Here's the Skin Secret La La Anthony Has Been Hiding From the Camera
:upscale()/2015/10/02/824/n/1922153/bf9a4b34_edit_img_cover_file_2387621_1443810702_GettyImages-487788492.jpg)
Often you'll hear people say that celebrities are "just like us." But let's get real, we don't have a team of professionals primping and dressing us to perfection (#squadgoals). On the other hand, we don't have paparazzi and cameramen recording our every move either. That constant audience is one reason La La Anthony has been keeping her psoriasis a secret all these years, but now she's ready to admit the truth. She's got beauty struggles, too!
La La is teaming up with the National Psoriasis Foundation's Picture Positivity campaign to share her psoriasis story and give other sufferers the confidence to reach their full potential instead of going into hiding. And one of the people who inspired her to admit everything is her good friend Kim Kardashian, who has openly talked about her psoriasis treatment on TV.
"You see Instagram photos with filters and you think that people are so perfect and have nothing wrong with them," she told us in a recent interview. "That's unrealistic. It's great to speak on that and inspire people out there that you can be imperfectly perfect."
La La has spent years on your small screen, first as an MTV VJ and then on her reality series La La's Full Court Life. In all that time, she used different strategies to hide her dry skin. "The hardest part is when it's really bad trying to conceal or cover it. Clothing, hats, hairstyles, makeup — there are ways to cover it to where you can still go on with your day." Learn more about the initiative and get La La's fashion and beauty tips when you keep reading.
:upscale()/2015/10/02/813/n/1922153/7fc9f14d01444202_GettyImages-186762145.jpg)
On Her Full-Court Style
La La can often be spotted on the front row of Fashion Week (she actually designed her own line called 5th & Mercer for Shopbop) or sitting courtside to support her husband, Carmelo Anthony, at a Knicks basketball game. We've definitely found ourselves coveting her '90s-inspired outfits. But La La says she's not always dressing to impress, she's more about being comfortable.
"I don't follow a courtside protocol. One day I'll go in Jordans and sweats, and the next day I'll go in heels and a skirt. It depends on what I'm feeling. If you're confident in what you're wearing, people will pick up on that. You'll look good because you're confident. That's more important to me than what the actual clothes are."
:upscale()/2015/10/02/814/n/1922153/57b79a8a_1500x2271sr.jpg)
Her Career Advice
In addition to being a reality TV star, a beauty businesswoman, and a mom, La La also wrote her second book this year, The Power Playbook ($19). In it she outlines what women need to find their purpose and pursue their passions.
"My best career advice: Don't make all the decisions around money or a paycheck. I've always taken a job because it was something I wanted to do and loved to do — even if I wasn't getting paid," La La said. "There was a time when I was an intern at a radio station, and I wasn't getting paid for that, but I loved music. If it wasn't for that internship, I wouldn't be where I am today."
:extract_cover():upscale():fill(ffffff)/2015/10/02/814/n/1922153/57b79a8a_1500x2271sr.jpg)
:upscale()/2015/10/02/819/n/1922153/4afde0091f22944a_GettyImages-487788492.jpg)
Her Makeup Philosophy
Typically when La La steps out on the red carpet, her makeup is flawless (we're talking beat for the gawds) thanks to her glam guy Renny Vasquez. Her best feature is her round, hazel eyes, which he plays up with metallic shadows.
"I like bronze [shadow]," La La explained. "I don't like to do too much around my eyes though. I don't think it's necessary — great lash, great mascara, great eyeliner. I think less is more."
One place La La does put in a little extra time is her brows, where she often gets psoriasis flare-ups. She uses Motives Mineral Waterproof Brow Pencil ($16) to conceal any scaly skin. The Motives line of makeup is actually one of her business ventures alongside Loren Ridinger, and she told us she's researching more market possibilities in the beauty realm.
"Looking at skin care or makeup for sensitive skin and skin issues is a place I could see us going to," she said. "It's definitely something I've thought about."
:extract_cover():upscale():fill(ffffff)/2015/10/02/819/n/1922153/4afde0091f22944a_GettyImages-487788492.jpg)