Marina (And The Diamonds) Has A New Beauty Gig

There are some celebrities that I'm really convinced I would be best friends with if only they got to know me. Marina Diamandis, of Marina and the Diamonds fame, is one of them. She's insanely talented, of course, and able to pull off outrageously stylish, retro fashion like it's absolutely NBD, but there's also something relatable about her, as if she'd be just as at home baking cookies with you in her living room as she is performing on stage.

Diamandis, who is from Wales, recently teamed up with Boots to help celebrate the iconic UK-based brand's stateside launch in Walgreens and Duane Reade stores across the New York metro area. That's right — you can now get the Boots experience at your local drugstore. Color me extremely excited for this major development, since I hit up Duane Reade for paper towels and Ben & Jerry's at least twice a week.

Given her heritage and proclivity for flawless makeup, Diamandis was the perfect choice to perform at the Boots launch event — and she did so wearing the most incredible sparkly pink two piece ensemble that most could only dream of rocking.

I had the chance to catch up with the singer/songwriter to talk everything from Boots to gender equality to the perfect shade of red lipstick. Here are seven things I learned from our chat.

1. She's Crazy About Skincare

"I am kind of skin crazy because I have to wear so much makeup, I really love not wearing it on my days off," Diamandis says. To keep her skin #flawless, she makes sure to wash her makeup off nightly (take note, Kim Kardashian), apply argan oil every morning, and use Peter Thomas Roth's pumpkin enzyme mask twice a week.

2. Natural Hair Is The Best Hair

Despite the fact that Diamandis is known for wild hair colors, she likes her natural tresses best, because they are "so low maintenance."

3. The '50s Ruled (Style-Wise)

She's currently rocking some major '70s-inspired looks (isn't everyone these days?) to promote her new album, FROOT, but Diamandis thinks the 1950s reign supreme when it comes to hair, makeup, and fashion. "For me, it's the most flattering era for women," she said. Given how fabulous she looks in this pale pink, cinched waist ensemble, I can't disagree.

5. She Loves That Classic Red Lip

Her fave red lippy of the moment is from indie cosmetic brand Lime Crime's range of Velvetines, which have gained something of a cult following for being highly pigmented and ultra long-lasting. "It's amazing and it doesn't budge," Diamandis said. "It's probably the best that I've ever found, and I have searched very, very long and hard for a nice, matte red lip."

6. Color Shouldn't Be Scary

You don't have to rock head-to-toe color the way Marina often does in order to work some brightness into your wardrobe. The singer suggests accenting a monochrome ensemble with a neon nail, a colorful sock, or other such accents to make your outfit pop.

7. Education Is Key

Lipstick is fun and all, but Marina is far from strictly superficial. What's the most important issue facing women the world over today? Access to education. "[Lack of education] is what stops [women] from progressing, especially in third world countries [...] We really take very simple things for granted." Absolutely.

Images: Getty Images