Lana Condor may have gained international attention because of her role in Netflix’s hit movie trilogy based on the young-adult series by Jenny Han–To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, and the forthcoming To All the Boys: Always and Forever, Lara Jean–but she’s proven day after day that she’s here to stay.
The 23-year-old actress’ recognition sky-rocketed overnight after the premiere of the first Netflix film and she’s been using her platform ever since to share her life with her fans and speak out on issues close to her heart.
On being Neutrogena’s newest ambassador
On her path to superstardom, Condor was named as one of Neutrogena’s newest beauty ambassadors, alongside 17-year-old actress Jenna Ortega. The To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before breakout star joins a long line of incredible female brand ambassadors before her, including Jennifer Garner, Nicole Kidman, Vanessa Hudgens, Kristen Bell, and Kerry Washington, whom Condor is admittedly a big fan of.
Condor was first introduced to Neutrogena the same way many young girls discovered beauty brands: through her mom. Her love affair with the brand all started with their sunscreen then moved onto their makeup wipes from her days as a dancer who had to pack on the stage makeup. Nowadays, she leans towards their brightening serum to focus on glowy skin as their line of hair care to promote a healthy scalp.
But beyond her history with their products, what made Condor inspired to become an ambassador for one of the largest accessible beauty brands? She told WWD that she believes strongly that beauty starts from the inside out and Neutrogena holds those values strong. The 23-year-old actress is taking those values and using them as part of her public platform to promote to her fanbase, largely young, impressionable people.
“It’s important that we all feel beautiful from the inside out, but we also have to feel safe and represented,” Condor told Refinery29. “I think it starts with representation and encouraging people to feel proud and competent in their skin, whether that’s encouraging people to seek effective, safe products or to embrace their acne or scars.”
This is more than just skincare
Condor knows the importance of tough conversations and has made it a mission through her words and social presence on Instagram and YouTube to speak her own truth and help create a safe and free space for all. The actress has turned her personal pages into a forum for discussion, taking time to discuss, most recently, the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as diversity, girls’ education, self-care, and removing the stigma around mental health.
Fans were excited to see Condor as the new face for a massive brand, especially to bring Asian representation to a skincare line that has typically featured white women front and center as ambassadors for their products.
“I have been using Neutrogena products forever and I am really excited to be a global Asian face for the brand,” she told her fans on Instagram. “I love that people see themselves represented in me and feel like they belong.”
The 23-year-old admitted to Marie Claire that she is extremely proud to be an Asian face of Neutrogena and wants young girls and boys to see her as an ambassador and feel empowered to do the same and feel safe usings skincare.
“For example, shades are the most important thing when it comes to makeup. It’s really scary when you don’t see a wide variety of shades because as a consumer you don’t feel safe,” she explained. “I really want to represent inclusion in makeup; beauty can be very ostracizing if you don’t see yourself in it. With skincare, my hope is that everyone feels proud of the skin they’re in. I want to show others who may feel alone, that we can all feel safe, represented, and a part of something. Inclusion is the first and foremost thing I look for in a brand, and we can always do better. I’m excited to be a part of that.”
Photo Credit: Lana Condor Instagram
