Being in the glare of the spotlight, Selena Gomez has battled her fair share of mental health struggles, and has spoken openly about her bipolar diagnosis, anxiety and depression.
Her experiences have inspired her to use her fame for good. This year, the 30-year old launched Wondermind, an online platform that aims to de-stigmatise mental health through podcasts and interviews. She is also making an impact through her vegan and cruelty-free beauty brand Rare Beauty.
Established in 2020, Rare Beauty aims to create a safe space that supports mental wellbeing. To kick-start this goal, the pop star and actress established the Rare Impact Fund, which pledges to raise US$100 million (S$139 million) over the next decade to provide mental health services for underprivileged communities. In 2021, she unveiled the brand’s Mental Health 101 campaign, which supports mental health education in the US.
READ NEXT
Selena is also a firm believer in positive self-affirmation. Rare Beauty’s latest collection, Kind Words, features matte lipsticks and lip liners in 10 wearable shades. Each shade is named after – you guessed it – a “kind word”, such as Humble, Fun, Gifted, Strong, and Bold. Thanks to an innovative formula, the lippies adapt to the shape of your pout, resulting in a plush and lightweight colour. Another highlight: creamy and waterproof lip liners that glide on like a balm.
Here, Selena shares more about Kind Words, her beauty secrets, and how she looks after her mental health.
I think it’s so important to use kind words with yourself and with others. I want you to be reminded of this every time you pick up your lipstick and put it on. We’d also like to say that using kind words should be as easy as applying lipstick.
I love how wearable and comfortable these products are. The lipstick is cushiony and long-lasting, while the liner is super creamy and goes on so smoothly.
The saying “You are who you surround yourself with” really speaks to me. I think it’s so important to have an incredible team.
I like to use a darker lip liner for more definition, and to enhance my natural lip shape. I’ll pair it with a slightly lighter lipstick to add volume. The liner in Wise (warm brown nude) and lipstick in Humble (rose mauve) are great for this. To make my lips last all day, I love to layer the liner and lipstick. I’ll fill in my full lip with the liner first because it’s waterproof. Then, I’ll apply the same shade of lipstick on top.
Exercise is a great way for me to be in the moment and focus on myself. I love boxing and swimming.
The work we do with Rare Impact is so important to me – one per cent of Rare Beauty sales are donated to the Rare Impact Fund to increase access to mental health services for young people in the US. I’ve been very open and honest with people about my journey with mental health, and if it helps them to know that they’re not alone, I hope this can inspire more people to open up and ask for help when they need it.
Strong, Humble, Worthy, Talented, Creative – we named all 10 shades after powerful words that you could (and should!) say to yourself or a friend.
Definitely! It’s so much fun to mix and match with this range. I love a beautiful neutral for everyday wear, and a bolder lip for a night out.