For years now, Bravo has been sending 20- and 30-somethings to the Hamptons for the summer time and recording their antics to make Summer time Home, considered one of my favourite non–Actual Housewives Bravo exhibits. Because the seasons went on, I began to note the dearth of Blackness on the present. It was largely white individuals working across the Hamptons, ingesting an excessive amount of rosé, and moving into love triangles—typical actuality TV present stuff. However on the present’s fifth season, that modified. Enter Ciara Miller—who’s described by her pal and fellow castmate Paige DeSorbo as “a mix of Naomi Campbell and Mom Teresa”—the present’s first Black feminine solid member. Miller is strikingly lovely, and the second she opens her mouth and lets out her candy Southern accent and shares her background as a nurse, you notice how correct DeSorbo’s description truly was.
As Miller’s time on Summer time Home continued, she shortly grew a neighborhood of Black and Brown ladies on social media who look to her for all issues style and sweetness, particularly magnificence. With only one peek at her Instagram, you may see her jetting off to Miami for the Grand Prix, taking pictures campaigns with Victoria’s Secret, and sharing loads of movies of her in hair and make-up for appearances, purple carpets, and press occasions. This all makes her web page a go-to spot for Black and Brown girls searching for hair and make-up concepts to strive themselves. I figured Miller was the most effective individual to faucet for a Black Historical past Month deep dive on experimenting with make-up as a Black girl, model inclusivity, her ins and outs for 2024, and, after all, which merchandise she swears by.
Preserve scrolling to learn our dialog.
What are your magnificence ins and outs for 2024?
This 12 months, I am actually into glowing pores and skin, so highlighters, highlighters, highlighters. I am additionally loving fake freckles, however I’ve to say a number of blush or that “doll blush” pattern is out for me—that and unhealthy extensions.
What magnificence must-haves are all the time in your purse?
I am all the time carrying good, simple lippies, like this Make-up by Mario MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Serum. My go-to shade is Honey Glow. I all the time have these in just about all of my purses. These plus a lip liner. I additionally like to maintain a travel-sized rollerball fragrance on me. I hate fragrances that do not final all day, so simply in case, I all the time have fragrance with me, after which I usually have Clear On Me hand cream. It is a very particular little mini lotion that smells so good, and it suits in all my purses. In fact, I all the time have snack.
What magnificence recommendation would you give different Black girls seeking to experiment extra with make-up?
Experiment with coloration! Do not be afraid to strive all the pieces and something, and take dangers to see what actually works for you. Sadly, the make-up trade was not all the time created with us—Black girls—in thoughts, which may make the expertise of taking part in with make-up and discovering your holy-grail merchandise that a lot tougher. However there are such a lot of nice manufacturers now, like Pat McGrath and Fenty Magnificence to call just a few, which are popping out with merchandise made particularly with girls of coloration/Black girls in thoughts. [These are] manufacturers that cherish and respect Black girls and their contribution to the sweetness trade and wish to present that appreciation by making merchandise that we will use and love. [Try] all the pieces, [try] new magnificence traits, and [spread] the phrase. When you discover a actually good magnificence product, begin telling your different beauty-loving BIPOC pals. I really feel like I all the time get my biggest suggestions on make-up from different Black ladies.
As Black girls, we have now a novel relationship in the case of hair. How would you describe your relationship together with your hair?
Oh my god, chaotic. I really feel like my relationship with my hair is so chaotic. One minute, I would like my extensions. One minute, I would like them out of my head and by no means wish to take a look at them once more. Some days, I wish to be pure and put on my curls. Different days, I wish to be channeling Naomi with lengthy, bone-straight hair with the center half. Nobody can say something to me about it, by the best way. It is a chaotic relationship like it’s for a lot of different Black girls. However the older that I am getting, the extra snug I am turning into with my hair.
Particularly being in TV, it is like I am preventing society’s magnificence requirements of what hair is suitable for a Black girl on digital camera whereas attempting to embrace my very own hair journey unexpectedly. I am attempting to show myself that, regardless of how I type my hair, I am nonetheless lovely and worthy and deserving. Afro, braids, extensions, pure hair—it should not matter. I am attempting to take a number of the strain off myself. Actually, I hate that Black girls’s hair is all the time such some extent of dialogue. I ought to simply have the ability to be myself, put on my hair nevertheless I would really like, and present as much as set or to movie and do my job like anybody else.
What different Black girls do you take a look at in the case of magnificence and elegance inspiration?
I am undoubtedly a giant fan of Lori Harvey. Every little thing she does in the case of magnificence and style I simply love. In fact, there’s Jasmine Tookes, Jourdan Dunn, and the opposite Black and Brown Victoria’s Secret Angels, [who] are all the time magnificence objectives. Actually, Tracee Ellis Ross is all the time on my temper board. She’s all the time experimenting along with her hair and attempting new issues. I additionally love Quinta [Brunson] and the hair seems she has been going with currently. Since we simply had award season, I’ve additionally been seeing numerous Zuri Corridor, and she or he all the time has wonderful hair and elegance decisions.
Stroll us by your typical on a regular basis make-up look.
My on a regular basis make-up routine is fairly fast and straightforward. I’ll combine my basis with my moisturizer to make my very own BB/CC cream to present me that mild, glowy veil kind of end that I would like. I am massive on very shiny under-eyes, so after that, I’m going in with my concealer and high the face portion of my make-up off with a really mild blush simply to present myself some coloration. Subsequent could be the mascara and my most vital step, my eyebrows. Generally, I overlook to say eyebrows when discussing make-up as a result of, to me, doing my eyebrows would not rely as make-up. It is a nonnegotiable necessity. Even when I am working out to go get my packages, I’ve a forehead on, however yeah, undoubtedly filling in my brows, and possibly I am going to dab highlighter on with my fingers.
With doing TV, purple carpets, press days, and photograph shoots and being in a hair and make-up chairs always, it may be laborious in your pores and skin and hair. What skincare and haircare merchandise do you employ when your pores and skin wants a bit TLC?
I all the time make it some extent to go to my dermatologist. I’m going to Paul Frank, MD, on the Higher East Facet and within the West Village, and I’ll do a facial with him. I’m an individual who struggled with pimples my whole life, and hyperpigmentation has additionally been one thing that I’ve struggled with. I do pico laser for my hyperpigmentation, however at house, [it’s] all the time a tranexamic acid I additionally love a masks. The Clarins cryo cool masks is absolutely good to only refresh your pores and skin and make your pores look smaller. Let’s be actual—nobody likes giant pores. I am additionally a giant fan of FaceGym. I undoubtedly try to swing by there earlier than occasions. For my hair, I’m going to Sally Hershberger NoMad, and my lady will give me a steam therapy.
Store Miller’s Holy-Grail Magnificence Objects
Too Confronted Higher Than Intercourse Mascara
“Even after I do not wish to spend $30 on it and I wish to attain for the $7 tube, I am gonna spend the $30 as a result of this mascara is value it. It is that good. I used to assume $30 for mascara is loopy. Now, I do it religiously. “
Uncommon Magnificence Liquid Contact Weightless Basis
“I really like this product a lot, particularly in the summertime. It is principally like pores and skin, and I can put on little or no product and get that even, glowy look. It is so light-weight and wearable. I additionally am tremendous impressed by the shade vary this product has. I put on shade 460W.”
Huda Magnificence #FauxFilter Matte Buildable Protection Waterproof Concealer
“I am telling you. As a lady who loves shiny under-eyes, you want this product. Assume shiny, shiny, shiny. I wish to stroll right into a room and have individuals ask, ‘Did a lightweight simply come on?’ However nope, it is simply my concealer.”
Profit Cosmetics Goof Proof Waterproof Straightforward Form & Fill Eyebrow Pencil
“Speak about a forehead that doesnt transfer. You guys know I take my eyebrow sport significantly.”
One/Dimension On ‘Til Daybreak Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray
“The Patrick Starrr One/Dimension Setting Spray, it is … on all evening till daybreak. Now, I used this product earlier than Beyoncé got here out and mentioned that she was utilizing it on her Renaissance Tour, and after that, you could not get this product for months. I used to be pissed. … I normally maintain an additional bottle available, however I used to be working low, after which Beyoncé introduced that she used it as soon as on her tour, and it sells out. What are the chances?”
Tarte Freckle Pen
“As I discussed, I am loving fake freckles for 2024. This product makes getting the look that a lot simpler.”