Katy Perry used to get her make-up done for free at store counters before attending events.

The 'California Gurls' singer was so poor during the nascent days of her career she had to cut corners wherever possible, so pretended to be interested in buying cosmetics in order to get a complimentary demo.

She told Lucky magazine: "I was completely broke. I used to borrow outfits, get my make-up done at makeup counters, and then sneak into events. It was cool!"

Katy also talked about the evolution of her style and how it has matured from cute girly plaid dresses and bows for her first album, 'One Of The Boys', as she prepares to release her second LP this summer.

She added: "I've gone from Betty Boop to more Bettie Page. It's less cute and more meow.

"I'm not influenced by anyone else's taste or ideas or trends - I know what looks good on my body."

The 'Hot N Cold' hitmaker also revealed her style and songwriting go hand in hand and likes to match the pair together.

She said: "Whenever I write a song, I look at Style.com to figure out what it would look like if it were a dress."