Lancome
The One Thing
Our series The One Thing is a Sparknotes version of the products, rituals, and moments your favorite celebrities and influencers swear by—their go-tos, must-haves, and can’t-live-withouts. So go ahead—take a brief, intimate peek into the lives of your favorites through the things (and people, and moments) they hold dear.
Joy Sunday is, well, joyful. And why wouldn't she be? With a thriving career, great friendships, and a recent marathon (yes, the running kind) under her belt, the Wednesday star knows how to balance work, play, and constant self-discovery—a wildly impressive concept to tackle when you're only 27 years old. Plus, she has big news to share: she just signed on as Lancôme's newest Global Ambassador.
Most of all, Sunday is thrilled to collaborate with a brand that "shares her beliefs" around empowerment and inspiring women, but there are some beauty benefits, too. The announcement coincides with the launch of the new "blushing nude" shade range of Lancôme's L’Absolu Rouge Intimatte lipstick, so we caught up with the Nigerian-American actress to talk product must-haves.
Read on for more on Sunday's Wordle routine, beauty secrets, and how a shaved head makes her feel beautiful.
The One Thing She’s Most Excited For as a Lancôme Global Ambassador
"When the moment presented itself, it felt so, so, so correct. But it was still such a blessing. I think it’s the best fit ever, and I’m so honored to have this opportunity. I’m looking forward to making the most of it and spreading a vision of beauty around the world. I love that this is a task I've been given because growing up, it was quite hard to find beauty within myself. To be able to encourage folks and young girls like me to find beauty inward means the world."
Lancôme
The One Product She First Fell in Love With
"You know, growing up, I didn't wear much makeup. But I always knew that I had, somehow, the biggest lips in the world. I just always loved my lips even though I was like, 'Wow, they're so big.' And so I think the first thing I was drawn to was lip gloss because it really accentuated that feature for me, and bringing attention to it gave me a lot of confidence."
The One Makeup Step That Makes Her Feel Like Herself
"I always love a lined lip. Me and one of my favorite makeup artists, pretty much do that all the time. I just feel like it really just complements all the features of my face."
The One Hairstyle She Decided to Stick With
"When I had longer hair, it could take me three hours every two days to do my hair…This means I was watching a lot of movies that contributed to my career. But eventually, I got so tired of it. And so I think I looked at myself in the mirror one day, and I said, 'I think I'd look good with a shaved head.' I don't know what possessed me to think so; I don't know that I had any examples. I guess in my family's village, there are a lot of young girls who shaved their heads, especially for school. But I decided to do it. My parents said I looked crazy. I came home, and my dad said I looked like my brother. But he said I looked cute!"
"I just felt so beautiful after doing it. There's a picture of me where I'm just beaming, coming home from the barber, which was actually my brother's childhood barber. I did it when I was 16, and I haven't really looked back."
Lancôme
The One Thing She Does When She Wakes Up
"For the record, I'll say that I do my morning pages. And I look out the window dramatically. But unfortunately, a lot of the time these days, it's reaching for my phone, which is a habit I'm trying to change every day. Especially being so on the go in the past year, I just wake up needing to be informed. I look forward to a more tranquil time and just being able to take in the thoughts, my dreams, and go into the day more peacefully."
The One Thing She Does at Night
"Before bed I love to read. If I haven't done my Wordle, I'll do my Wordle."
The One Makeup Look She’s Loved Lately
"Recently, I tried what I think my makeup artist calls a half-lid liner. It's really pretty. We finished it off with a lash, and it really was just so sweet and low-key but very, very cute."
The One Makeup Look She Wants to Try
"I haven't really experimented with different color blushes besides pink and red. So I'd like to mix it up a bit in that way."
The One Routine She’s Sticking to This Winter
“Definitely masks. I love the Lancôme Génifique Mask ($15). It really just glows and moisturizes my skin. I feel so refreshed after putting it on. I make sure to do a little cleanser beforehand, put on the mask, laze about, and take it off. I apply some Lancôme serum, and then I put on either the night cream or, if it’s the daytime, the Absolue Cream ($165). I keep it moisturized. I recognize that when my skin is dry, I’m gonna break out.”
The One Product She Always Has on Hand
"I think lip balm counts as makeup for me! Absolutely balm, probably with a little bit of sheen to it. And then an eyeliner, because if I suddenly need to present myself, I'll just throw on a liner with the eyeshadow because it really lasts long. So those two I'll probably have in case of emergencies."
The One Beauty Mistake She’ll Never Make Again
"I always resent myself when I look at a picture, and I realize that under my eyes is too light. I have this huge smile, and so a lot of the time when under my eyes is too bright, I feel like I look like a hyena."
The One Piece of Beauty Advice She Sticks To
"Do not sleep with makeup on. It never works out. You wake up feeling a cactus and your pillow is all messy. It's not the best."
The One Thing Bringing Her Joy Right Now
"What's bringing me joy is all the love I've been experiencing, especially since becoming a part of the Lancôme family. Ever since, you know, the world has known since this morning, it's been just such an outburst of love and support and excitement. To be blessed with such a supportive community is what's bringing my heart joy."
Niecy Nash-Betts Lets Her Friends Steal This $10 E.l.f. Primer From Her Makeup Bag
