Niecy Nash Is Partnering With Skincare Brand No7 For An Awesome Cause | Essence (2024)

Home • Beauty

The actress is helping mobilize women to get them back into the workforce.

In December, United States employers cut 140,000 jobs all belonging to women. Those inequalities were immediately noticed by actress Niecy Nash and beauty brand No7, who quickly joined forces to do their part to decrease those numbers. The Unstoppable Together movement was born, created to aid in a ‘SHEcovery’ and to mobilize “women to reenter the workforce by offering actionable solutions.”

Women everywhere are invited to join Nash for the free SHEcovery virtual job summit taking place in February, where she’ll be encouraging women to join free coaching sessions offered by No7 from The Female Quotient including: topics include interview skills, networking in the new normal, pivoting careers, rewriting your job loss story and more.

ESSENCE got to chat with Nash about the partnership, season four of Claws, the importance of removing makeup before bed, and the “beauty-from-within” skincare tip she says everyone should try.

There are so many skincare brands out there. Why does No7 really stand out?
NIECY NASH: One, No7 is accessible to every woman and two, they have just about everything that you think you might meet for your skin regimen. I started off as a drugstore beauty girl, and it’s interesting because people think that when you make the more money, you want to spend more on beauty and that’s not the case. And while yes, I keep a dermatologist for the in-between times and to maintain things, the other times I’m a drugstore girl.

Article continues after video.

Why is the Unstoppable Together campaign so crucial during times like this?

NASH: With so many women being out of work, we know the circ*mstances of times like these. So we want to provide them with resources and tools to get them back to work. It really drives home the idea of being my sister’s keeper.

What are the beauty tips you’ve learned from your daughters and vice-versa?
NASH: I would say the beauty tip that I’ve gotten from my daughters is to always take my makeup off at the end of the day. Working 16 plus hours a day, it’s easy to come home and just check out and be like, ‘you know what? I’ll get in the shower in the morning.’ But my girls have gotten me out of that habit. And what I feel like I’ve instilled in them is that you’re never too young to start taking care of your skin. And while we all have different skin, some is oily, some is dry, it’s never too soon to see what works for you.

How has your beauty routine evolved over the years?
NASH: I think the interesting thing is that I don’t think it’s different. I think that my approach is pretty much the same. I was saying to someone the other day that when you’re younger, you’re like, “Oh my gosh, I can’t wait till I get older and I make all this money and I can fix my face.” But that’s not me. I think I’m probably the last person in Hollywood with my same face. [laughs] That’s what I thought I was going to do, but I didn’t need to.

So would say the phrase “Black don’t crack” is pretty accurate?
NASH: I feel like it only exists because it’s true, and that’s that on that. Literally we’ll look like a 12 year old child actually be 45 years ago. Thank God for melanin. That’s all I have to say. I can’t speak on anyone else’s routine but for me, I haven’t had to go the route to alter my face in anyway.

Article continues after video.

Aside from the help from the melanin, how do you keep your skin clear and radiant especially on set?
NASH: Masking. You know, there are so many out there but one of my favorites that I actually used today is No7’s Lift & Luminate Triple Serum Sheet Mask. I’m a big fan of a brightener and something that makes me glow. I found recently too, that I look like I have this Benjamin Button’s disease when I wear less makeup. So I haven’t been wearing makeup in quarantine and I feel like it’s shaved so many years back. I’ll mask twice a week, and pre-COVID there were so many events and things you had to go to, so I’d be masking even more. I recently got married to somebody younger than me so as long as we look the same age, I’m with it.

Speaking of being on set, how does Desna’s beauty routine compare to yours?
NASH: I would say that Desna lives in the land of more. You say use a dime size amount and I guarantee she’s going to use a dollar amount. Beauty to me is an inside job, so if I could sneak in any little trick, it would be to constantly have sex and drink expensive champagne because that’s all that you got. [laughs]

And finally, what can we expect from the next season of Claws?

NASH: Oh my goodness. I mean, one thing I can say is Desna gets what she wants, but she has to reconcile whether or not it’s important surprise.