There’s no denying that Taylor Swift knows how to rock her stunning signature look. Even though we don’t often get to see the star with anything less than a full face of makeup, Swift has occasionally graced fans with a few Instagram shots where she seemingly skips the classic red lip and smoky eye. Still, whether she’s decked out or going for a more minimalistic look, she’s drop-dead gorgeous either way.
What may come as a bit of a surprise is that a natural beauty like Swift deals with some of the same insecurities as the rest of us. It turns out she is human after all, despite her enormous success and incredible talent.
In March 2019, months before her 30th birthday, Swift compiled a list of things she’d learned prior to hitting that big milestone. One thing she made clear was that she has to work on body image issues too. “I have really good advice for when you’re having problems,” she wrote for Elle. “I learned to stop hating every ounce of fat on my body. I worked hard to retrain my brain that a little extra weight means curves, shinier hair, and more energy. I think a lot of us push the boundaries of dieting, but taking it too far can be really dangerous. There is no quick fix. I work on accepting my body every day. I mean, I’m not saying I look good, I’m saying it’s decent.”
While most of us have been impacted in one way or another by society’s beauty standards, for Swift, being in the spotlight from such a young age doubled the challenge. Perhaps in the past, it was preferable for Swift to slap on a full face of makeup rather than brave the comments from critics who might spot a blemish or even a wrinkle. But she doesn’t appear to be playing that game anymore. She said in her essay, “I’ve learned that society is constantly sending very loud messages to women that exhibiting the physical signs of aging is the worst thing that can happen to us. These messages tell women that we aren’t allowed to age. It’s an impossible standard to meet, and I’ve been loving how outspoken Jameela Jamil has been on this subject.”
Swift continued, “Reading her words feels like hearing a voice of reason amongst all these loud messages out there telling women we’re supposed to defy gravity, time, and everything natural in order to achieve this bizarre goal of everlasting youth that isn’t even remotely required of men. I’m a woman, I’m not a coat hanger, and I need to not use my body as an exercise of control when I feel out of control in my life.”
But even though she’s fully embracing her age, that’s not to say that T. Swift isn’t doing what she can to keep her skin looking its best. One look at that flawless complexion has us desperately wanting to know her beauty secrets. It turns out the superstar singer wasn’t always kind to her face. Swift admitted to Elle that she realized she needed to be gentler with her skin and even copped to frequently sleeping in her makeup and using Sharpie as eyeliner in the past, something she definitely recommends nobody ever do. She has since seen the error of her ways, though, and says she now uses moisturizer and body lotion, which has given her soft skin all year round.
Another tip that keeps her skin looking camera-ready? She told Allure that she steers clear of tanning beds and always wears her sunscreen. While it’s abundantly clear that Swift doesn’t need a full face of makeup to truly shine, if she wants to rock a bold lip and smoky eye all at the same time, then she’s going to do it. That’s the real beauty of what Swift seems to have learned in her 30 years: you can do what you want when it comes to your beauty routine. “I’m cool with who I am. I’m really excited about 30. Now I get to choose when I work, I get to choose the things I want to work on.”
But we just have to know: how does a regular person without a glam squad achieve Swift’s signature pout? She broke it down for fans, telling Allure, “There are tricks I’ve learned from makeup artists on shoots. They put on the red lipstick, then blot it with a tissue. Then they put powder over the tissue and sort of press it onto your lips. Then reapply. It turns into a stain that lasts much longer.”
