Kerry Washington's Secret for Glowing Skin is Worth Copying
By Neha Prakash. Photos: Getty Images, Steven Pan.
Kerry Washington is sharing her secret to her enviable glow, and it’s surprisingly refreshing. No, but it’s really refreshing, because it’s water.
The Scandal star, who covers Glamour’s May issue, revealed her beauty, health, and life hack, and it doesn’t require lots of bells and whistles (or heavy makeup and pricey superfoods). It simply involves water, on the inside and out. The actress and activist explained to Paola Mendoza that it goes back to growing up immersed in (pun intended) “water culture.”
“We’re an island people; my grandparents emigrated through Ellis Island from Jamaica,” she says. “My parents’ first date ended at the beach. We’ve all been lifeguards in my family. So there’s a lot of water culture.”
That culture manifested itself into her exercise routine and her diet and skin care regimens.
“I did water aerobics the whole time I was pregnant with my son. I drink tons of water—particularly now, as a nursing mom. With my skin, even, I use products all about hydration. It’s all about water!”
Of course, Washington isn’t the first to espouse the benefits of good ol' fashioned H2O. Water has been shown to help keep you energized, combat weight creep, and fight dehydrated skin. And celebrities from Gisele Bündchen to Lauren Conrad to Gwyneth Paltrow have spoken about their love of lemon water first thing in the morning to aid with digestion.
And while the actress didn’t explain which hydrating products she’s a fan of, she has previously shared that she’s a strong believer in SPF—fitting for someone who has a special relationship with water and the beach.
Washington also spoke candidly about her practices of self-care—necessary for someone who recently had a second child and runs her own production company, Simpson Street, which strives to make the world a more inclusive place through storytelling.
The 40-year-old explains that her self-care efforts have less to do with physical appearance and more to do with the emotional and mental practices.
Sometimes, when we’re feeling challenged in life, we feel a pull to isolate, and for me part of the joy of being a wife, a mother, and in a cast of friends is allowing myself to be in spaces of love. So being open to that love. Then, for me, self-love is like: Am I sleeping enough? Eating well? Not: Am I eating well to be able to fit into my skinny jeans? But: Am I eating well to be healthy and strong? And to acknowledge the good, because there is always a lot of good.
Unsurprisingly, even Washington’s worldview is refreshing.
For more of Washington’s thoughts about how her character on Scandal has involved from “raceless” to someone who represents a strong, black woman, as well as her work with the Women’s March, read the full interview on Glamour.com and pick up an issue of Glamour, on newsstands April 11.
Plus, watch Washington explain how Olivia Pope would fare on Game of Thrones here.
This story originally appeared on Self.
More from Self:
The #1 Place You Must Visit in Your Life
The One Thing Hairstylists Wish You’d Stop Doing
