On Beauty With, Atiya Walcot

Atiya Walcott’s beauty philosophy is as fluid as it is grounded: moisture as ritual, bare skin as freedom, and natural hair as revelation. On stage, in the mirror, and even in the streets of New York, she finds beauty in what is lived-in and true. Here, she reflects on hydration as her season’s theme, the lessons her mother instilled, and the power of choosing herself—again and again.

Atiya Walcott by Jacques Morel

TBBC: What’s feeding your beauty or wellness practice right now?
AW:  Moisture and hydration. I saw a video of a Black woman on TikTok who said, “Clog your pores with something good for them.” That really resonated with me. I’ve been layering on hydration, especially during Fashion Week. I don’t usually wear much makeup, but this week I’ve been in it every day, which means stripping it all off at night and pouring hydration back into my skin—moisture is the goal.

TBBC: What beauty rule have you broken that felt like a reclaiming?
AW: Mascara. I think I look better without eyelashes done. Not eyebrows—I need those—but definitely no lashes. There’s this unspoken rule that long lashes equal femininity and beauty, but one day I decided not to wear mascara, and I loved the way I looked.

Also: no makeup. Even knowing photos would be taken today, I felt fine going barefaced. A few days ago, a creator I follow,c, Eni, attended an event with no makeup, and she later posted about it, saying she looked great and no one noticed she was barefaced. That’s the thing: Black women look good with or without makeup. It’s about the freedom to choose, both ways.

TBBC: What ritual or practice always brings you home to yourself?
AW:  Lip care. I’ve developed a ritual: moisturizer first, then hyaluronic acid, and finally something to seal it—Aquaphor, Vaseline, or the Laneige lip mask. It makes me feel grounded and cared for.

I’ve learned lip care is really about hydration. If my lips are cracked, I reach for water first. Hydration has become my theme this season, inside and out.

TBBC: Where in the world has beauty surprised you most?
AW: In everyday life, currently in New York City. I love taking pictures of my shoes on the dirty streets. There’s something beautiful about signs of life, about things being lived in. Beauty doesn’t have to mean perfection.

TBBC: Whose beauty permitted you to love your own?
AW: My mother. Whenever I wore makeup as a kid, which was rare, she’d say, “You don’t need that. You’re beautiful without it.” She made sure I knew I didn’t need makeup to be valuable or worthy. And I have to mention Olandria, as a dark-skinned woman, I love her up, down, left, and right. I also adore Serena Paige from the franchise.

TBBC: What’s in your bag right now?
AW: 

• Hanahana Beauty Unscented Shea Body Butter

• Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion

• EXO All Smiles Lip Oil

• Aquaphor

• Two of the same SAIE lip gloss.

• Rhode lip pencil

• Hand sanitizer

• A compact bag holder so my purse never touches the floor

• A lighter, a hair clip, a phone, a wallet, and my ring

What does this say about Atiya? She needs a lip combo kit—hydrated, layered, and made for dark skin. This is Atiya’s beauty signature right now.

TBBC: What does beauty mean to you beyond the mirror?
AW:  Beauty is energy—it’s self-defined. Beauty is being in love with yourself. It’s about how you carry yourself, which always comes back to your relationship with self. When you’re shy, you shrink, hunch your shoulders, fade into darker clothes. When you want to be seen, you wear something bold that demands attention. 

TBBC: Who are the image makers shifting how Black beauty is presented in media today?
AW: I love what Fisayo Longe has built with Kai Collective—beautiful clothes in bright colors and bold silhouettes. It’s a unique, fashion-forward brand that spotlights Black beauty in a way that, as a Black woman, makes me feel seen and beautiful. And content creators, too: so many voices reshaping representation—Skylar Marshai, Jessi Regina, Telsha Anderson, Rian Phin, to name a few.

TBBC: What was the moment that made you believe in your own beauty?
AW: It began in my mid-20s, when I started acting. At USC, while earning my MFA, I wore my natural hair—a small afro—for the first time. In a class where seven of nine actors were Black, I had permission to explore my craft and embrace myself as a Black woman. That’s when I truly fell in love with my identity.

That’s On Beauty, With… Atiya Walcott