Carmen Electra On Her Best Relationship Advice

Carmen Electra is stunning. On the red carpet for Will Smith's latest big budget flick, Focus , she is wearing a revealing structured gown, her trademark black-rimmed eyes and a glorified version of a ponytail. A bit shy, with hands positioned behind her back, she's still eager to talk about an often taboo topic: "I believe in love, I believe in marriage. I'm a very passionate person," she says. "I believe it's there and that it can happen."

"I think the glue of any relationship is that if you really love someone, and learn to love them, you love their flaws as well," she explains. "You learn what makes eachother tick, you try not to push those buttons, and you give your partner space when they need space, but always let them know that you're still there for them."

Electra herself has been in a string of highly publicized relationships, and has been rumored to have dated everyone from Prince to Joan Jett. "A lot of relationships [in Hollywood] don't last very long. I'm witness to that," she says, nothing that Will Smith's realationship with his wife Jada Pinkett Smith is one she admired. "It doesn't happen to a lot of people, she's obviously a very special person," she says of Pinkett Smith. "I remember meeting Jayda long ago, and she's a sweetheart. They're inspirational to me."

In terms of her own love life, Electra attributes her own relationship missteps to being a "very misunderstood person." She says: "I am more sensitive than people imagine, so maybe the way I present myself might be a little tougher and stronger in a sense."

But outside of romantic relationships, Electra finds it important to build solidarity with other women. "I'm a girl's girl," she says. "Any tips that I've learned from experts that do hair and makeup and styling, I love to share with other women. I'm the first girl who will walk up to another woman and say, 'Oh my god, where did you get your dress, it's amazing.' I am inspired by other women. I really look up to J. Lo and her longevity in this business."

But her biggest beauty tip doesn't require a mascara wand or pilate's class. "It all starts within. We're all different and I don't think everyone should look the same," she says. "It's about loving yourself, being confident, and having fun. Life is short, life is way too short."

Image: Getty