Lupita Nyong'o was banned from wearing makeup by her mother.

The '12 Years A Slave' star has revealed she had to get her aunt to sneak cosmetics into her home as her mother, Dorothy, was so against her putting on makeup when she was a youngster.

She said: ''My mother has never ever worn a drop of makeup in her life - not even at her wedding.

''Honestly, my mother's outlook was hard for me to take when I was a teenager and wanted to experiment.''

However, the raven-haired beauty is now glad her mother took such a firm stance on wearing cosmetics as it taught her to love herself.

She said: ''My mother didn't think makeup was necessary, and I don't think it's necessary.

''It's an accessory. It's as necessary as a pair of earrings, if you know what I mean. It's something I do to adorn myself. I don't do it to hide myself.''

The 31-year-old actress - who is a spokesperson for Lancome - is known for her vibrant red carpet looks and always keeps the brand's Lip Lover lipstick on hand to add a pop of colour to her outfit.

She told the March issue of Lucky magazine: ''I always have a Lip Lover, in one shade or another, in my purse. They just add a little bit of szoozh. I'll choose the colour depending on what I'm wearing and how much tint I want.''