Cheryl Cole has admitted she prefers it when women compliment her rather than men.

The former Girls Aloud singer insists she's more likely to listen to a female's judgment on her looks because she believes they're ''more genuine''.

Speaking to the Sunday Mirror newspaper, she said: ''I find compliments from woman are far more genuine than from men. If a guy says, 'You look hot', that doesn't do it for me. I much prefer a woman to say it.''

Meanwhile, the 30-year-old star insists she feels more comfortable showing off the ''real'' her now that she's reached the third decade of her life.

She explained: ''I'm 30 now and I look totally different to how I looked when I was 20, and that's a good thing. I actually wear far less make-up now. When I was younger I was wanting to feel like a woman. Now I'm in my 30s, I know that comes from inside, not something on the surface. Now I think, 'This is the real me. This is how I look.' ''

Cheryl previously admitted that, although she loved her 20s, she's glad she's reached a point in her life where she can finally start to relax and enjoy life.

She said: ''[Turning 30] always felt like a sigh of relief. I'm glad to put my 20s behind me. They were amazing - don't get me wrong - and I've crammed so much in, but I'm like, 'Relax.'

''I'm a woman. I can just breathe now and not worry about life any more. The good, the bad and the ugly ... it's all character-building and makes the woman you are.''