Actress and producer Necar Zadegan from the acclaimed series Mayor of Kingstown has a love for beauty running in her blood. Her mother held an executive role at Bonne Bell and, along with her Persian heritage and upbringing, it instilled a strong sense of well-being. We recently caught up with Zadegan, who shared her no-cast SPFs, self-care schedule and how she celebrates herself.
How did your mom’s beauty-related career influence you?
My mother is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. My image of what is beautiful has always been shaped by just watching her. It’s true. She worked in the cosmetics industry, which was probably influential in more unexpected ways than you would imagine. When we were really little, she worked behind the makeup counter at JCPenney. That was exciting, mostly, because we could play in the racks at the department store when we would visit her. She would get dressed up for work and she would look so stylish. She was the youngest person who worked there. All the other ladies there were veteran department store employees. They had formerly worked at great department stores like I Magnin and places like that. They would wear two-piece skirt suits, and they were all glamorous to me. It was an extremely feminine environment, and I remember that they all made quite an impression. I loved those ladies.
But because my mother was younger and had different opportunities at her feet, she was ambitious about her career. She wanted to work in an executive position for one of the lines. So she got to know the reps, figured out how to move up into those positions, and quickly became a high-level exec for Bonne Bell cosmetics. Watching her move up the ladder and build her career with hard work and dedication was inspiring. My sister and I, however, were never allowed to wear makeup unless it was Halloween. We were encouraged to be natural and beautiful in who we were, which, in hindsight, is beautiful in itself. It taught me that makeup is for fun, and a way to celebrate who you already are…rather than change you into something you aren’t. And I think that influenced me in the best way.
How does your heritage influence you, beauty-wise?
Knowing who I am, where I am from, and thinking of the long line of women who came before me who survived all kinds of generational differences are all part of me and inspire me. I have often found resilience and strength in that. My grandmothers emigrated from Iran to different countries in their 40s, learned new languages and started anew. The thought of that is so daunting. But they did it. Remembering that [their] blood runs through my veins, and that these fearless women raised me gives me a sense of self in a compelling way. A solid understanding of self makes you want to celebrate yourself, which makes you see the beauty around you.
Out of all your roles, what did you enjoy the most when it came to the glam?
I did a show called Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce, where I played a character who was the glamourpuss of the show. My wardrobe was entirely aspirational in every way. Cynthia Summers was the costume designer for that show, and it was her collaboration to create the look that made the glam of it all so enjoyable. We were absolutely on the same page for the character, and our costume fittings were some of my favorite days in that project. Because of the look we were creating in those fittings, I decided to chop my hair for the character, so I got this chic little bob. The producers loved it and wrote the haircut into the story, so it became a salute to glam for that character.
Do you have any holy-grail beauty products or new discoveries?
Alchimie Forever is a line I love. It has a few products I am devoted to, but its moisture mask is a holy-grail product I don’t travel without. I love to treat my skin to it after a long flight. I am also a fan of clean brands overall. Recently, I discovered a line called Odacitè that makes a tinted sunscreen I have used and really like. They have a few different shades, so it makes it easier to match my actual skin tone instead of that chalky hue a lot of sunscreens can cast.
What do you do for self-care and wellness?
Self-care is my mantra! It all starts with me, so advocating for myself in every way sets a standard for how I can expect others to be with me. I have a niece I adore, and I know I’m one of the people she’s watching and learning from, so I am mindful of inspiring by example for her, too. But I do many things, the most basic of which come down to speaking kindly to myself, respecting myself and others, thinking good thoughts and doing good deeds. Of course, I also like to nourish my body and soul with things that make me feel healthy and alive, and I always come back to fresh foods and meditative movements and treatments for my body, from acupuncture to pilates, that keep me connected to myself.
What are you excited about as we close out the summer?
I am excited about this movie I’m in called Inheritance. We shot it in Egypt, India and South Korea. I look forward to seeing those exotic locations tie together all in one place in the film. I’m also looking forward to returning to Europe to spend time with my family in Paris and show my niece the city where I was born in Germany. It will be beautiful and a perfect season for slow days and long conversations and I’m already grateful for it.
