From embracing open-hearted love to avoiding hair bleach, Dua Lipa shares the biggest lessons life has taught her

It's mid-November, and team Marie Claire UK are in full Black Friday prep mode. My head is foggy, my desk is overflowing with products and my inbox is at 8,000 unread. But the arrival of one email was enough to break me out of my daze. The subject line: Dua Lipa Interview. 

I had caught wind of the news that Dua Lipa was set to become the new Global Make-up Ambassador for YSL Beauty, and the prospect of an interview with her was enough to make me clear my schedule. The singer has spent the majority of her adult life in the spotlight, with seemingly every moment of that covered by tabloids. It only makes sense, therefore, that she has a fair few life lessons to share for My Life In... . Beyond that, she is, in my opinion, one of the most influential women in the world of beauty. Hell, she only has to step out of the house to set a new hair trend or nail trend.

So, days after that first email landed in my inbox, there I was, sitting on a video call with Dua Lipa. Within just a few seconds of conversation, it becomes immediately apparent why YSL Beauty has made the decision to name her their newly appointed make-up ambassador (an extension of her existing work with the brand as the face of their iconic fragrance, Libre). She is relaxed but hypnotisingly engaged, she is professional, of course, but also candidly reflective with a hint of that lighthearted self-deprecation that we Brits all bond over. She is, for lack of a better word, brilliant.

She is, also, strikingly beautiful. Her first duty as Global Make-up Ambassador is to front the campaign for YSL LOVESHINE—a new franchise that is set to see the brand focus on its lip products all year long. This is something that really excites me, not just because I am a huge fan of YSL's lip offering (they make some of the most hydrating lipsticks around), but because the brand's Rouge Volupté Candy Glaze has been one of the most talked-about products on social media amongst trendsetters—making Dua's partnership a match made in beauty heaven. The franchise is set to see some very exciting new launches in the coming months, and I have no doubt they are destined for viral success. If Dua is involved that seems like a given.

And although we talked all things beauty (and her love for using lipstick in a multitude of ways), throughout our chat, it is overwhelmingly apparent that there is so much more to Dua Lipa than just her striking beauty. Here, she shares the most important lessons life has taught her.

#1 Less is more when it comes to beauty

"I know it sounds cliché, but I think less is more. It took me a little while to figure out what my beauty routine was. There was a moment in my life when I thought I should just put mascara on my eyebrows and that just does not look good. I won’t be doing that ever again in my life. I think my brows are bushy enough, so I’m just going for a clear gel. Let’s not dive in too deep, but it wasn’t cute."

#2 Invest time in family and friendships

"All my best friends are from when I was 15 in school in London, and it’s so lovely to grow up with someone who just knows everything about you. I make a special effort, even when I’m busy, to see my friends, spend time with them and keep that relationship alive. I love that me and my best friends always make time to have a weekend together or have a girls dinner. I think it’s important to always have something to look forward to with your closest friends. The girl gang is really important for me.

"My family is an extension of myself. We’re so close. Even with a busy lifestyle, I’ll make time to regroup with my family. We’re always travelling together, away from all the madness. It’s about having time alone and being able to hang out as a group."

#3 Stick to skincare that works for you

"There’s a lot of unsolicited advice. What might work for someone else might not work for you—there’s always a lot of trial and error, at least there has been for me. I think just kind of paring it back and slowly trying products is the best way to figure out what works for you.

"It’s taken me time to realise [this]. I’d read things online and be like 'Oh, I have to put vitamin C on', but actually my skin is really sensitive so that doesn’t really work for me. It's just baby steps with it, it’s a real journey. I feel like it’s only now that I’ve figured out what works for me."

#4 Invest in a good coat

"A really good coat is vital. Anything you wear underneath is fine if you have a really nice, big coat that you can just throw on top. You could wear trackies and be in a nice, warm, big coat and you can hide what’s happening underneath."

#5 Never regret any experience

"I think whatever it is, good or bad, everything is there to serve a purpose and teach you a lesson—even on the bad days when you’re like 'This is the worst thing that could possibly be happening in my life'. I think when you look back you see it served a purpose and taught you something. You can say: this is something I deserved, this is something that was good for me, this is something that pushed me out of my comfort zone. I think the most important thing is to not look back on something and wish [you] never did it. Doing it led you to where you’re supposed to be. Living your life with no regrets, regardless, is a big part of growing up."

#6 Find multiple functions for your make-up

"For me, I love having a lipstick that I can put on my cheeks, my eyelids—something that has multiple uses. It makes it easier if you’re planning, say, a brunch with the girls, then you have work and then you’re going out for dinner in the evening and your make-up starts to wear off. You can just put a little bit [of lipstick] on everywhere and keep going. I’m a big fan of low-maintenance [make-up]—something that’s quick and easy and makes you feel good. There’s a freedom to it, and we take things too seriously."

#7 I'll never bleach my hair again

"That was a really traumatic experience for me. I had fun as a blonde, I have to say, but my hair couldn’t hack it. For me, I’m going to stick to darker, more autumnal colours. My hair can hold that much better. When you start to see your hair fizzling away, it's quite traumatic."

#8 Don't take yourself too seriously

"One thing that’s important is that I don’t want to let my fame or being a public person stop me from doing everyday things. I love to see friends and go out for dinner—it’s about a low-maintenance lifestyle without having to think about things too much. 

"In the beginning, if there was a paparazzi shot I didn’t like I’d be upset. Now I just think I’m a human, I don’t care, I’m going to go out, it is what it is. I don’t want to let that stop me from my everyday experience. I think I just try to keep life as normal as possible and not take things too seriously, and my friends and family help me do that easily."

#9 There's nothing wrong with being open hearted

"It goes back to the no regrets thing, but I’m very much a person who is all in [when it comes to love]. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t, but I never have any regrets about going all in to something. Even if that lets me down, I think it’s a life lesson. It’s something that I needed to go through. It teaches me what I might need in my life later on."

#10 It's always good to do something for your body

"When I do things that are good for me, whether it’s yoga or eating healthy or meditation, I feel like I can tackle every day so much better. When I know I haven’t been working out or have been eating shit, I don’t feel good overall. My one lesson is do things that make you feel good and everything else will fall into place."

#11 If you can't smell your own perfume, it's a good fit

"If people remember you for a smell but you don’t smell it on yourself, you know it’s right for you. If it’s really overpowering and you start to feel a bit sick, you’ve got to get away from it. I remember when I first started working with YSL Beauty for the original Libre fragrance, I felt so connected to it. Now, I wear it all the time. I don’t smell it on myself, but all of my friends know me for that smell. They go to the airport and they smell it, and they’ll say it reminds them of me."