LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 24: Danai Gurira is seen on April 24, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by PG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
Danai Gurira is a woman I consider a classic low-maintenance beauty. Her skin is flawless, the precision on her short haircut is always on point, and whenever she wears makeup it’s always simple and subtle. And that’s because the actress likes to look like herself. That’s also why the Black Panther star isn’t a fan of contouring.
Danai recently chatted with the NY Times style section to talk all things beauty and when it came to makeup she said this about her dos:
“I definitely take what I learn from the pros and apply it to what I do at home. Lately I’ve really grown to love a good lip. Sometimes I’ll do something subtle, and sometimes I’ll go for it — it depends on what I’m wearing. My makeup artist ends up giving me a lot of lip products because I’m a germophobe and don’t want to share. I have a great collection. I use a lot of Chanel lipstick for the bold colors. They have a really great variety of reds that work on my skin tone. For my character on ‘Black Panther,’ I brought out my own Chanel lipstick in Etienne, which is like a burgundy red. It worked so well, it became part of my character.
“Otherwise, I don’t wear a ton of makeup daily, but I do love to explore. The older I get, the more confident I am exploring. My key things are eyeliner, some shadow and a gloss. Sometimes I put a base on over my Beauty Flash glow, but only if I need it. If I do, I use M.A.C. Matchmaster in Numbers 9 and 10. Eyeliner, I would say I have some good ones from M.A.C. M.A.C. also has some great eye shadow palettes I lean into. I have mascara by L’Oréal.”
When it comes to her don’ts, however, Danai has a big one.
“The one thing I don’t do is contour. I would never even attempt it. It’s partly because I leave that kind of stuff to the pros, but even when I’m working with makeup artists, I don’t like when they contour so much that I can’t see my face anymore. I want to see my face!”
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 24: Danai Gurira is seen at ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ on April 24, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
And, of course, the 40-year-old has an equally simplistic routine when it comes to keeping her face luminous and clear of breakouts. “Often I just use CeraVe,” she said. “It’s a gentle cleanser and good for combination skin. I also like having a hyaluronic acid component in my routine.”
Overall, Danai, who, in the midst of experimenting with her makeup a bit more is also growing out her hair, said the exploration of her beauty is never ending.
“I really feel like I’ve been on a constant journey on how to enjoy beauty, and it’s about the things you pick up along the way. I started experimenting with makeup in my teens. Sometimes I do a little less; sometimes I do a little more.”
