By 
Olivia Culpo—she of the symmetrical features and angular face, former Miss Universe (the first American winner since 1997)—often feels like shit in the morning. "When you wake up, and you have a pimple on your chin, your hair is a mess, and you're bloated. All the time." After shedding a difficultboss and a high profile relationship, Culpo is coming down to earth. "People want to think it's all perfect all the time," she says. "They don't want to see when you trip and drop your green tea all over the place." True story: Culpo spilled her tea on the way to meet me, but she got a free refill. Dressed in high-waisted shorts and a fitted crop top, all suntanned skin and toned limbs, with ridiculously good eyebrows, it comes as no surprise.
Culpo, who frequently posts healthy recipes and food hacks on her Instagram—a Barbie pink birthday cake is gluten-free, a Mason jar dripped in dark chocolate is sweetened with Stevia—recently created a series with Flipagram that's dedicated to remastering foods that most nutritionists forbid. "So you don't have to feel guilty after eating it." As a self-proclaimed former "super-chubby" kid, Culpo went through a middle school metamorphosis. "All my favorite movies growing up were movies where somebody changes, like Never Been Kissed with Drew Barrymore when she walks down the stairs."
Now she gets her transformation fix from the makeup artists she follows on Instagram: "(Makeup by) Mario, Patrick Ta. I love looking at what their favorite things are." Namely, the Beauty Blender, "I was just thinking that if I just had like 5,000 of them, I could use one a day and then just throw it out." Here, Culpo visits the ELLE beauty closet and talks scent layering, super-long lashes, and her new crush.
Her signature scent:
There's a new Chloé perfume I love, or my staple is Chanel Chance. I layer the lighter concentration. Another thing I like is mixing Byredo Gypsy Water and Baudelaire.
On her DIY brow method:
Well, I love Anastasia by Beverly Hills products. It's all about keeping the arch as high as possible. You want to have the front part of the brow a little lower so the arch is higher so it frames your face more. You have to know your face. Or if you go to Anastasia, she's the best. She taught me how to do it because I just love beauty and fashion and all of that.
Her eyelashes:
I just have crazy long eyelashes. My favorite mascara, which everybody has to get, is the Charlotte Tilbury Five Star Full Fat Lash. It's so good. So that's my secret. Or if you're looking for a cheaper version – the L'Oreal Carbon Black that you can get at CVS is great, too.
On going makeup-free:
I think it's amazing when people post pictures of themselves looking haggard or how Kim Kardashian posted a picture of herself with her baby bump with no Photoshop, looking bigger because she's pregnant. I think that's beautiful, and it's great if you feel compelled to put across a message. Everyone should do a no makeup selfie.
Her new crush:
Oh my gosh. Sam Hunt. He's a country singer.
