5 Life And Beauty Lessons Denise Laurel Wants To Share With Every Woman

Denise Laurel, though still quite incredibly young, has already lived a lifetime in the spotlight, having started her theater/acting career at the age of 14. From the stage to the set and even off-cam, she’s learned how to carry herself with grace and take everything in stride.

As a strong empowered woman and the face of Bobbi Brown, Denise shares some of the wisdom she’s culled over the years, and talks about a few inspiring beauty truths to help other women find theirs.

 

 

1. Don't let other people's assumptions define you. 

Denise was an early bloomer, to say the least, which made her vulnerable to bullying from her peers. “People used to assume stuff about me, because of how I looked. I was called slutty, liberated, malandi, and a tomboy. They even [accused me of having] my boobs and nose done—and that was when I was in fourth grade!” she says, able to laugh about it now.  

Everyone goes through their own incidences of being judged, “but all of the difficult and hurtful things that were said about me just encouraged me to be myself more,” says Denise.

According to the young beauty, you are definitely not defined by how others see you; instead, you choose to be who you are.

“People’s opinions will always change, so if you just stay true to yourself through time, people will get to know the real you. The truth will always come out.”

 

 

2. Look to other inspiring women. 

Because of the bullying, it took a long time for Denise to fully embrace her beauty. But now, she’s taking every opportunity to celebrate it. She particularly loves her skin and loves creating that beautiful, radiant glow.

“J Lo was my icon at that time; she was always shining and dewy, and it was her signature. And I figured, you know what, I love looking at women who celebrate their color!” This prompted her to take pride in her own complexion.   

She loved being tan and was always at the beach, and so she wanted to replicate that glow in her everyday life. She took to Bobbi Brown, which provided her the perfect shade. “The first product that I ever bought as an artista already was Bobbi Brown foundation, because they had a wide range of colors. I found that the 4.5 natural warm sand didn’t look graying on screen, and it wasn’t too pale or too pinkish.

“So when I bought the foundation and the powder to match, I felt like, okay, finally, something fit for me, a woman with some melanin in her skin.”

 

 

3. Prioritize your well-being. 

As a mom to a rambunctious, little boy, life gets pretty busy and Denise knows only too well what other women have to go through on the daily. While there can never be enough hours in a day to get everything done, Denise urges women to give themselves some tender loving care.

 

 

 

“I always check on myself—Are you feeling good today, emotionally or mentally? Are you tired? Are you emotionally drained? What do you need right now?” According to Denise, it’s okay to not feel 100% all the time, and you’re allowed to give yourself some slack.

“We just sometimes have to remind ourselves to be thankful for what we have.”

 

 

4. Find the quick fixes to help you get into a better mood. 

To quickly perk yourself up, Denise recommends meditating, praying, and working out to get those endorphins flowing! And putting on a little makeup never hurt as well, as it’s hard to feel bad when you look and feel confident.

“I’m a mom, so I need to get things done as fast as possible, which also applies to my makeup!” she chuckles. So she invests in dual purpose beauty essentials and long-wearing formulas such as Bobbi Brown’s 16-hour weightless foundation. “When I feel crappy, I try to look the opposite of how I feel.”

 

 

5. Embrace your flaws, not perfection. 

“Everybody has flaws, everybody has something about herself that they don’t like. But it’s making what you don’t like about yourself stand out that helps build confidence. It’s finding all that stuff that’s raw and not so desirable in other people’s eyes, and making it your strength.”

According to Denise, makeup, like anything else, shouldn’t try to hide or cover who you are, it’s a tool you can use to celebrate what you love most about yourself.

“When people tell you to look a certain way and be a certain way, it’s hard. But I’ve learned that everybody is going to have their own opinion of you. I don’t mean to be preachy, but Our Creator doesn’t make mistakes. You are who you are, and there’s nobody else like you in the world!”

 

 

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