Lupita Nyong’o is no stranger to the press, yet she continues to be a delight, her interviews-  dare we say – make us fall even more in love with her. She manages to come across as disarmingly frank, refreshing and funny. In a new interview with Kahlana Barfield-Brown of InStyle , the uber BellaStylista, beauty maven and all around bad-ass  shared her beauty must haves, a heartwarming  story about her first brush with feminism in high school and how makeup empowers as well as beautifies.

She also shares some tips about how her beauty rituals change in the summer when she gets darker and how she defines beauty and self love.

See some excerpts from the interview below.

On her definition of beauty…

Magnetism and happiness. It’s about what brings you joy. That’s it, really. “Does this bring me joy?” If the answer is yes, then I’m pretty sure it makes you feel beautiful. At the end of the day, though, makeup should never take the place of self-love.

On how her beauty routine changes in the  summer

 I have to go deeper with my foundation shade in the summer, when my skin gets darker, and I use sunscreen, aloe vera, calendula—all the things that protect my skin from sunburn.

On the foundation that’s her ‘major key’

I love Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear because it’s light and looks natural, like skin. I used it for Black Panther; it works for every day and for when I’m on camera.

 

The current Lancôme ambassador and new age silver screen siren told InStyle that she found her voice early on, outraged by an archaic rule in high school that banned girls from wearing makeup – although she was not particularly interested in wearing it herself- she set out to do something about it.

Struck by the injustice of it – she made a very valid point – the choice to wear makeup had no bearing on what was being learnt nor did it affect the students understanding.

In a very similar fashion to the Lupita we know today, she took action and started a petition to do away with the makeup ban! (Boss.)

She went on to tell the magazine “For me in my life now, I think makeup has become an accessory,” she explained. “It’s something that I enjoy. It’s not the thing I rely on to feel beautiful, and I hope that a lot of women feel the same. Makeup is something that can accessorize, just as much as a hat or a pair of earrings. It adds to the reflection of your own beauty.”

Read the full interview here