Dua Lipa Shares Her Biggest Beauty Do’s and Don’ts

Dua Lipa is, to state it lightly, always on the go. The three-time Grammy winner (and ten-time nominee) has been consistently working since she first left her family in Albania to move to London as a teenager and pursue her dreams of becoming a singer. Since then, the pop star has released three chart-topping albums, headlined major music festivals, made her acting debut in the Barbie movie, launched a weekly newsletter and book club called Service95, become a fashion and beauty icon, and, according to the Internet, championed an enviable lifestyle of seemingly endless, very chic travel.

The singer is also the global face of YSL Beauty Makeup and the Libre fragrance franchise, which just launched its latest scent, Libre Flowers & Flames. Next month, she’ll embark on a year-long world tour in support of her most recent project, 2024’s Radical Optimism.

So how does a superstar like Dua Lipa take care of herself, inside and out? Speaking to W from her hotel room in Las Vegas, where she was performing her biggest hits for the iHeartRadio Musical Festival (“a funny old place,” she called the city), Lipa shared some of her favorite tips and tricks for maintaining her physical and mental wellness amid such a busy schedule.

What is your earliest memory of a scent?

It’s the smell of my mom. She always had a warm, floral scent, which was very comforting.

Is there a scent that reminds you of home?

When I think of London, especially now in the summer, I think of the smell of rain on concrete. I love that smell because it feels like the air is really warm and a bit humid and muggy and fresh all at once.

Is there a scent or fragrance that you like to use on vacation?

Oh, definitely. Just now, when I was on holiday, I was using the Libre Flowers & Flames because I just love the lavender and the coconutty, floral smell. That’s got summer written all over it.

What’s the first thing you do in the morning, beauty-wise?

It’s always just shower, brush my teeth, get on with the day. Very, very easy.

No complicated cleansing routine or application of a thousand serums?

Not really, no.

What is your favorite form of self-care?

Sleep. That’s my number-one self-care. I get enough sleep, I can do anything. I can take over the world, easily.

What’s your ideal spa day?

I’m not really a massage person. My favorite spa day would be at home in my bathtub, lots of Epsom salts, a face mask, a good book, a glass of wine. From there, into pajamas, into bed. Ideal.

What’s your holy grail beauty product?

It has to be my YSL Beauty Loveshine lipstick. I never leave the house without lipstick, even if I put no other makeup on. I feel naked without lipstick. I love the Loveshine, because it’s got hyaluronic acid, so it’s moisturizing. I feel well-groomed to leave the house with just that.

Were you always a lipstick person?

Always, always, always a lipstick person.

Are there any beauty tips or tricks you’ve learned throughout your career that you always return to?

I love buying exfoliating wipes, the ones with little beads on them, and then scrubbing my lips. Not my whole face, just my lips. It gets rid of the dead skin, so then they’re primed and ready for whatever lipstick you want to put on.

Is there a major skincare investment you’ve made that you feel was worth it?

I haven’t been for a long time, but there’s one facialist in New York who I love, Fabricio Ormonde. He’s amazing. I saw him one time and he just changed my skin. He gave me the best routine, and I never looked back.

Are there any non-beauty products you can’t live without when you’re touring or traveling?

I always have my diary and notebooks with me. And I take a suitcase full of books, so if I finish one, I have another to choose from. I like a selection, because they’re like outfits. Maybe after I’ve read one and it’s left me feeling a certain type of way, then I need to switch it up.

Do you prefer physical books over an e-reader?

Yeah, I see my friends with the Kindle, and it’s pretty helpful. But I love the idea of going back home, and your book has SPF all over it, and it feels really worn and lived-in. Especially when you finish that book, and you can then pass it on to your mate.

Do you hang onto your books when you’re done, or give them away?

I have a pretty big library, and I keep adding to it. I have this dream that I’m going to read all the books that I have. I would love to get there at some point, but I have a chronic obsession with ordering new books the second somebody recommends me something new. I do give away a lot to my friends in the hopes that they’ll return them. Some I see—some I don’t get back.

Are there any beauty trends you participated in when you were younger that you look back on and say, “Oh God, I can’t believe I did that?”

There are lots. I guess this wasn’t even a trend, and I don’t know why the hell I did this, but I used to put black mascara on my eyebrows. Horrible. I look back at pictures like, “What was I thinking? My brows are already thick enough and dark enough!” That's a moment I wish I could erase from my makeup mistakes.

I think it’s safe to say that we all have brow regrets.

You live and you learn.