Speaking to actress Aja Naomi King—you may know her as Harriet in Apple TV’s Lessons in Chemistry—was like talking to a good friend I’ve known for years. Her warmth and kindness were palpable. I’ve learned over the years, however, that talking about beauty products can bring that side out of people. It’s an escape from hard news and a chance to gush about fun, pretty, lighter things, which we did.
Also a global spokesperson for L’Oréal Paris, King sees beauty as more than just lipstick and skin care (though she loves those things of course). She also views it as a way to reach people and incite change. Here, the Emmy-nominated actress shares her favorite products, upcoming projects and more.
What are your current beauty staples?
“A huge part of my skin-care routine has been using the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Hyaluronic Acid Serum. It’s that kind of thing where when you see how well something works on your skin, you’re good—you’re golden. Beyond that, I love playing up my eyes, so I love my Telescopic Mascara. Before they released that, I was always using the original Voluminous Mascara. And of course, my TrueMatch Foundation, which has made my life so beautifully easy.”
What about fragrance…do you have a signature scent?
“Some of my favorite fragrances come out of Diptyque and Le Labo—they’re so good. I love the scent L’Ombre dans L’Eau, and their candles. From Le Labo, I love Bergamote 22. In the store, they will imprint something on the label for you, and I loved that. It’s so silly, but I remember the last time I was in there buying this scent, I wrote ‘surrender’ on it. That was my little thing for the month.”
Is that a personal mantra?
“Yes it is. We have to just release all our worries and cares into the universe. Just surrender. Let it all go. We hold on to so much. I struggle with wanting to control everything, especially as a mom, so ‘surrender’ has been a word that resonates with me. It enters into my mind a lot—on a daily basis.”
I love that. But back to your beauty routine, will you switch up your products as the seasons change?
“Yes. Transitioning into winter months, my skin does tend to feel a little drier with the cooler weather. I like to increase my staples like my hyaluronic acid serum. I just really like to slather it on so I feel like I’m getting that extra hydration. I always top it with my Bright Reveal SPF 50, because, yes, we do still need SPF in the winter months. I also like to pair my fall sweaters with deeper lip colors, and that’s where my Colour Riche Matte Lip comes super in handy. It just makes me feel cozy and cute. I love the shade Le Plum Dominant.”
Do you tend to stick to more classic makeup looks rather than experimenting with trends?
“I love feeling elegant, and I think the people who work with me know that about me. I love working with [makeup artist] Joanna Simkin, who has been a longtime fave of mine. I also love Diana Shin, who also does Megan Thee Stallion‘s makeup. I’m like, shout-out to me, I have the same makeup artist as Megan Thee Stallion [laughs]. The artistry these women have is so incredible. It’s so playful and natural, and it’s really about playing up all of your natural attributes, which I really appreciate.
I just want to feel like myself and recognize myself when I look in mirror. But, I think the trends that other people do are fun. I love when people play up a persona and experiment with how they look. They really get artistic with their makeup, hair and their wardrobe choices, and it’s really beautiful to see it. I love seeing that on others [laughs], but for myself, I play it a little close to the vest. That’s just my comfort zone.”
That’s fair! I can relate. Have there been any beauty trends on social media that you’ve tried recently and liked?
“You know what I love? My most favorite beauty trend on social media right now is actually seeing women living their best lives and not giving a shit about what others think. Like Emily Ratajowski‘s recent post where she was walking down the street and some random dude yelled at her to put a shirt on. I just thought it was so frustrating that someone, for whatever reason, thinks they have the right to say something about your body or how you choose to exist in the world.
It’s one of the reasons why I love working with L’Oréal. They teamed up with Right to Be and created the L’Oreal Paris Stand Up Against Street Harassment training. It’s giving women and men truly effective tools to safely intervene when they witness or experience street harassment. I feel so inspired just watching people on Instagram and TikTok kind of very outwardly being like ‘this is who I am and I dare you to say something about it.”
You’re also involved in L’Oréal’s Women of Worth campaign. What does that mean to you?
“It’s so phenomenal. Each year, L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth recognizes 10 utterly incredible female change makers. They impact their local communities through philanthropic endeavors. They see people who are going through an experience that they’ve also gone through, or they see what is missing in terms of what people truly need. It’s that kind of vision that I think should be celebrated on a daily basis. I really appreciate that L’Oréal is taking the time to highlight how a lack of funding and awareness continue to be stumbling blocks for many nonprofit organizations because they do work on a grassroots level.
This year, and the past couple of years, I’ve had the privilege of sitting in on the judging process to help identify the 10 amazing women. The other thing that’s really great is that each honoree receives $25,000 to support their charitable endeavors, as well as mentorship and the full breadth of the L’Oréal Paris network to amplify their organization. It’s really inspiring to see the impact that women are able to achieve when they are given that level of support.”
Bravo to L’Oréal for supporting these women, but also to you for taking the time to be part of this important initiative. What’s up next for you?
“Coming down the pipeline, I will be filming this really great, fun show on NBC called Grosse Pointe Garden Society. There’s a little bit of mischief and maybe some murder [laughs] and you have to watch it to find out the rest. I’m also nominated for an Emmy for my work on the Apple TV+ show Lessons in Chemistry. I haven’t picked my dress yet, but I can’t wait to get started on that. I’m really excited!”
