She’s a fearless advocate for self-empowerment, especially for women who’ve been told to dim their light, and she’s on a mission to help her audience embrace who they are without feeling the need to fit anyone else’s mold.
TEAM CREDITS
Photographer| @photo_tatianakatkova
Creative Director & Stylist| @styledbyambika
Stylist Assist| @sarahmgibsonn @dharaab
MUA| @lbcharlesbeauty
Hair Stylist| @miwakourasugi3
Videographer| @mishmediaplus
Whether she’s dishing out beauty tips with a full-glam beat or sharing her journey of self-love and self-acceptance, Cynthia keeps it real in a world often edited. From raiding Fallon’s closet in Dynasty in her dreams to unplugging with family time and speed-cleaning sessions, Cynthia’s approach to life and content is refreshingly down-to-earth. Buckle up as she gives us an inside look into the highs and lows, laughs, and lessons of her life as a creator — and maybe even a few makeup tips along the way.
Welcome to L’Officiel India Cynthia. Every creator faces hurdles. What’s one challenge you’ve overcome in your journey, and what lesson did it teach you?
One of the biggest challenges I had to face when it comes to being a content creator and being on social media is not comparing myself to others and wanting more just because I would see it in social media. Every day I get on social media and unconsciously start comparing myself to other people’s new cars, new house, a fit body, or a prettier face. It is just so much easier to see “perfection” in other people but we know that everything we see on social media is just the best phase of people. So, I had to learn how to walk away from this type of mentality. I taught myself that comparison is a thief of joy and I wasn’t going to get happier by sitting there comparing myself to all these people. I’ve realized that I will accomplish all my goals on my own timeline which makes sense for me. It’s okay to set goals for yourself based on what you see online but to be envious is something that will negatively impact you. This was one of the biggest challenges I had to overcome this year. So that’s why as a content creator when I put content out, I try my best to ensure that I portray the most “real” version of me.
As a creator, how do you hope to use your platform to inspire positive change or empower your audience?
I use my platform to be as “raw” and authentic as possible. I want to be able to prove to people that they most certainly do not have to put on a face or feel the need to look like the “European beauty standard” in order to feel beautiful and successful. Living unapologetically in my plus-sized, dark skin, Tamil woman is enough and I hope it inspires other women to make the right choices in doing whatever they want to feel beautiful and successful. I also want to engage with my audience on how to create wealth for every individual. A lot of times in the brown community, the standard of life for a woman is about getting married and raising a family. We are seeing such an amazing movement of women who do not center their life around getting married or making their entire life about your marriage but I want to be able to inspire women all around the world to create a solid financial foundation for themselves.
You’ve been part of so many viral trends! Which TikTok trend do you wish would make a comeback, and how would you put your unique twist on it?
I was never really into many of the TikTok trends. I did do a couple that I thought were fun but I don’t usually follow trends to do my content. That being said, something I wish to make a comeback is the 2016 makeup trends. I’ve always been a full glam girl and I didn’t understand why all of a sudden, we came out with the whole clean girl aesthetic. I want my face with a full glam beat like they used to do back in 2016! Those full brows and overlined lips and fun eyeshadow colors. I love all that drama.
What’s your guilty pleasure when it comes to beauty or fashion? Do you have a favorite product or trend that you secretly love?
I say that concealer is my guilty pleasure. It always seems like I can never get enough of it and anytime someone comes out with a new drop I tend to get at least two so that I can play around with it. I love a full-coverage concealer that gives me a doll-like look. Another secret obsession is makeup brushes! I don’t really know what it is about them but I get so excited anytime I see a new makeup brush collection. I have tons of them but somehow, I always find myself buying more! This is one thing that I do not like sharing even with my family!
What’s one unusual skincare tip or product that has transformed your routine, and why do you swear by it?
I used to underestimate the power of toner! I never really paid too much attention to toner; therefore, I guess I never actually gave it a chance. But since my skin is getting more mature, I’ve been learning about ways to keep it healthy and youthful. Ever since I started incorporating toner into my skincare
more religiously I can truly say there has been a difference in the way my skin breathes. Having good skin also makes my makeup look and last way longer so I put more care into skincare nowadays. This is also why I swear my slugging! I love to lather on as much skincare as possible during my nighttime skincare routine. God knows what I do when I go to bed but at least when I wake up I know that I’m moisturized.
If you could raid anyone’s closet—celebrity or fictional character—who would it be, and what pieces are you hoping to snag?
I would love to raid just about everything from Elizabeth Gillies’s character in Dynasty as Fallon! I love every single one of her power suits. I could live in power suits every single day of my life if I could. They give off such a powerful statement and they are so fun to play around with in terms of color and pattern! The way those suits are put together so neatly and professionally yet so fun just screams for me to try them all out. If you know me, you know I love accessorizing. So, in terms of shoes and bags, I would go to either Beyonce or Cardi B’s closet! They have such bling pieces and I’m all about the glitz and glam! For jewelry, I would go to Kim Kardashian’s closet for the really big bling factors.
Who are your biggest comedic influences, and how do they inspire your own content? Is there a particular sketch or routine that resonates with you?
I never really thought about any comedic influencers. I mean I find some people funny but they aren’t necessarily comedians and neither am I. I just live my life to the fullest and it happens to make some people laugh. Honestly, I think I could be one of the funniest people I know but I am certainly not looking for a comedy career.
What’s one thing your followers would be surprised to learn about the behind-the-scenes of your content creation?
This is an interesting question because I think I show my followers everything. From behind the scenes to the hectic day in the life. My true followers know how messy my studio can get and how insane my life can get sometimes. I love to dress up and look pretty but I also have no shame in showing people how I look when I actually wake up (not social media wake up). That being said I do think a lot of people don’t realize that I do have a team behind me. I am the face of ShawtySin but I have people in my life to help me organize manage edit and just get my life together sometimes. I didn’t always start out with a team but they have made my life so much more efficient and I value each one.
With all the screen time, how do you unwind and disconnect from social media? What’s your favorite offline activity?
This is a wonderful question. Over the past year, I have actually taken some time to reflect on how as a content creator I do use my phone a lot. Content Creator or not I also see a lot of people in society that are generally just glued to their phones. We really do need to step back from our phones I know we hear this a lot and we also see it on social media posts but how many of us actually put our phones down and do a digital detox?
Although my life does revolve around my phone and social media. I have been taking steps in the past few months to not be so glued to my phone. I try my best to get my “Work” done and the put down my phone and walk away. Whether it be hanging out with my family or going out to eat I like to be disconnected when having human-to-human interactions. Lately, I’ve also been doing speed cleaning where I put down my phone and start tackling the mess that I have made while making content or doing a makeup look. Cleaning takes my mind off of social media and the drive powers me through to make my space clean.
Can you leave us with a quote or mantra that motivates you and might inspire others in their journeys?
“You can achieve anything you want in this life. What is meant for you will find you and if you don’t have it now it’s because you are not prepared for it.”
