TIFFANY HADDISH
The actor and comedian has very definite opinions. Here are some of them.
LOVING YOURSELF
The rst time I felt like a beautiful woman, I was somewhere between
13 and 15. I was walking down the street with my backpack on, [after] getting off the school bus, headed home, and these guys were hanging out of the windows whistling at me. I was like, ‘Oh, wait, I’m cute! I’m a grown woman.’ That was the rst time I realised I might be sexy. I might have something going here.
At one of my rst jobs, at an airport, everyday people would say to me, “You look unique. There’s something about you.” Guys would try to buy me lunch. When I hit 25, I read a book by Louise Hay, You
Can Heal Your Life. [It taught me] about selflove, looking in the mirror, in your eyes.
I always look in the mirror anyway because I’m trying to study my face: when I cry, I look like this. When I laugh, I look like that. But this book was saying, just look into your eyes and tell yourself that you love and approve of yourself.
The rst time I did it, I cried really hard because I don’t think I really did love or approve of myself. And as I took on this practice and did it on a regular basis, it was like my life started to slowly change into what I thought I wanted. I really started to recognise my actual beauty and to slowly become con dent. I had a certain level of con dence that was undeniable. And now, I’ve nurtured myself like I wish my mother would’ve all those years ago.
PROJECTING HAPPINESS
One of my goals was to walk into a room and project happiness, elevating the room within a three-metre radius of where my body is – there’s joy and happiness around me.
So yes, my energy’s beautiful. And I love my smile. I sucked my thumb for 18 years, [but] I think my smile looks pretty beautiful. My grandma always used to say,
“Any real woman knows how to make herself presentable.” Always keep your hair back, your nails done and be clean.You don’t always have to wear makeup, but make sure your lips and face aren’t ashy. And that’s beauty.
MOISTURISING
My grandma used Nivea cream. And she always used Vaseline on her lips. You have to remember, she was born in 1935. Nivea is the one thing [that] as soon as I smell it, I think of my grandma. She’d also do these mud masks. It’s funny, I was talking to my auntie two days ago, and I was like, “Yeah, Grandma always wore those mud masks.” She was like, “Girl, that was avocado.” I thought it was mud!
CLEANSING
Before I was famous, my beauty regimen was: wash your face and moisturise. Back then, it was simple because I didn’t wear makeup every day. Now I’m shooting movies and TV shows, constantly putting makeup on my face and being outside. Oh, my gosh, I break out badly. I’d never had acne until I started doing a lot of movies. You’ve got to have the right stuff to dig that makeup out of your pores. After lming Girls
Trip – they put that heavy makeup on you and you’ve been sweating all day because the weather was muggy – I was breaking out for a whole year. Until I got a facial cleansing brush. Now I do that once a week.
HAIRCARE
My grandma used applecider vinegar in my hair, so I still use that too, especially when you see me with those ponytail updos and whatnot. To wash all that hairspray and gel out, I’ll use a mixture of half a cup of applecider vinegar, water, and a little bit of conditioner. It breaks down all that stuff that’s in my hair.
Then I’ll just shampoo it as usual. I remember being broke. And if one day I’m poor and I can’t afford wonderful, expensive products anymore, well, I know how to mix things together and make it work. Just because you don’t have a lot of money doesn’t mean you can’t look good. – AS TOLD TO BRENNAN KILBANE