Cara Delevingne: ‘Don’t be ashamed of the truth’

Don’t be ashamed of the truth’ Supermodel, actress and face of Dior’s Capture Youth, Cara Delevingne knows a thing or two about looking good. But, she tells Grazia, true happiness comes from honesty, fearlessness and embracing risk

Surprisingly for a model who’s the face of a skincare brand, it’s inner beauty – not outer – that Cara Delevingne wants to talk about today. Describing herself as ‘passionate, determined and openminded’, the 25-year-old model-turned-actress knows looking good generally comes down to how good you feel.

‘I believe that beauty comes from within, so I would advise young women to take care of their mind and their heart as much as they take care of their skin,’ she says. And Cara should know, as someone whose face is emblazoned on magazines, screens and billboards the world over.

Despite her reputation as a bit of a hedonist, she now says that feeling good is a matter of balance. She admits her diet ‘consists of a lot of salmon and vegetables’ and she does yoga regularly, ‘no matter what country I’m in’. But this is certainly not a woman who is afraid of getting older.

‘Age is a beautiful thing and should be appreciated,’ she says. ‘I associate it with becoming wiser and more experienced. Classifying a woman as “young” is all about her energy. Age is just a number.’

Cara defines beauty as ‘happiness, confidence, individuality’, and it’s these traits, all of which she has in spades, that have compelled more than 41 million people to follow her on Instagram. She uses the platform to express her thoughts and beliefs on current issues – Time’s Up for one – as well as holiday snaps with her sister, Poppy, and friends Adwoa Aboah, Suki Waterhouse and Georgia May Jagger. (‘I feel most beautiful when I’m surrounded by people I love,’ she says simply.)

What does she believe is the secret to social media success? ‘Capturing a moment in its fullest,’ she grins. ‘Doesn’t matter if it’s perfect. I like seeing people post all ranges of feelings and emotion. It’s about being open and honest. People shouldn’t be ashamed of the truth.’

The women who she most admires have a similar fearlessness. ‘I look up to strong women who are not afraid to make bold choices,’ she nods. ‘ Tilda Swinton, Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Thompson, Reese Witherspoon, Natalie Portman, Angelina Jolie and Meryl Streep are all girl heroes of mine.’ Now, there’s a dream dinner party guest list.

Cara is notorious for her own bold choices, particularly when it comes to her appearance, which is – of course – her currency as a model and actress. ‘Some would say my tattoos are a risk… but they all have such a special meaning to me,’ she shrugs. ‘Also shaving my head, but I have never felt so strong and so liberated for doing something that seemed so scary.’

She would even go so far as to say that risk-taking is one of her guiding principles. ‘I think taking risks and pushing the envelope have been a huge part of my life so far,’ she smiles. ‘I don’t like to stay in one place for too long. I’m constantly looking for the next challenge and to better myself. Keep asking questions, finding the truth, connecting with people in a deep way and trying to spread joy as much as possible.’

As for her ultimate anti-ageing advice? It’s something that we should all take on board: ‘I try to really live in every moment,’ she says. ‘Live every moment to the fullest and take nothing for granted.’

Cara Delevingne is the face of Dior’s Capture Youth range (dior.com)

I H AVE NEVER FELT SO STRONG AND SO LIBERATED