Cara Delevingne On Putting Herself First: 'When I Was Younger, My Priority Wasn't Self-Worth'
Cara Delevingne needs little in the way of introductions - she's got the industry's best brows, for one, with some of the world's largest fashion campaigns and shows under her belt, and has recently added both actor and 'L'Oréal ambassador' to her growing CV.
But for someone more attuned to globetrotting and global runways, her approach to beauty and wellbeing is refreshingly simple, one which today sees her embracing breathwork, a 'less is more' approach to make-up and prioritising her downtime.
Below, ELLE UK chats exclusively to the new L'Oréal brand ambassador about her evolving relationship with her wellbeing and self-worth, the beauty products she can't live without, and how she spends her spare time in Paris during Fashion Week...
On the energy during Paris Fashion Week...
‘There's a lot of hustle and bustle. It's hectic, but it makes for some really beautiful things, especially in the fashion world. Everyone you know is in one place and it feels like the intensity of a city, but 1,000 times better and worse.’
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On her favourite Parisian hotspots...
‘I would go to any restaurant, as the food is just so brilliant. You can go to the worst restaurant and still have the best food. I always go to Crazy Horse; it's my favourite place in the world. I've been maybe 20 times now. I have great friends who live in Paris, so usually I make time to see them too.'
On staying on top of her skincare routine whilst travelling...
'I think that less is more for my skin. I've had bad breakouts in the past so I try and keep it simple, I use a lot of clinicals, and vitamin C, and I avoid toner because I feel like it dries my skin out. Oh, and I always use retinol.'
On the product she swears by for fluffy brows...
‘I’m a slut for brow gels. The Infallible Brow Gel is my favourite. It kind of just always makes them look like they're laminated, which is cool. Paired with a red lipstick, you don't need anything else.'
On her uniform during Paris Fashion Week...
'A suit is always a go-to for me because I always feel like it's chic, but also comfortable. If I'm running around in the city, I'll just wear jeans, a tee and nice boots.'
On her wellbeing ethos...
'I don't find it very easy to sleep, so I like having a bath, listening to a podcast and trying not to scroll too much. I like to get connected to my breathing, get out of my head and my busy thoughts. I started doing yoga and meditation and and studying Eastern philosophy when I was 18, and that's always been an amazing foundation for me to build a spiritual practice around. But at the root of it, it's really about your breathing and being able to quiet down your mind.'
On how she expresses herself through beauty...
'Beauty expression is something inherent in us - I think you don't even have to try. Everyone expresses themselves in some sort of form of beauty and fashion. For me, I like my skin to breathe, but when I do wear make-up it's more for myself.'
On what self-worth looks like to her...
'When I was younger, my priority wasn't self-worth. Now, I think everything I do, every day, has an element of belief. To me, belief is the most important thing about self-worth; it's about having a purpose and having a drive; to know that whatever you're doing is connected to what you really believe in. But again, it's a deep practice; something you conquer and nurture and it gets easier over time. I think the more you are reminded of that, the more you can be grateful for it.'
On her next career move...
'I think working with great filmmakers, telling stories that need to be told. I'm a storyteller at heart, so whatever form or medium, I'll do that.'
On the best piece of advice she's ever received
'The first thing that came to my mind was "don't take yourself too seriously" and I don't know who told me that I just think that's sage advice.'
On walking L'Oréal's Défilé show...
'It's the first show I've done with L'Oréal since the announcement as their ambassador. What this show represented was really amazing and to be alongside such an incredible roster of women was really exciting. It was a celebration of empowerment, diversity, inclusivity, and sisterhood, I think that really is the the kind of four pillars.'
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