Selena Gomez is known for many things. Acting. Singing. Increasingly popular makeup products from Rare Beauty. And, perhaps most importantly, always being candid and raw when it comes to leading conversations about mental health. “I don’t want anyone to ever think I am a victim,” she tells ELLE Canada over email. “I share my story because I want [people] to know that it’s okay to not be okay. It helped me realize that I can give myself the space to work through things and struggle, but it will get better. When I was younger, I was afraid of sharing my struggles. It took time and work, but I’ve realized there is so much strength in being vulnerable and there is power in sharing your story.” 

It’s this powerful mindset—and the hope that others will begin to feel the same in their own mental health journeys—that drives the work Gomez does with the Rare Impact Fund, which is on a mission to raise $100 million for organizations that support access to youth mental health services and education programs around the world while breaking down the stigma often associated with these conversations. 

To build upon that goal, for the second year in a row, Rare Beauty and Sephora have teamed up for the Make a Rare Impact campaign in honour of World Mental Health Day on October 10. On that date, 100 percent of Rare Beauty sales at Sephora locations around the world will be donated directly to the Rare Impact Fund, which it will distribute to partner non-profits doing on-the-ground work to bolster mental health support. 

Ahead of the campaign, we caught up with Gomez to talk about protecting and being open with her mental health and spreading awareness in your community.

What role does a beauty brand like Rare have in advocating for something like mental health awareness? 

“When I started Rare Beauty, I knew that I wanted it to be more than a beauty brand. I wanted there to be a deeper meaning and to use beauty and makeup as a tool to encourage self-acceptance. In the past, makeup has been something that has been used to cover up and hide ‘imperfections.’ At Rare Beauty we are flipping that and encourage you to embrace what makes you unique.”

As someone who is open about her own mental health, what are some of the challenges in sharing this part of your life—especially on days that feel a little harder?  

“I want to show people that mental health is something that can affect anyone and there shouldn’t be a stigma around it. It’s hard to open your life to the world and be vulnerable, but I also think there is power in vulnerability.”

Despite any of these challenges, how do you push yourself to keep the conversation going? 

“I know there are young people all over the world who need to hear this message and [need to] know that they are not alone. A lot of our work at Rare Beauty is focused on reducing the stigma around mental health, and I want to do my part by using my platform to share my story. My dream is to help as many people as possible and that’s why I started the Rare Impact Fund—to provide the resources and education that I wish I had when I was growing up.”

How do you protect and take care of your mental health so that you can continue to be open and candid?  

“First, it’s an ongoing journey for me and it always will be. Therapy is a really important part of my life. I also like to take a break from social media from time to time, and spending quality time with the people I love keeps me grounded. My close friends and family are the best support system.”

How would you encourage others to advocate for mental health awareness and support in their own communities?  

“Language is an important tool, and the way we speak about ourselves and our own mental health is crucial to destigmatizing the topic. With a lot of work, I’ve learned how much of a powerful impact our word choice has on mental health stigma.” 

The Rare Impact Fund envisions a world where all young people have access to mental health care, culturally-specific resources and living without stigma. What does an ideal world where all of these things are achieved look like?  

“In an ideal world, we would all be much kinder to ourselves.  My vision for the future is creating a safe space, welcoming young people to share what they are going through and to live without judgment from one another. We are all uniquely different, that should only be celebrated.”

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