We stan a celebrity beauty secret, and when it comes to enduring beauty, there are few women who remain as flawless as Angela Bassett, who turned 61 on Aug. 16. While Bassett’s seemingly uncrackable blackness is now as legendary as her acting, the star got transparent about having an occasional tweak or two in a recent interview with New Beauty.
“I know lashes are no surprise! Botox is no surprise!” she exclaimed when asked about her beauty secrets, shouting out her Los Angeles dermatologist, Dr. Pearl Grimes. “I’m a big supporter of being natural, but I’ve done it twice. Just a little bit, not too much—I still need to express myself. What else? I’ve tried Ultherapy, too.”
Again, we stan...because one of the oft-ignored side effects the “Black Don’t Crack” credo is the fact that it can crease—and that there’s nothing wrong with a little tweaking to help support what Mother Nature gave you.
Of course, a couple of units of Botox doesn’t take the place of Bassett’s vigilant approach to maintaining her fly, as she told New Beauty:
I’m pretty passionate about keeping up with the skin care, especially being in front of the camera and on the stage. It’s important. When I’m not on stage or on camera, I’m pretty sans makeup—I think it’s good to keep a clear, clean fresh palette. I am a potions and lotions girl, so if you make me promises, I’ll give you a shot. I do really like the iS Clinical serums. I always come back around to them and they work really well for me. I also find good aestheticians everywhere.
Also with Bassett everywhere? Her longtime glam squad, which she says she trusts implicitly. (As she should, because when does she ever not look amazing?)
“Usually, I sit in their chairs, close my eyes and Zen out, or I think about the work I have to do,” Bassett shared. “I so trust their creativity and their gift. Their absolute gift! I can just relax and try to prepare what I have to do. We all have gifts. We all have something to offer. And it’s great when you find those whose work you admire and trust, and whose personalities you enjoy.”
A gracious and complimentary queen, y’all. But according to Bassett, who calls herself a “physical type that needs to work out,” her biggest beauty secret is finding time to chill and touch base with her crew and spirituality; (mostly) free practices I’m sure we could all see some benefits from.
“I do try to relax,” said Bassett. “If I’m home, I’ll text the masseuse. I need her to get in there with the deep tissue and get rid of the knots and release the muscles. I try to get away...Staying “prayed up” is also important to me. Being in touch with my spiritual side helps me keep the stress out...What else do I do? Spending time with friends is always good because it’s the time to relax, appreciate one another and build each other up.”