Kerry Washington has not only been a political advocate, she is an outspoken Democrat who sometimes work on campaigns, but she has be advocating for Black people specifically to practice radical self-care. Kerry released a ten minute meditation video for the Black Love Doc Facebook page. Kerry has also done a yoga video and interview for Essence festival in conjunction with Neutrogena. She spoke with them about selfcare as self-preservation.
Recently, Kerry was profiled in People magazine where she talked about skincare as self-care. Kerry has been a Neutrogena brand ambassador for six years and she discussed how she enjoys using Neutrogena because it is accessible and its democratizes luxe products. She also said that practicing self-care by taking care of her skin and body is a radical act. Below are a few quotes from the interview:
PEOPLE: What’s on your vanity right now, and why?
Kerry Washington: “I’m not on set for 16 hours a day right now, so I’m using less products and am trying to let my skin breathe. But with the change in season and temperature, I have to really think more consciously about hydration. The [Hydro Boost] Hyaluronic Acid Serum is great, and it combines so well with the [Hydro Boost] Gel-Cream. [For] my eczema, the Hydro Boost Body Overnight Cream is a game changer. I haven’t always been great about moisturizing before bed, but I feel like I’ve been able to do that [during] this time.”PEOPLE: You’ve worked with Neutrogena for more than six years. What’s your proudest moment with the brand thus far?
Kerry Washington: “I’m really proud of the democratization of luxe product. Particularly as a Black woman, I think often about that Audre Lorde quote that – this is paraphrasing – but that for us, self-care is a radical act. It is activism to honor my Black body with love and care. And so I think this idea of providing a prestige quality product at a much more accessible price point and with even more efficacy, based on our commitment to science, that’s something I’m super proud of.”PEOPLE: What does self-care look like to you these days?
Kerry Washington: “I try to drink a lot of water and eat foods that have high water content. I also try, imperfectly, to spend time every day in prayer and meditation. I feel like that’s really important. Earlier in quarantine, I said to my doctor, ‘I’m having chest pains, do I have Covid-19?’ And my doctor was like, ‘Covid-19 is not the only thing that could make your chest tight. You could be experiencing anxiety.’ So I started to incorporate more breathing into my morning routine [in order to] check in with my lung capacity and encourage more calm.”PEOPLE: You’ve been vocal about how important it is for people of color to wear sunscreen. What more does the beauty community need to do to get everyone to get this message?
Kerry Washington: “I think it’s in the doing. There’s all this research that we talk about all the time at Neutrogena that [states that] the way to get kids to wear sunscreen is to see their moms wear it. It’s not just saying to your kids, ‘you have to wear sunscreen.’ If I put my sunscreen on first in front of my kids, I get a lot less complaints. And I think that’s true for all of our [other] relationships. If we do it out in the world, we can be carriers of that really important message.”
As I have gotten older I am finding that my skin is changing and I have no clue what to do with it so hearing her talk about skin care from a decent brand is even more exciting. I find taking care of my skin feels good and is definitely self-care for me. Weekend exfoliation and mask sessions are a must for me these days. I also loved that Kerry mentions how darker skinned people should use sunscreen. By the time I knew to use sunscreen I had already done a lot of damage to my skin. I now use sunscreen like I am a red head with the fairest of skin. That 13% Northern European DNA is not helping me ya’ll.
Another thing that struck me in this interview is the anxiety that set in for her during the early stages of the pandemic. She initially thought she had the virus because of the chest pains she was having. I like that Kerry, like Kelly Rowland, decided to remedy the issue by spending a few minutes every day in meditation and prayer to ground herself. Deep breathing is definitely key folks.
Again, I love how she is using her platform to advocate for self-care since this is something I advocate for daily. I mean I teach two free virtual yoga sessions every Saturday so it is definitely very important to me. I will always champion Black celebrities advocating self-care and mental health fitness. Encouraging the Black community to take part in these practices is important as the trauma we sustain in a hostile society is detrimental to our bodies and mental health. While I patiently await Season 2 of Little Fires Everywhere, I think I may go do this meditation with Kerry. Hopefully I can get back to my yoga and meditation practice after election day.
Top pic does not look like her at all.
I wondered if it was a filter.
I love what she has to say and I wasn’t even annoyed with the Neutrogena commercial because I like their products, too. I alternate between them and a higher end brand, which I tend to use on days when I go to work or out because the botanical scents are so soothing. Neutrogena is pretty scentless.
She’s wearing glasses. My face changes with glasses (the magnifying of that part of your face).
I wish I was as good as Kerry about my skin. I have not found a solution for my hyperpigmentation and it just won’t go away.
Practicing self care is so important, especially right now. I’ve taken up meditation as a means to deal with pandemic and election anxiety and stress. I’m still a novice, but I find it’s been helpful to calm my nerves.
I’m usually so good at self care (skin care, massages etc) but since this pandemic I’ve been a disaster. I need to get back on it, it’s so important!
Same, I look like I’ve aged 5 years in 8 months.
I can’t stand a trend wit those glasses. Jen Aniston is also wheeling them out on the regular and all I can think about is creepy uncle Terry.
I find Kerry to be really authentic and relatable. She’s a great advocate for mental health and public policy – especially within the Black community. A side note: I tried Neutrogena hydro boost gel and love it. My skin has become more dry as I’ve hit my late 40’s.
I volunteered at an election event in south LA during the Obama campaign, and she was there working with the regular peeps like me. She’s very sincere in her advocacy.
@oya, I use the Neutrogena HydroBoost gel moisturizer, and I love it. It came highly recommended by the lovely folks in the SkincareAddiction sub on Reddit. I have eczema as well as chronic migraine that often gets triggered by smells, but this moisturizer doesn’t inflame the eczema, and it is unscented. If you’re on Reddit, I recommend checking out the r/SkincareAddiction sub for ideas and reviews.
It’s a good message because, unfortunately, I’ve totally let myself go in these dire times. I’m ashamed to admit how much weight I’ve gained. Really.
Oh what a cute video! I just love her.
Came here to say exactly this! She is just wonderful.