Brooke Shields feels "more youthful" now than she "was in [her] youth"

The actress told Allure: "I am more youthful now than I was in my youth. My energy, my confidence, my lack of self-judgement.

"The negative tapes that I played [in my mind] ... they don't play anymore. They're all stretched out."

Brooke confessed to feeling under pressure to look a certain way during her younger years.

She explained: "I spent a great deal of my life trying to live up to an expectation that was presented as me.

"I'm not good enough because I don't look like that, or that's what I need to be doing. 'Well, you've never done runway, Brooke, because you're athletic' - that's a euphemism for 'not skinny.'

"As a model in your younger days, those are the messages you get - all about what you're not. Then you get to this age and you start going through this list of all the things you are. And it's so much more empowering than the chipping away of yourself that I did."

Despite this, Brooke isn't opposed to the idea of cosmetic surgery.

The actress believes that it can have a transformative impact.

Asked about people getting facelifts, she said: "Why not? I have three friends who did the half thing. I've seen it change their lives."

However, Brooke insisted that she won't be going down that route herself.

The 'Pretty Baby' star - who is married to film director Chris Henchy - explained: "I'm afraid at this point to do it. But I can't say don't, because that's not fair if it's available.

"I think when it starts too young, that's different."