Beauty & Fashion
Mary J. Blige has really been getting into her bag lately, and we have been cheering it on. She has not only been booked, but the Queen is busy to the max. In just the past few months, the music icon has been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2019 BET Awards, starred in Netflix projects, launched her own production company Blue Butterfly Productions, and signed a deal with Lionsgate Studios. And really, she's just getting started.
Known for her sultry vocals and classic R&B tunes, Mary isn't just a celebrity to many of us who grew up on her. She was the friend and homegirl next door, always keeping it real and working hard to surpass the next milestone in her life. And as she's grown and endured in the public eye, particularly from a tumultuous divorce with her ex-husband, Mary is walking through the fire and proving her testimonial mantra of being just fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine oooh.
She tells xoNecole. "That is the story of my life. I've been falling since I've been touring. Then I rise again and then I fall. Being in the public eye, people get to see you rise and fall so you have a responsibility to the little girls out there and I am very mindful of that."
"When you fall hard in public, people are watching to see how you come out of it. That is a time to be an example and a time to be a role model. Tragedy and triumph."
Nowadays, Mary is onto the next triumph of her life, signing on to be the face of MAC's new Love Me lipstick campaign. In commemoration of her seminal My Life album (which is 25 this year!), the songstress teamed up with the beauty brand for a limited-edition argan oil-infused lipstick, "French Silk", on Maccosmetics.com.
The campaign is filled with nudes and peachy tones, and the collection felt like a no-brainer to the Oscar-nominated actress. "With my Love Me nude lipstick in 'French Silk', it's all about me loving me and finding love for myself," she shares with xoNecole about her new signature nude.
"I am being a little selfish these days in loving me and taking care of me and the lipstick is definitely that– it's a nude that makes me feel confident and is my comfort zone and my signature look now."
This selfishness — as she calls it — really is just an intention to guard her time and energy. And while she may be serving us looks on the red carpet, or conquering the latest thing in Hollywood, loving herself and self-care is of the utmost importance. Her foundation remains grounded, even from the moment she wakes up. "I start my day loving myself," she says. "When I wake up in the morning, when my eyes open, I thank God for my life."
And her self-care doesn't stop there — Mary J. admits to spending at least thirty minutes meditating, reading, and praying before jumping into her day. "I demand the time to rest and be quiet," she says. "I keep myself spiritually grounded. Also, massages are important. Drink a lot of water. Stay positive."
While you may think that you have to have a lot of money in order to be Mary J. fabulous, she names "the gym and the way you eat" as her biggest beauty investments. She continued, "Whether it's the right meats and foods or not, you have to be right inside. It's easier to do more things when you are at your healthiest."
So even though Mary J's new collaboration with MAC is a step in the beauty direction, she goes to prove that life is truly cyclical. And that no matter what age, you can live life on your own terms.
To cop Mary J. Blige's new MAC x MJB collaboration, click here.
Featured image via Instagram/Mary J. Blige
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