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From mantras to meditation, mindfulness to manifestation, Well Intentioned offers an intimate look at how to make space for self-care in meaningful ways, big and small.
Over the past few years, Tessa Thompson has emerged as a force in beauty, whipping through a lineup of mesmerizing looks—hyper-bright lips, ultraviolet smoky eyes, and, of course, that 12-foot, latex-wrapped braid—with grace and power.
“Beauty is an expression of self, but it can also expand one’s self,” says Thompson of her enduring desire to experiment with her look. “I think of it in a similar way with the different roles that I play. Sometimes I have to get out of my own head, and grow, and take a risk.”
Of course, the 38-year-old actor’s fearlessness in forging her personal style has always translated on screen. Thompson has starred in HBO s sci-fi western Westworld, genre-spanning blockbuster franchises (Creed, Thor, and Marvel’s The Avengers among them), and her latest role in Passing, Rebecca Hall’s adaptation of the 1929 novel by Nella Larsen, finds her portraying a woman exploring race and sexual identity in 1920s Harlem.
With her zeal for artfully crafted beauty looks, and the nimbleness with which she pulls them off, her new role as the face of Armani Beauty is a natural one—and a full circle moment for Thompson, a longtime devotee of the brand s Luminous Silk foundation. “At the beginning of my career, I had a really hard time finding foundations that worked for me because a lot of brands didn’t have a wide range of shades that really represented all women, and in particular women of color,” explains Thompson, who made her television debut as Jackie Cook in cult-favorite mystery series Veronica Mars in 2005. “During that time, Armani was the first brand that I found that I really could get a match for my skin. That was huge for me because, it can’t be overstated, you need to feel comfortable in your skin.”
From the big screen to beauty campaigns, the sheer reach of her platform is also significant for Thompson. “I know how impactful it is for me when I’m at the airport in duty free or I’m flipping through a magazine and I see a woman of color representing a beauty brand because there was a time when that just didn t happen as much.”
2022 has only just begun, but Thompson is, in the words of Rickey Thompson (no relation), booked and busy. But having found a new appreciation for self-care during the pandemic, she’s making the time to look and feel her best. Here, Thompson takes Vogue through her beauty and wellness intentions for the year ahead, from unrushed skin prep to wearing more red lipstick.
1. Drink More Water
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2. Perfect the Cat-Eye—Once and for All
3. Recommit to Bold Lips
4. Glow Up the Skin Prep
5. Be More Intentional About Self-Care
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