Saweetie Embraces Self-Love: Empowering All to Embrace Their Natural Beauty
Saweetie shares her empowering message of self-love, embracing oneself with or without makeup In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, she divulges her skincare routine, must-have products, and imparts the secret to genuine beauty
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Saweetie, a rapper with a Grammy nomination and a record of platinum-selling, chart-topping hits, not only captivates with her music but also with her distinctive appearance. Her three-inch acrylic nails, artistically styled baby hairs, and dramatic lashes ignite extensive conversations online. However, such comments do not dictate her choices.
Saweetie expressed in We's inaugural Colorful Like Us feature her disregard for social media criticism of her thick lashes, stating, "I love my thick lashes, and that's not going to change." The 30-year-old California native, whose real name is Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper, credits her confidence to her mother, Trinidad Valentin, a prominent video vixen from the early 2000s who instilled in her the value of inner beauty and skincare.
Saweetie explained that her mother taught her the proper way to cleanse her skin using the necessary tools. Despite being ridiculed for it, she shared that spending an hour to get ready for bed is a sacred routine for her skin.
Diamonte Harper
The offspring of an African American father and a Filipina-Chinese mother, Saweetie also attributes her sense of visibility during her upbringing to icons like Kimora Lee Simmons, who shares a similar "Blasian baddie" identity.
During her formative years, Saweetie predominantly embraced her natural appearance, often going makeup-free. With the support of brands like Clean & Clear and Neutrogena, she learned to appreciate her own skin. Throughout her college years, her beauty routine consisted mainly of lip gloss and maintaining hydrated skin. ("I used to collect $1 lip glosses from the beauty supply store. I had a whole box full of them.") However, when she started experimenting with makeup, the "Icy Girl" rapper realized the transformative power of a well-executed glamorous look.
She finds solace in makeup, stating, "When I'm having a tough day, I’ll simply enhance my features while listening to my favorite tune, 'My Type,'" and urges others to adopt a similar perception of beauty.
Gareth Cattermole – MTV/Getty Images
She emphasized that anyone who comments on someone looking better without makeup is being disrespectful. She believes that women should have the freedom to do whatever enhances their self-esteem. Whether someone prefers a natural appearance or chooses to wear makeup, no one should dictate their choices. Above all, she aims to inspire others to recognize that genuine beauty transcends superficial appearances.
The USC alumna recently received an invitation to address her alma mater, and after her speech, a student approached her and handed over her own acceptance letter. Saweetie shared, "She expressed that I had inspired her," realizing that her purpose is to inspire others in pursuing their ambitions because a genuine 'Icy Girl' is a determined hustler who relentlessly chases her dreams."
