Bazaar sits down with former cover star Emily Ratajkowski to chat beauty, body image and being the face of Paco Rabanne’s new XS fragrance.

Who is the Paco Rabanne woman in your eyes?
A really timeless, powerful woman who is super smart and capable of being in any situation, but also doesn’t take anything too seriously.

What attracted you to work with the brand?
Paco Rabanne is a brand that hasn’t lost their identity. They still have a legacy that they’ve implemented into this modern, cool-girl aesthetic that I love.

How would you describe the fragrance in one word?
Excessive.

What is one of your most memorable scents?
I would say, my skin after I’ve spent the day in salt water in the beach. I love the way my skin smells after that.

Three beauty products you can’t live without?
Retinol Supernova Serum from Joanna Vargas, Marc Jacobs lipstick in a grey/nude colour, and an eyebrow brush by Maybelline. Or sometimes I just use hairspray and brush them up.

Who is your beauty muse?
I love Penelope Cruz and I think she just has a really great signature beauty look that I admire.

One of your favourite red carpet beauty looks that you’ve worn?
There was a look a couple years ago at the Diamond Ball where I have a short hair wig and an old vintage Chanel dress and black eyeliner, I loved it.

What is one piece of beauty advice that you would give your 16 year-old self?
Don’t let your face get in the sun too much.

What is something that you admire about beauty trends from the Middle East, or just beauty in general?
I’m a huge fan of the cat eye and I see so many beautiful women in the Middle East have this amazing gift with eyeliner – it’s not easy make-up to do!

If you could’ve been behind any iconic or signature beauty look, whose would it have been?
Sophia Loren’s eyebrows.

The cheapest beauty product you’ve ever bought?
The cheapest is a product called Aquaphor – it’s like a drugstore Vaseline. It’s very simple, but you can use it for so many things. People put it on their tattoos, on their dry skin, and I put it on my lips. It’s about $3.

The most expensive beauty product you’ve ever splurged on?
I have a Tom Ford palette that I splurged on that’s so good. It’s a bronzer/highlighter palette and it’s amazing.

Source : harpersbazaararabia.com