a lazy person, and then I don’t have time for anything.
What’s your philosophy when it comes to balancing work and personal life? My philosophy on work-life balance is to prioritize intentionality and flexibility, meaning actively managing my time to dedicate quality moments to both my professional commitments and personal well-being, understanding that the balance may shift depending on life circumstances, while always striving to maintain a healthy separation between the two spheres to avoid burnout.
What’s one thing you do every day to keep yourself grounded and happy? Staying grounded means for me being able to stay calm and connect with my core self in the face of uncertainty. Practicing physical wellness: Exercise daily, eat nutritious food, prioritize quality sleep, spend time in naturę, connect with your senses, and listen to music that reminds you of something positive. All of these little things are rituals that make you feel better, even life sometimes can be hard and can be like balm for body and spirit. Repeating positive statements: Say kind statements to yourself, or repeat coping or safety statements.
What are some hobbies or passions you enjoy outside of work? I love helping others; this is the meaning of my life, especially for children with autism and Tourette’s. Thanks to hard work, I managed to create my own cosmetic brand. I design my own perfume scents, and all this in order to establish a Foundation for children with Touret’s syndrome. It’s a cause close to my heart for certain reasons. My greatest dream is to complete a biography about my life. It was not a bed of roses with many tears and sacrifices. It will include my memories and motivate people to never give up and have faith that the sun always comes after the storm.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? Modeling allows me to travel a lot; thanks to it, I have visited many interesting places, but there is still a lot to discover. I think that the place is not really of great importance, but the people you are around create places… You can be on a paradise beach alone with no one to talk to and enjoy the views together, and then you have the impression that it doesn’t matter where, but with whom. You can be at home in front of the TV watching Netflix and have someone to cuddle up to – then you are in paradise. As I said earlier, places are created by people, not the other way around.
Which piece of clothing makes you feel confident and empowered when wearing it? I think that an elegant classic suit is perfect with my long red nails and red lipstick. I know what impression it makes on people lol. Generally, I wouldn’t focus so much on the elements of clothing here, but my red nails, the color, length, and shape of which are the same, unchanging over the years, are the key element of clothing that people often pay attention to. They are my characteristic distinguishing mark, hehe. I can even be in a tracksuit for a walk in the park, and everyone always compliments my manicure, very often even women. I feel well-groomed and dressed when I have a perfect manicure.
What’s your favorite guilty-pleasure snack or meal? Mmm.. frozen yogurt with fruit and pistachio sauce is divine. I go for long Nordic walks so I can eat what I want lol.
How do you unwind and recharge after a busy day? I take an aromatic candlelight bath accompanied by my favorite classical music, and Macha tea, it’s a real ritual for body and soul.
What message do you hope to convey through your work? As above, before, by not judging people by their cover, to support and help each other, not to be jealous and selfish. Every day, try to be the best version of yourself and treat others how you would like to be treated. Be your natural self, don’t try to change under the pressure of others. Even if stones land on your face every day, be strong and fight adversity, and think positively. I am the best example that the impossible is possible. Stay strong and believe in yourself, and your dreams will come true.
Thank you for spending this time getting to know me. Always sending you Love & best wishes.
Cristal xx
