Before the rise of social media, models were a somewhat strange and elusive bunch. Whether it was a bambi-eyed Twiggy, a gym-honed Cindy Crawford or a scowling, smoking Kate Moss, they all seemed rather remote and not-of-this-earth.

Now thanks to the likes of Instagram, models are allowed to step beyond their carefully marketed personas and give us a more of an insight into their personalities and their lives off the catwalk. And there's something so wonderfully liberating about that. To see these girls being allowed to express themselves, without a photographer barking orders at them or a make-up artist poised with a powder brush, just out of shot. 

Yes, there are the stunning portfolio shots and envy-inducing backdrops of glamorous locations. But mainly it's just photos of them messing around. And in an industry where an impressionable young model's self-esteem and emotional wellbeing is often at the mercy of ruthless casting directors, it's lovely to see these girls having fun and not taking themselves too seriously. They pull weird expressions, superimpose their faces onto Disney characters and pose with budgies on their heads (and in Cara Delevingne's case - bird poo).

There are also several backstage snaps of the many beauty and hair treatments their job necessitates, from brow bleaching to moisture masks that look like they belong in a horror film. Browsing their photos, one can certainly pick up a few tips on how they keep their skin looking tip top amid the chaos of fashion week - not to mention how to take a perfect selfie (if anyone can show us how, it's the ladies who pose for a living).

So click through our gallery for some of the top beauty lessons we learnt from models' Instagrams.

(And to find out which are the best model Instagram accounts to follow, scroll down to the gallery below ...)