Katy Perry is a force to behold. At 5'8", she's taller and more statuesque than you'd imagine, seriously gorgeous IRL, and is not a subtle person. "I mean no offense when I give my answers, but I always tell it like it is," she says during our interview. "People can paint it however they want, and I don't care."
But it's clear she
does care what people think about her new CoverGirl collection, which is more than just a spokesmodel gig -- Perry created these products. There are 13 shades of demi-matte lipstick (because completely matte lipsticks can be so drying they make you "look like you have a butthole in your face," she says), and two mascaras -- a classic black and a vibrant cobalt blue. And they're all available on
walmart.com for pre-order now before rolling out to drugstores in July -- because accessibility is also very important to the pop star.
1)
On her CoverGirl collection: "CoverGirl is a very classic line, and I grew up wearing it from the first time I started to experiment. It was the mascara that I went to. And it's a household name. But I wanted to push their ideas of what they think beauty is. That's why I included the Perry Panther, which is the black, and the Cosmo Kitty, which is kind of like powdery purple. And the blue mascara. I love the blue mascara. I don't think there is any other blue mascara in the market that I know of -- or Perry Panther, a black lipstick, so you're not using eyeliner on your lip -- for $6.99. Usually, these blue mascaras run $25, $35 -- somewhere in there. So I feel like it's such a great way for people to say, "Yeah, I'm going to give that experiment a chance." Otherwise, they wouldn't do it, because it's going to be too costly."
2)
Her first beauty inspiration: "I started experimenting with makeup really early on -- like when I was 13. I thought I was a pin-up girl because I saw this book by Gil Elvgren about pin-up girls, and I didn't have any money and I had a budget, and I'd go to the stores and find the pencil skirts and the little cardigans with the pearls on them, and that would be my look because I couldn't afford Bebe."
3)
The beauty ritual that makes her happy: "I think a really nice bath with Epsom salts always makes me happy. And I never know it until I get in."
4)
Her top lipstick trick: "I put it on, and I always use a piece of tissue or -- if you don't have a tissue -- a little square of toilet paper, and I just pat it down. And -- this is an actual makeup artists' secret -- using the tissue, putting it on and then putting powder all over it."
5)
On looking her best on the red carpet: "What I'm really interested in now is making sure things fit. I'm really good with shopping; I never try anything on. I just pick and point. From all those years of doing thrift stores and vintage stores, you have to train your eye. If something doesn't fit, and I'm going to hit a red carpet, I do multiple fittings now with tailors, and it's really boring and excessive -- just to make sure half my boob isn't hanging out, or my butt, if I don't want it to."
