Aja Naomi King radiates beauty inside and out.
The women are honored each year at a special end-of-year celebration.
How did you first get involved with the brand and with its Women of Worth program?
My relationship with L’Oreal Paris actually dates back to when I was a child.
I used to watch my mother put on makeup in the morning, and she had her L’Oreal lipstick.
These women … [are not] super well off or have tons of access.
[That’s] part of the problem on the most basic level.
There’s a lack of funding and awareness for these nonprofits to get a jumpstart.
As part of your role, you have helped opt for winners in the past.
What about this year?
Last year, I had the opportunity to take part in narrowing down who would be the 10 honorees …
There were so many submissions, so many incredible women doing such fantastic work.
What key qualities does the program seek in its applicants?
What we’re looking for are true change makers who are building something that can be expanded.
It’s more about the impact each organization is trying to achieve and how L’Oreal can best amplify that.
We’re looking for passionate women trying to expand their outreach.
It helps to empower the children to be able to move past what has happened to them.
That’s one of our honorees from last year who’s doing such incredible work.
That is amazing to hear you talk about it.
What a great opportunity.
What other projects are you currently working on?
It’s me and Brie Larson, and this is going to be amazing.
It’s set in the ’50s.
It’s based on the book “Lesson in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus.
It’s an incredible story, and I’m really excited for it.
What’s your own beauty routine like?
Has it changed at all since becoming a mom?
I shouldn’t say my beauty routine has changed since I’ve become a mom.
It’s more that my feelings around having a beauty routine evolved since I began my journey into motherhood.
I love giving that to myself in the morning.
I love my True Match foundation.
I can just put it on.
I’m obsessed with my telescopic mascara.
That’s typically [my favorite way to] start the day.
[It makes me] feel like me.
It feels really good to enter the day with.
It’s much the same in the evening, which is a lot more peaceful because he’s asleep.
Everything is so “go, go, go.”
We can’t live our lives pushing ourselves into the next thing.
We deserve to take a minute, a moment of stillness to check in with ourselves.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
