Mia Rodriguez on the significance of beauty and embracing your individuality

In a world obsessed with trends and fitting the mould, Australian music sensation Mia Rodriguez is determined to embrace her individuality – and eschew beauty standards in the process.

The 21-year-old ‘Psycho’ singer is truly a force to be reckoned with, both in terms of her career and her status as a Gen Z beauty icon. Rodriguez oozes bad bitch energy, drawing inspiration from K-Pop and Y2K and channelling this into her aesthetic – and her sound.

The singer-songwriter rose to viral fame during the pandemic era, and has since amassed over 2 million TikTok followers. Her content is effortlessly authentic, ranging from candid GRWM-style videos to behind-the-scenes footage of shoots and a peek into her personal life.

Here, the cover star of BEAUTYcrew’s 'The Golden Rules' issue talks about embracing her individuality, go-to beauty rituals and what’s next for her career…

“I just play around with different styles until I find something I love, and combine it with other things I love.”

As an up-and-coming pop princess, Rodriguez has never shied away from experimenting with her aesthetic – but she has never let it define her. Her bold, black eyeliner has become a signature staple in almost every one of her most iconic beauty looks. “I usually go all out with my eyeliner,” she says. “I do many different styles, but all equally as big. I have big eyes, so I like to decorate and frame them!”

As for the rest of her look? Well, it all boils down to what makes her feel her best. “Honestly, I’ve always just gone with whatever looks best on me,” Rodriguez explains. “Everyone is so different. I just play around with different styles until I find something I love, and combine it with other things I love.”

Rodriguez’s penchant for mix-and-matching her aesthetic to her moods also extends to her genre-defying discography. “Like my makeup, I kinda just do whatever feels good to me in that moment,” she says of her songwriting process. “Hearing certain musical elements in different songs usually inspires me: the bass from a rap song, synths from an 80’s song, or a melody from a K-Pop song. Then I’ll put it all together.”

“I love the ‘new’ feeling. Kind of like shedding old layers.”

Rodriguez is no stranger to major hair transformations. In fact, her hair has been a defining feature of her aesthetic and persona throughout her life. “Beauty has always been one of my biggest special interests. I started getting into it when I was around seven or eight. I’d always beg my mum to do my hair and put makeup on me! Eventually, I took the reins and started doing it myself.”

So it just made sense when Rodriguez announced her partnership with iconic haircare brand OGX. The singer’s hair portfolio ranges from long blonde bubble braids to K-Pop-inspired jellyfish bangs and a cherry cola bob. “I love the ‘new’ feeling,” Rodriguez shares. “Especially when I forget I’ve changed my hair, looking in the mirror and having a nice surprise is so fun!”

Her favourite hair moment? The iconic blonde hair extensions that were on full display in her ‘Shut Up’ music video. “I felt so slay having super long ponytails. I miss my long hair now!” she says.

But the singer has decided to stick with her current look, a shaggy, jet-black wolf cut – for now, at least. “Honestly, I think I’ve tried everything I wanted to try. I did try to keep my hair blonde for a few months which I loved, but I hated having to upkeep my black roots so quickly! My hair grows really fast, so I’ve decided to just stick to black hair but I try to keep it nice and shiny.”

And shine her mane does. You’d be forgiven for thinking Rodriguez spends hours in the salon each week, but those sleek, shiny tresses are courtesy of a low-maintenance (and very affordable) haircare routine. 

“I usually just use OGX Argan Oil of Morocco Shampoo ($11.49 at Chemist Warehouse) and Conditioner ($11.49 at Chemist Warehouse) in the shower,” she explains. “Sometimes I use a bit of the OGX Tame and Shine Cream ($14.99 at Chemist Warehouse) which is great for air drying without the frizz. When I style, I usually use dry shampoo in my bangs and a straightener to flick out the ends of my hair.”

Rodriguez also swears by a good hair-cycling routine, adding the OGX Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo ($23 at Coles) to her weekly rituals to remove product build-up after long shoot days. “If [my hair is] feeling really dry, I’ll even use a hair mask overnight like face slugging but for my hair,” she adds. And yes, we’re taking notes…

It should come as no surprise that Rodriguez’s skin care routine is equally as hard-working. Her cardinal rule? Never, ever sleep in your makeup. She also swears by J-beauty and K-beauty brands:  “Asian-owned skincare products know what’s up!” 

“My interests, what I find beautiful, and how I feel all play a part in my physical self.”

Perhaps we can all learn a thing or two about authenticity from Rodriguez. Since rising to stardom at 17, she has constantly toed the line between creativity and self-expression. And it’s safe to say beauty, and how it makes her feel, has played an integral role in the formation of Rodriguez’s onstage and online persona.

“My interests, what I find beautiful, and how I feel all play a part in my physical self,” she says. “Displaying something internal (such as my imagination) to the outside of my body where everyone can see is empowering. It is recognisable to me as a human being.”

As for what’s next for Rodriguez? “I just can’t wait to release more music,” she told us. “I have so much to share, but it’s really difficult to get it all out to be honest. It’s a big process.”

Mia Rodriguez’s daily beauty essentials

1/ OGX Tame and Shine cream, $14.99 at Chemist Warehouse

2/ NYX Epic Ink Liner, $18 at ASOS

3/ OGX Argan Oil of Morocco Conditioner, $11.49 at Chemist Warehouse

Photography: Kristina/Soljo

Hair: Susan Lilian

Makeup: Mia Rodriguez

Want more great features like this? Read the rest of our digital issue.