Deborah Ayorinde’s first stint in acting was in a school play when she was 7 years old. Since then, the star’s skills in performing arts have earned her the coveted Paul Robeson Award (for a short film she wrote, directed and acted in while studying at the Howard University) and an acting CV that includes Django Unchained (2012), The Game (BET) and working alongside Danny Glover in the upcoming film Bad Asses 3 (2015).
But besides being a successful actress, Deborah is also a model and the owner of Dvora Bee – an online boutique launching this spring. So, with her very busy schedule (scripts to read, business to do, pretty pictures to look perfect in) we are super honoured to have Ms Ayorinde spend some time answering our nosy beauty questions.
Read below for her ‘oh no I didn’t’ beauty moments, and for why her ultimate fantasy shoot would include Nollywood star, Genievieve Nnaji…
SPICE: What does beauty mean to you?
Deborah Ayorinde: It means taking care of my exterior but also making sure I take care of my interior, which is more important to me. It may sound cliché but beauty truly does come from within and radiates outward so I try to make sure that I not only stay physically healthy but emotionally and spiritually healthy as well.
What is your day-to-day beauty routine?
Well, firstly, I believe taking vitamins (like a daily multivitamin, Biotin, for example) is important in maintaining healthy skin and hair. More specifically, for my skin, I exfoliate. Everyday. It has done wonders for my skin. I don’t have a particular face wash or moisturiser that I swear by, but I do make sure that I wash my make up completely off before I go to bed and make sure I keep my skin moisturised.
A little secret that I also do for my skin (which may not be much of a secret) is that I am very careful to not pull down on my skin when I put on my moisturiser. It may sound weird but I’ve convinced myself that if I constantly pull down on my skin, it will begin to naturally go in that direction overtime and before it is supposed to. It may or may not be true but I certainly do not want to find out the hard way! So I try to pull out or, better yet, up when I put on moisturiser.
For my hair, I have found that staying healthy, keeping it moisturised and keeping my ends trimmed is key. I am currently wearing my hair in a natural style so I wash it with just conditioner (co-wash) everyday to keep it moisturised and just use shampoo and conditioner to wash my hair from time to time.
Do you have a signature look?
My signature look is tousled, “disorganised but organised” hair, some type of red or defined lips, defined eyes, outfits that flatter my shape and everything in between. I love being a woman and my look usually screams that, whether I am donning my version of an ultra-feminine Stepford Housewives look or a bad girl, tomboy look. I am mostly inspired by style from the 1920s until the 1950s, especially for my hair and make up, and the style of the late 1980s until the early/mid 1990s, especially for my choice in clothes.
What would be your must-have beauty product?
Ahhhh this question is so hard to answer because I don’t have just one. But if I had to pick just one I would say having a great pressed powder on hand at all times is important. IMAN Cosmetics (which I am currently using and swear by), MAC Cosmetics, CoverGirl’s “Queen Collection”, and Black Opal are a few brands that I know have good pressed powders, especially for women of colour. I am particular when it comes to my concealers, foundations and powders. It can be a bit difficult to find some that match my skin tone well but when I do, I am a happy camper.
If we were to open your makeup bag, what other brands and products would we find?
You would find IMAN Cosmetics’ Oil Control Pressed Powder, a few triangle make up sponges to blot and refresh my make up throughout the day, Great Lashes’ mascara, bronzer, concealers (one that matches the lighter parts of my face and one that matches the darker parts), a wide array of different MAC lipsticks and lip liners, and travel size perfume.
What are your beauty dos and don’ts?
Do play up your natural features. Don’t “cake it on.”
Whose makeup do you always admire?
Marilyn Monroe’s.
Can you please share an ‘oh no, I didn’t’ moment with us?
I used to not be proud of my skin tone. When I was younger and started using make up, I would use foundation that was obviously lighter than my skin and it looked ridiculous. Now, I love and am proud of my skin tone and love finding foundations that fit.
If you had to give just one beauty tip/piece of advice, what would it be?
Love who you are and what you look like without make up, weave, etc. Having that mindset will always shine through. These things (make up, extensions, etc.) are meant to play up what you really look like, not make you look like someone totally different.
What is your beauty fantasy?
I would love to do a shoot with all of the women who have inspired my style. Everyone from Dorothy Dandridge, to Marilyn Monroe, Genevieve Nnaji and my beautiful mother would be included in this fantasy shoot.
If you could, what would you like to change in the beauty industry?
Colourism and closed-mindedness when it comes to what beauty is. But beauty can be found in every shade, size and height, and living in a world where everyone understood that would make the beauty industry and – better yet – the world a better place.
You can reach Deborah on Facebook or via her email on Deborahayorinde@aol.com. But do check out her portfolio on model mayhem for some ultra stunning shots.
Image source: Deborah Ayorinde
