One Celeb, Many Secrets: Solange Shares her Beauty Tips

The VMAs are over, but we can still talk about the starlets and what they wore right? Solange Knowles attended the award's show and recently talked with Elle magazine about her beauty secrets. Keep reading to see what tips you can steal.

Not one to shy away from eclectic pieces, Solange departed from her go-to style of mixing prints and vibrant colors to a more tone downed, but sophisticated look. Showing us that she knows how to wear high fashion to every day brands like this H&M pantsuit, is there anything she can't pull off effortlessly? This menswear inspired ensemble, shows she's not only on trend, but multifaceted when it comes to trying all kinds of styles. She spoke to Elle magazine about her look saying...

“I knew that I wanted to be super comfortable and I wanted something understated and chic. Going with a tux always feels like that falls into that description.”

When it comes to trying anything in the name of fashion and individuality we know she is daring and pushes the envelope...

“I exhausted myself with nail art five or six years ago. I had American flags, sushi, all kinds of crazy stuff and then I outgrew it. It takes so much time and patience.”  

Keep reading to see what else she shared with Elle on her go-to makeup, loving coconut oil, and how she uses her mom's products.

On her VMA makeup 

I’ve been wearing red eyeliner and red eyeshadow so the only thing I hadn’t tried was red mascara. I don’t know what’s been attracting me to red. I think it gives such a unique edge. My makeup artist, Miguel, actually made it. Originally, we had thought that we would use red mascara, but we wanted the density of a full black lash so we did black and painted the ends of the lash with a heavy red pigment. It’s always challenging to translate an editorial look to the red carpet.

Is there one of your past beauty looks that made you feel the most beautiful or the coolest?

For one of the first shots I did for my last album, I did a yellow cream eyeshadow and a yellow lip. Usually I would say one or the other, but for some reason that really worked. I’ve always been drawn to doing color accents. Six years ago I went through a phase of wearing green or blue lipstick every day. The yellow is my favorite though. It just works with my skin. Make Up For Ever makes really good creamy colors. Really, really opaque and pretty potent stuff. That’s what I use when I want to play with color.

What songs do you listen to when you’re getting ready?

I just shuffle my iPod, which can be majorly embarrassing, but today I listened to Womack & Womack, “Baby I’m Scared of You” on repeat, like, four times.

Walking the red carpet looks terrifying, but you must be used to it.

I don’t think that you ever get used to it. It’s really a shit show out there and you feel so completely vulnerable and critiqued and you have to be on. I think one thing that’s really cool is artists are now able to go to their Instagram and ease some of those jitters by having their own moment to showcase the look.

Do you keep any products on hand for touch-ups during the show?

I’m not super married to products, and I’m terrible at touching up. Lately I’ve been really loving Mally—she has an eyebrow gel that I love. If I had to pick one product, I have full eyebrows and I don’t like to shape them, so eyebrow gel is a go-to.

You have the most beautiful, versatile hair and you really celebrate your natural texture. What’s your secret?

I’m playing around with what I can do within my hair texture a little more. It’s always interesting on the red carpet because different lighting brings out different textures. In person, it can photograph differently. I’m loving bigger waves that are a little bit more glamorous.

Any hair products that you can’t live without?

Lately I’ve been really relying on coconut oil. I actually just go to the grocery store and buy organic coconut oil and put it on before, during, and after I shampoo. I let it air dry. Sometimes I blow it out with low heat. Sometimes I’ll twist it and take out the twists the next day.

Your skin always looks springy and glowing. What are a few favorite skincare products? Please don’t say just water!

I’m super basic when it comes to my skincare. I just use Epicuren face products and moisturizer, but I stayed at my mom’s house this past weekend so I used her products. They’re super fancy so it was really fun. I used all of that today. When I pack products they spill everywhere! I try to stay with friends when I travel and I just use whatever they have.