For Ariana Debosea clear vision and belief in oneself is the way forward.
The Oscar-winning Puerto Rican actress has built her career on the stage, according to the perceptions of Broadway and film audiences. Interpretation is a passion and he understands that it takes a certain self-awareness not to collapse under the weight of other people’s expectations.
“Anyone who works in the entertainment industry, especially as an actor or performer, there comes a time when you have to accept that you’re going to be misunderstood from time to time,” DeBose tells Refinery29 Somos. “The things you say can be taken out of context at any time. Not everyone is going to like your work and you have to accept that in order to move forward.”
In 2022, DeBose made Oscar history as the first African-Latina and the first openly queer woman of color to win an acting Oscar for her portrayal of Anita in the Steven Spielberg adaptation West Side Story. Rita Moreno won in the same category for the same character in 1962. DeBose thanked Moreno in her acceptance speech.
“There comes a time when you have to accept that some times you will be misunderstood.”
Ariana DeBose
Since then, the 33-year-old has embodied the role of the award-winning multi-collector, from voicing Asha in by Disney Wish hosting the Tony Awards to sitting in a makeup chair after getting ready for shows and appearances.
“I’ve worked on Broadway for 10 years, and there’s a lot of stage makeup, which is a trap,” says DeBose. “I have started doing films and I am shooting in glam [chair] for quite a long time. With red carpets, there’s a lot of glam time you need to prepare for these events as well.”
Complicating matters is the fact that she wears contact lenses for a long time. Anyone who has had to incorporate contacts into their life and regimen can attest to how challenging and stressful it can be. (As someone who has worn and struggled with contact lenses for two decades, there’s nothing more frustrating than leaving one behind when you’re rushing out of the house.)
“I’ve worn contacts since I was 12,” DeBose says. “It’s been a journey finding products that actually remove my eye makeup and all the beauty armor I’ve been wearing without irritating my skin and making my eyes feel more tired. Sometimes it can just feel like there’s an extra film over your eyes.”
“Coming out into the world today is an act of bravery in my mind. Because we live in a world where everyone has an opinion and everyone’s opinion is valid, and because of the internet opinions are powerful.”
ARIANA DEBOSE
The Kraven the Hunter The star shares that prioritizing her eye health requires significant forethought (pun intended). “It’s a lot of extra preparation, to be honest,” he says. “It’s something I have to think about.”
He started building these habits from childhood. When DeBose first started wearing contacts, they were in monthly installments, which usually have to last for about four weeks. This meant she learned to properly clean her contacts and handled them with care to ensure they remained intact. Part of her routine included having a small contact kit with her at all times.
“[Contacts] they were very expensive and still are quite expensive, but we couldn’t afford to take an extra one with me if I was at school and a contact fell off,” says DeBose. “There was a moment where I literally had to stop and say to everyone, ‘Does anyone know where my contact lens is?’
She’s since switched to dailies, so while she’s no longer crawling on the floor looking for a rogue lens because it has to last her a whole month, she’s maintained some eye-health habits.
“When I finally discovered dailies, that changed so much for me, but I still carry eye drops, specially made for sensitive eyes or people with dry eyes from makeup, and you never know what’s in the air,” she says. “All of that can really take a toll and your eyes start to feel tired, so I still have my little kit with me wherever I go.”
One part of this kit is the new sensitive eye makeup remover from Optase Life, a dry eye relief brand. As a performer who often shoots various beauty looks and someone who is intensely focused on her eye health, it’s an unexpectedly ideal partnership for DeBose.
“I’ve always had my eye on products that really work for sensitive skin,” she says. “Using it my eyes felt, sounds weird, but hydrated. They felt like they were hydrated.”
“If I can go out feeling my best, then I have a better chance of letting some of the negativity or any of that stuff roll off my back.”
ARIANA DEBOSE
When her eyes feel healthy, her vision knows no bounds, she explains. And channeling that inner confidence is even more critical when outside noise tries to invade her space.
“Coming out into the world today is an act of bravery in my mind,” says DeBose. “Because we live in a world where everyone has an opinion and everyone’s opinion is valid, and because of the Internet, opinions are powerful.”
It makes sense, then, that she’s turned to beauty and style to help navigate not how others see her, but how she sees herself.
“That’s also why, for me, some of my greatest tools have been my hair, styling and makeup,” she says. “Because if I can go out feeling my best, then I have a better chance of letting some negativity or any of that kind of stuff roll off my back.”
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