We haven’t seen much of Tyra Banks lately — and for good reason. Banks is a new mom and seems to be reveling in the role. So when we had the opportunity to catch up with with the supermodel-turned-business mogul we were prepared to hear about how she has traded in her power suit for mom jeans.
Wrong. Banks is managing to do it all — including chatting with us on the phone with the sound of her 5-month-old son, York, sweetly crying in her arms.
In fact, Banks is still making all kinds of magic when it comes to her growing empire. Case in point, her cosmetics collection — Tyra Beauty. The line launched in 2014 and has quickly expanded into a range of products that are definitely worth smizing about — like “Smack My Fat Lash” mascara, “Lips Like Whoa” plumping lip gloss, and “Pop It Clean” self-wetting makeup remover wipes. And her most exciting addition to the lineup is “Sculpt in a Stick” a silky smooth contouring stick in a selection of hues (light, deep, and deeper than deep) that will compliment all skin tones.
“I was tired of our chocolate toned sisters not being able to contour. I created this so that everyone has the ability to contour and to play with shadow and light — since that’s really what contouring and highlighting is,” Banks told ESSENCE.com.
And Banks knows the perils of not being able to find cosmetics that match her skin tone. The 42-year-old is one of the countless models of color who have shared their horror stories of being at fashion shoots where the makeup artists and hairstylist simply don’t have the products or the skills to work with black women.
That’s exactly why Banks has made a concerted effort to insure that Tyra Beauty is an answer to that ignorance. Banks believes it’s her “passion and responsibility to make sure that everyone that uses my products feels beautiful and feels represented,” she explained to ESSENCE.com.
“When we have products and colors that we know are targeting the African American demographic, I go insanely deep with it. I want to make sure that we’re addressing it right, because I’m the best person in my company to do it.”
We’re looking forward to more of that type of amazing inclusivity from Tyra Beauty and beyond.
Check out the entire Trya Beauty collection here — and if you’ve tried any of the products let us know what you think of them in the comments section below.
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