The megamodel and newest face of Lancôme chats about high school bullies, social media, and her biggest beauty lesson.
What's the best beauty advice you've ever received?
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I took an art class in high school, and I remember my teacher telling me, “When you finish, finish. Don’t try to perfect things. The things that are wrong are what make it art.” That stuck with me, and I think it also applies to beauty. Don’t obsess and try to mask imperfections with too much hair and makeup. When you’re done, stop and step away. Less is more.
Do you wear makeup when you're off duty?
Not always, but since I have my makeup done so often for work, it doesn’t seem like a real day unless I’m wearing at least something. I’m a bit of a tomboy, but the girlie side of me loves makeup, and I’m really good at doing my own. It’s usually the bare minimum—concealer, mascara, tinted lip balm. It makes me feel like I’m awake and ready to start my day.
I read that you were bullied in high school because of your height.
I was awkward—super-tall and skinny, and I wore glasses. I was painfully shy, and I never knew how to talk to people or make new friends. And then I began modeling, and girls were like, “What’s that weird girl doing? She’s not that pretty.” But then I got a different type of attention from guys, because they said, “She’s a model now.” And I didn’t even like the guys. I would’ve preferred to be friends with the girls. So it was that type of thing.
What would you tell a young girl starting her modeling career?
Stand up straight. I was so shy, and if someone had told me people like outgoing personalities, I would’ve been much more comfortable. Don’t be afraid. The more afraid you are, the more power you’re giving people to make you feel like you don’t belong.
Let’s talk social media. Are there things you avoid posting?
No. I want people to know the real me, so I try to post organically without oversharing. People will say things like, “I want to meet you,” and that’s cool because it means they relate to me in some way.
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And how do you deal with negative comments?
I try not to read them. Sometimes it’s really hard to ignore them, but it honestly doesn’t matter—because who are these people?
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