Stephanie Claire Smith has become one of Australia’s most recognizable wellness voices, but her journey toward body positivity and holistic health was not a straight line. Before co-founding the globally successful Keep It Cleaner (Kic) platform and before she became a leading advocate for mental health and body confidence, Smith was deeply entrenched in the world of diet culture. Today, she stands as proof that true wellness is about more than restrictive diets or aesthetic goals—it’s about balance, joy, and self-love.
Smith’s career began in the modeling industry, where strict standards around body size and appearance were the norm. Like many young women entering the fashion world, she quickly felt the pressure to conform. Casting calls and brand contracts often came with unspoken expectations, reinforcing the idea that thinness was the ultimate marker of success. For a teenager navigating her identity, the constant scrutiny around her body took a toll. Behind glamorous campaigns and polished photoshoots was a girl struggling to maintain control over her eating habits, obsessing over calories, and tying her worth to external validation.
She has openly spoken about the toxic mindset that dominated those early years. From skipping meals to battling feelings of guilt over food, Smith found herself in a cycle that millions of women know too well—one where self-worth is measured by numbers on a scale or the size of clothing tags. This unhealthy relationship with food and exercise, though hidden behind the curtain of the modeling world, left her emotionally drained and physically depleted.
The turning point came gradually, but it began with recognition that what she was doing was unsustainable. Smith realized that chasing an impossible standard of perfection was not only harming her health but robbing her of joy. What good was professional success if it came at the expense of her well-being? This pivotal shift in mindset laid the foundation for the evolution that would transform her career and inspire her to create change for others facing similar struggles.
Together with her best friend, Laura Henshaw, Smith co-founded Keep It Cleaner (Kic), a digital health and wellness platform that has since grown into a global brand with millions of users. Unlike traditional diet and fitness apps that often perpetuate restriction and comparison, Kic was built on the philosophy of balance. It provides workouts, recipes, mindfulness tools, and educational content designed to encourage strength, energy, and positivity rather than aesthetic ideals. Their mantra is simple: movement and nourishment should be enjoyable, not punishing.
This philosophy resonated deeply with users worldwide, many of whom were tired of toxic diet culture and searching for something more sustainable. Through Kic, Smith and Henshaw champion a body-positive approach that empowers people to embrace their individuality. Instead of prescribing cookie-cutter meal plans or demanding perfection in workouts, they celebrate flexibility and self-compassion.
Smith’s personal transformation fueled the authenticity of the brand. She wasn’t preaching from a place of theory but from lived experience. Her vulnerability in sharing stories of disordered eating, insecurities, and the pressures of modeling helped create a safe space for others to be honest about their own journeys. She reminded her audience that even someone who once graced magazine covers and runway shows struggled with body image—a reality check that broke down the illusion of perfection often portrayed on social media.
Motherhood marked another defining chapter in Smith’s evolution. When she became pregnant with her first child, she encountered both support and criticism for how she chose to embrace her changing body. At one point, she faced backlash for posting bikini photos while visibly pregnant, with some online critics questioning whether it was appropriate. Instead of retreating, Smith doubled down on her message: that motherhood does not mean sacrificing self-confidence or the right to celebrate your body. Her unapologetic approach to pregnancy and postpartum life reinforced the idea that wellness is not about hiding change but honoring it.
As her platform grew, Smith also expanded her focus beyond fitness and food to mental health and emotional resilience. Through the Kicpod podcast, she and Henshaw tackled taboo topics like body image, sex, anxiety, and self-doubt. By opening the conversation on issues often left unspoken, they helped normalize vulnerability and dismantle shame. This willingness to go beyond the surface further solidified Smith’s role not just as an influencer but as a true advocate for holistic well-being.
Today, Stephanie Claire Smith’s message is clear: real health is about how you feel, not how you look. Her story resonates in an era when young women are increasingly aware of the harms of diet culture but still bombarded with unrealistic beauty standards on social media. By sharing both her struggles and her victories, Smith offers a blueprint for moving beyond comparison and embracing a lifestyle rooted in kindness toward oneself.
Her advocacy has created ripple effects across the wellness industry, inspiring brands, trainers, and fellow influencers to reevaluate the messages they promote. Where calorie counting and “bikini body challenges” once dominated, there is now growing space for conversations about strength, joy, and mental clarity. Smith has helped lead that shift, making it clear that there is a healthier, more inclusive way forward.
Stephanie Claire Smith’s evolution from model to wellness advocate is not just her personal story—it’s a cultural one. It mirrors a broader movement rejecting narrow beauty standards and embracing holistic health. By speaking openly about the pitfalls of diet culture and offering tools for self-love, she has become more than an influencer; she is a role model for anyone seeking to break free from toxic cycles and embrace a more balanced life.
In the end, what makes her journey so powerful is not just that she found healing, but that she turned her struggles into a platform for helping millions of others. Stephanie Claire Smith stands as living proof that wellness is not about perfection—it’s about progress, authenticity, and self-love. And that message may be her most impactful legacy of all.
