As far as divine beings go, Yara Shahidi breaks the mould. The 23-year-old actor of African-American and Iranian descent has been blessed with sculpted cheekbones, flawless full brows and voluminous curls, but it’s her tireless activism as a feminist and social-justice advocate that elevates her to a higher realm. Known to many as Zoey Johnson (her long time character on both the groundbreaking sitcom Black-ish and its popular spinoff, Grown-ish), Shahidi is also a recent Harvard grad who uses her voice to inspire the next generation to create change for a brighter, more equitable future. We caught up with the effervescent star—who also has 8.7 million IG followers—to chat about her latest role as the face of Gaultier Divine, a new scent from Jean Paul Gaultier.

ON GAULTIER DIVINE

“What I love so much is that it’s the perfect hybrid of grounding gourmand notes and the beautiful floral scent of lily. Then there’s this lovely beachlike saltiness to it. It’s nuanced and complex.”

ON THE POWER OF FRAGRANCE

“I’m a candle person. I’m an essential-oils person. This [collaboration] is perfectly timed because my 20s have been marked by becoming a perfume person. If you walk into my room, I have candles everywhere—it’s how I make my space feel like mine. I use perfume in a similar way—I’m creating my own bubble around me. I’m also a big believer in what natural fragrances can do or unlock in you. We put frankincense on our temples for grounding or [use] peppermint to clear air passages. The power of fragrance has always been something that means a lot in my family.”

ON WHEN SHE FEELS MOST FEMININE

“It’s when I unabashedly lean into what I love about myself. And that’s my curls being super big and taking up a ton of space. It’s my unibrow poppin’, because I love my brows! Sometimes it’s me in a dress; sometimes it’s me in a track suit. Regardless of how I look, they’re moments when I just feel very tapped into myself. There’s been something really empowering about not caring as much about showing up in a way that I think is relatable because, one, it’s just a little dishonest and, two, I’ve had much better times showing up fully as myself.”

ON HER JEAN PAUL GAULTIER COLLAB

“The first thing that made this collaboration exciting was that we were aligned on the idea of the entire cast [for the campaign] being reflective of the many ways we show up as women [and the ways we are] divine goddesses in our own right. Some [of the models] were people I had suggested, but some [were cast by the brand], and I loved that they naturally pulled people who were already on my radar—people I was following for their modelling work or their activism, such as Janet Jumbo, Lola Rodríguez and Thando Hopa. It felt like a good omen.”

ON HER INSPIRING INNER CIRCLE

“I have to start with my mama. She’s my bestie. We’re business partners, and we go through every space together. I’ve always felt very grateful that, in many ways, we’re very similar. But I also love the fact that we’re able to support each other thanks to our differences. And I come from a family of powerhouse women educators. My love of education and my ability to explore came from having so many incredible women around me who were curious about the world and indulged my curiosities.”

ON HER OFF-DUTY STYLE

“I’ve been trying to wear things besides track suits. In my day-to-day life, they are very much my uniform. But I have a very colourful way of dressing. Even when I’m in a track suit, it’s bright blue or bright red, [and I wear] matching shoes. Colour always brings [me] joy. This phase of my life has been about figuring out how to expand how I dress [in a way] that feels equally expressive.”

ON THE CURL CARE SHE SWEARS BY

“Semi-regular haircuts are a must. Just continuing to get rid of dead ends changed the game for me in terms of curl health. I have a deep-condition day, where my hair is in a bun and being hydrated, and I diffuse my hair but don’t use a flatiron. That was more of a personal choice because of work. If you open that door, you’re flatironing every day, and it just becomes unsustainable. My goal is to always find products [that help] my hair last for days and have enough hold without [making it] look like I have a Jheri curl. Aunt Jackie’s Curl Custard was the first cream that really worked for my hair, and finding The Alpha, a styling gel by The Mane Choice, has been a blessing.”

ON WHAT’S NEXT

“I’m figuring out what I like and what I like to do. A big focus for [me and my] family has always been: How do we expand access to the things that have shaped our lives? We’re hoping to continue [doing] that. And then, honestly, more fun! It’s been fascinating, to say the least, to spend time with myself and figure out who I am when I don’t have a task in front of me.”

GAULTIER DIVINE EAU DE PARFUM SPRAY, JEAN PAUL GAULTIER 

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Price: $192 (100 mL)

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