Lupita Nyong'o
InStyle|June 2018

The Radiant Actress On Summer Beauty, Self-love, And Staying Sane In Hollywood

Kahlana Barfield Brown
Lupita Nyong'o

How do you define 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.

What did your mom teach you about self-love?

The lesson wasn’t a sound bite but rather something I’ve learned over the years. It was about caring enough to put effort into how you present yourself but also what you put into your body, what you eat, how you exercise. I saw my mother paint her nails every Sunday in front of the TV while watching Oprah. Her nails were always immaculate—they still are—and that was her way of caring for herself, for her marriage, for her workplace.

This story is from the June 2018 edition of InStyle.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the June 2018 edition of InStyle.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.