Myha'la Herrold on Confidence, Affirmations, and the Beauty Step She Never Skips

Next Gen

Welcome to Byrdie's series, Next Gen, where we profile Gen Z celebrities, influencers, and entrepreneurs. As a collective, members of Gen Z are dynamic trendsetters and culture shifters. And when it comes to beauty and wellness, they have ushered more creativity, inclusivity, and transparency into the industry. In this column, we're stepping into the minds of some of the most notable Gen Z'ers to learn more about how they are redefining beauty, the products they swear by, and their plans for the future.

Myha'la Herrold has quickly proven that there's nothing she can't do, from starring as the American expat Harper Stern on HBO's smash hit Industry to delivering a showstopping performance in A24's satire horror flick Bodies, Bodies, Bodies. But her latest role isn't in the film industry at all: It's with Colgate.

The Brooklyn-based actress is a proud advocate for self-confidence and embracing uniqueness in beauty, so partnering with Colgate for its My Smile is My Superpower campaign, which aims to show everyone that all smiles are beautiful smiles, no matter their size, shape, or shade, was a no-brainer. "I have a unique smile," Herrold says, referencing her two peg lateral incisor teeth. "For so much of my life, people I don't know would come up to me and say, 'I'm a dentist, and I can fix your teeth when you're ready.' I didn't like them saying that because I thought, 'What's wrong with my teeth?' They're healthy and serve me well."

To celebrate smiles everywhere, as well as the release of Colgate's empowering music video, The Beauty of Gaps, we caught up with Herrold to talk all things health, beauty, and Harper.

At just 27, you've accomplished so much. What has been the most rewarding part of your career so far?

"I have to say the relationships I've built across projects. I feel really lucky to be in an industry where I am able to meet like-minded, creative, artistic people. Some of my best friends are people I've met on a job, and I love that."

Aside from meeting fellow creatives, another fun part of your job is getting to partner with brands. What made you choose Colgate?

"When this opportunity was first presented to me, I thought it was kind of random. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it's really not random at all. I'm really passionate about dental health, and I don't think many people know that about me. This campaign is really asking, 'If you're confident in your smile and your teeth are healthy, why change yourself?'"

Speaking of confidence, it's such an important part of having a positive self-image. Where do you find your confidence in?

"I find confidence in my beauty routine and supporting my health, which then translates into my work and my life. I love to take care of myself by working out in a way that my body needs and feeding myself nutritious food; when I feel healthy in my mind and body, I feel like I can take on anything. I also think confidence comes from knowledge. I'm super keen on gathering as much information as I can—whether it be on a person, topic, or thing. That way, I can walk into a room confident that I can answer any question that someone may ask me."

Do you have any advice for those who are still in their confidence-building journey?

"I would say the first step in gathering, maintaining, and strengthening your confidence is practicing words of affirmation. There are many times in my life when I don't feel really confident. But if it's one of those moments that you really have to jump off a cliff to go for, telling yourself, 'I feel good today. I got this. I'm going to knock this out of the park,' makes a difference. If you practice affirmations day and night, the confidence will come to you and stick over time."

Let's talk beauty. What's the best beauty routine advice you could give to Gen-Zers?

"My first thing would be to double cleanse. Double cleansing your face is really important to clean your skin and prevent clogged pores, especially if you wear makeup or sunscreen. I also recommend sleeping on something nice, soft, and clean to prevent dirt, oil, and dead skin cells build up. And, of course, make sure you're brushing your teeth twice daily, morning and evening. My favorite toothpaste is Colgate's Total Plaque Pro-Release ($6)."

This one's for all the Industry fans out there. How do you see Harper's journey progressing in season 3?

"There are so many things that I want for Harper on a personal level. Without giving too much away, I hope for Harper is that she finds success in whatever form she believes that to be."

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