Beauty Icon: Blake Lively

Blake Lively, is bloody gorgeous. Born with quite clearly perfect genes, she shared some of her beauty secrets behind the scenes for her new million dollar campaign for the newest fragrance from fashion house Gucci - Premiere. 

What's your go-to beauty or hair look for events? "It depends. I was at a premiere in Los Angeles recently in a Zuhair Murad gown, and I could have gone two ways - a smoky eye and lighter lip with a very slicked-back, straight, long ponytail, or a Rita Hayworth look with the red, longer nails and little cat eyes. So I went for the latter because that to me was a fun, special moment. But the next day at the premiere in New York I had this beautiful Gucci mellow yellow gown, and with that I thought you could go Grecian or A Midsummer Night's Dream. So, to make it different from the night before, I thought: 'I want a high pony or I want a braid'. And I had a necklace that I was considering wearing, so I thought: 'let's wrap it around the braid because it will make it more interesting." So you decide upon the looks yourself? "I'm always designing what the hair and make-up will look like and I style myself, including the shoes, jewellery, accessories - all of it. But then I'm lucky to be in the hands of some of the most talented people who will say: 'so that's your idea, now let me actualise it in a way that's more beautiful'. Maybe it's that old classic Hollywood look, maybe it's messy Kate Moss hair or a slicked-back J-Lo ponytail. So there's no go-to, it's 'who do you want to be tonight?"

You're in the public eye a lot, do you feel a pressure to keep up appearances? "I don't feel a pressure to keep up appearances for anyone, it's just that I love making an effort. When I see old movies with women in floor-length dressing gowns, or when they're going to the store and they've got a pillbox hat with a net over the eyes and white gloves, I'm offended that I can't go to the store like that. So I'll wear sweat pants when I want to wear sweat pants around the house, but even my sweat pants are cashmere ones because they're yummier or more beautiful and I really appreciate all of that. Dressing up is fun for me - it never feels like a task, like: 'oh I have to put on this gown'. If I could wear a gown everywhere I would." Which beauty products do you love most? "I work so much, so when I'm not working I try not to use so much make-up, it's more about taking care of myself. So I'll use Crème de la Mer body lotion - I know it's luxurious but oh it's so, so good - but I try to avoid wearing make-up. I always like hair being a little messy because I think there's something appealing about the whimsy of putting on a gown with any hair or make-up - just stepping into it and you're ready."

Who is your beauty icon? "My mom is my biggest beauty and style icon - my sisters too. She's so elegant and so fun and so bohemian. She does everything with such child-like wonderment. She's somebody that's so beautiful because she's so kind to everyone. She always goes out of her way to tell people they look nice. I think that's so beautiful - she's a good woman, a good icon." rachelle xo