"In beauty, I know what works for me. I have a Taurus in Mercury, so the way I think is like a Taurus, but I’m an Aries with a Cancer moon...and a Leo rising. So I'm really detail-oriented and very particular about what I use and how I use it. That's actually a big part of why I created my own line. My skin needs to be great all the time—I can’t have an off-day—so I wanted organic products that could detoxify the skin but also put back all the nutrients from superfoods like noni. It’s an ingredient that's been used for thousands of years in Polynesia—they grow it in Australia as well. It’s got over a hundred vitamins and minerals in it, so when you put it on your skin and in your body, it's something you notice. It's an ingredient in our Noni Glow Oil, along with rosehip and sea buckthorn, and I love to use it as a great base for makeup. I'll mix it with the Kora Tinted Day Cream and my favorite concealer, "Un" Cover-Up from RMS.
Makeup for me is for work or for date night. Usually I won't even wear mascara if I'm just at home. Sometimes I'll put on the RMS Lip2Cheek in Beloved, which is good for daytime wear. But to be a bit more glam, I like Charlotte Tilbury's line. It's not organic, but life is about balance, right? I’m all about 80% healthy and 20% indulgence. She makes a good red-orange called Tell Laura. It's matte, which photographs really well. But I actually prefer to wear a velvet finish—I think it looks better in real life. Lancôme L'Absolu Velours is a nice one that has a matte finish...but not too matte. Today, though, I'm just wearing Dior Lip Glow with a little bit of Laura Mercier's Lip Pencil in Baby Lips for a natural, glossier look.
Eyeshadow is not my strength, but I'll take the blush I'm using—La Prairie Cellular Cream Blush—and dab a little of it on my eyes as well. One of my favorite things to do is a simple cat eye. It's not too fancy. And my eyebrows are a little unruly, so they need a lot of taming. Instead of a gel, I'll use Glossier Boy Brow in Brown.
Oh God, my hair is always an issue for me. It’s been short for a while–short hair is harder to style, but you know what I did? I got a perm called the American Wave Perm. I heard it was the healthiest type of perm, so I did that. It was really great for during the summer because I didn’t have to do anything to my hair. I just would get in the water and get out and it would have this nice wave to it. My natural hair is dead straight, and I’ve always admired people who have naturally curly hair. So, that was an interesting experiene. I only did it one other time in my life, when I was little. The only other thing I do to my hair is use Klorane Dry Shampoo. Nothing else.
For something like the Met Gala, I like to have a good hour and a half to get ready. And I’m all about lighting. I like to dim the lights, light candles, and put on a good playlist. I love dancing, and I love karaoke. My go-to song is Peggy Lee's “Give Me Fever” or anything from Shania Twain and the Dixie Chicks. I’m a country girl!
New York is the best city to go out in, but I live in LA now. The best party here is Madonna's—she throws it once a year. For red carpet, I prefer something long, elegant, classic—something I could wear 20 years on. But for Madonna, I always wear a short, trendy cocktail dress, something fun to dance in, because the music’s always amazing. She always comes out and does a little number, but the music is what really makes it. Everyone’s really dressed up and no one’s allowed to take pictures, so it’s really private. You feel safe, and just have a good time.
Then when I get back home, I hit the sack. I always make sure I have a shower and wash my face. Makeup comes off no matter what time it is. I have never once forgotten my whole life to take makeup off my face before bed. And I'm obsessed with layering on the Noni Glow Balm on dry areas as a treatment. But that's it. Pretty crazy, huh?"
—as told to ITG
Miranda Kerr photographed by Tom Newton in New York on September 13, 2017. Video edited by William Kitchings.
