Selita Ebanks

Selita Selita Ebanks Ebanks

Photography by YU TSAI

The former Victoria’s Secret supermodel talks life after the limelight, diversity, her passion for clean beauty, and empowering women to be confident in their own skin.

After walking miles upon miles on catwalks around the world and being the voiceless face for countless brands and cosmetics lines, Selita Ebanks is now focused on turning the cameras onto a world not so beautiful. I guess it isn’t so uncommon any more for women who have been asked to just shut up and perform, or look pretty and smile for the camera, to want more out of their careers and to want to make more of an impact on society.

During our 45-minute phone call, it was obvious that Ebanks will be quiet no longer. She has found her voice and has something profound to say. I also got an immediate sense that Ebanks wasn’t shy about talking about her experiences, the unattainable beauty standards she was asked to promote, and the dark side of a beauty industry that is not only adversely impacting the health of women’s skin, but the environment as well.

UPTOWN: What beauty brands do you think are doing it right?

SELITA: Don’t get me wrong, not everyone is doing it wrong. There are a lot of great brands that are creating a new standard in beauty. I love trying new products and switching up my skin care and makeup routine. Right now I’m a fan of Sunday Riley, Fenty Beauty, Drunk Elephant, and Glow recipe.

UPTOWN: What’s the most important lesson you learned during and after being a Victoria’s Secret Angel and a supermodel?

SELITA: Although I wasn’t aware of this, in hindsight I’ve learned the most important lesson during my VS days was to always believe in myself and my individual beauty. Women are like stripes on a zebra, all unique and beautiful. We have to learn to nurture those stripes.

UPTOWN: What’s new in your life?

SELITA: Wow, where should I start? Well, for starters a whole lot UPTOWN: What’s your opinion of what’s happening in the fashion is going on in my life right now. I have been refl ecting a lot on my and beauty industry right now? past accomplishments, the current state of SELITA: The fashion and beauty industry is very exciting right now. the world and the role I am currently playing Beauty is becoming more diversifi ed and in making it better. I decided that it’s time to add another dimension to my career, one that leverages my past experiences combined with my current passions to make an impact in women’s lives. I am embarking on a new entrepreneurial chapter in my career, focused on building something truly disruptive in the beauty industry. UPTOWN: Are you launching a new brand? SELITA: Yes. But I wouldn’t just call it a brand, it’s a platform, a movement for women. It’s called “The Good Look.” UPTOWN: So what is it? The Good Look The GoodLook realistic. Designers and beauty brands are stepping out from the conventional “what is beautiful,” and realizing that when you are selling beauty to a woman, inclusiveness is a must. UPTOWN: Do you think the beauty industry is creating an unhealthy standard for young girls? SELITA: I think the beauty industry is an evolving industry. Because of social media the false image of beauty is being exposed and a new world of beauty is being presented, although it has always been present. I think young girls should understand SELITA: It’s a lifestyle brand dedicated to to appreciate their individuality while emeducating women about sustainable beauty. bracing the luxury of enhancing ourselves It’s about creating a brand that they can trust. with beauty products, but not forgetting their natural beauty.

UPTOWN: What led you to do this?

SELITA: As a fashion model I was able to have access to amazing beauty products and experts in the fi eld, but couldn’t help but notice that there was a void in the industry. The beauty industry severely lacks diversity and a sense of transparency when it came to its products. Beauty brands haven’t always been inclusive, often perpetuating stereotypes around their idea of what beauty should be. The world has changed, consumers want to see themselves in the products they choose and want to align with brands with values. They want brands that are safe for them, the environment and treat all women as priorities. It’s my mission to help women fi nd products and an approach to beauty that builds confi dence from the inside out.

UPTOWN: What are the plans for it?

SELITA: I can’t tell you everything just yet, but I can tell you that we are launching a media platform, that will focus on distributing content that informs women on everything they need to know about sustainable beauty. We will be working with brands that share our same passion for change, to help educate and tell stories of women [who are] and products [that] are at the forefront of changing the industry. We may even have our own products in the works! Uh oh, I think I may have said too much, lol!

UPTOWN: What direction do you think the beauty and fashion industries need to turn?

SELITA: I think the beauty industry is turning in the right direction with clean beauty. Organic brands like Juice Beauty and OSEA are a few brands on the forefront of new beauty, starting with skin fi rst.

UPTOWN: What was the turning point for you that made you decide you want to make a change in the beauty industry?

SELITA: I was blessed with a career that has given me a platform and it wouldn’t be right for me not to use that platform for something positive. That was the true turning point for me during my recent period of self-refl ection. How am I giving back, how am I making it easier for girls of various shades, ages, and skin types to feel good about themselves. Over the years, I’ve been a part of the beauty industry where I didn’t always feel like I was prioritized by the brands I supported or used. I want to be a part of changing [the] face of an industry and sharing my knowledge with women everywhere. I also come from a large family of women and they lean heavily on me for advice on what’s what in beauty. I want to be able to provide a variety of benefi cial options for all women.