BEAUTY BADASS
the hype man SOCIAL MEDIA SENSATION AND NEW YSL BEAUTY AMBASSADOR RICKEY THOMPSON IS CELEBRATING THE BEGINNING OF HIS “GROWN AND SEXY ERA”
Beloved for his candor, Rickey Thompson keeps his 5.3 million-plus Instagram followers coming back thanks to contagious viral videos that are full of laughter, dancing, sass, and style. After first making a splash on Vine as a teenager in 2013, the content creator now showcases his talents on YouTube and TikTok in addition to Instagram. Thompson’s feel-good influence has landed him major fashion and beauty campaigns, the latest as one of the new faces of YSL Beauty’s Nu Collection. Here, he shares his secret to unapologetic confidence and radiant skin.
Starting Point
My earliest beauty memory was when I was 14 and started to get into my personal skin-care journey. I used to watch YouTube tutorials on how to get a natural glow or keep my skin clear. I was like, “Wow, there is a lot that goes into this whole beauty thing!” Now I’ve learned that the secret to keeping my glow is to drink a lot of water, use sunscreen daily, heavily moisturize, and not stress.
Bold Moves
I’m 25, and I want to feel that. So I told myself that I really want to go for this grown and sexy era of my life. I was like, “You know what? Let’s just shave my hair off and see what it looks like.” I dyed it a different color, which is stepping out of my comfort zone, but I love it so much. It’s brought me this newfound confidence. When I get my hair cut, I always feel my hottest. [laughs]
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I don’t have to try so hard or follow somebody else’s life; I can just be myself.”
