Recently, a CurlyNikki correspondent caught up with the gorgeous actress and singer Rosario Dawson. Known for her roles in “Rent,” “Alexander,” “Seven Pounds,” and my personal favorite, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” she took some time out of her busy schedule to dish on her hair and favorite curly hair products.
CurlyNikki: Tell us the best part about being a sex symbol — not that you see yourself that way, but still!
Rosario Dawson: Revenge for all those dudes that were not trying to holla at me when I was in high school! I went to prom stag. It’s pretty sad. I’ve told this before, it’s really funny — there was a guy in high school that I had a huge crush on, but he was not feeling me. I ran into him a couple of years later. I saw him, pushing a baby carriage and when he saw me, he was like, “Yo what’s up Rosario! How you doing?! I told my boy that we went to school together and he asked me if we ever hooked up and I was like, naw, she didn’t look like that in high school!” I was like, “Um, I started acting when I was 15, and I absolutely looked the same, you just didn’t see me.”
CN: You were 15 when you shot “Kids?”
Dawson: Yes! Only 15, and I swear I looked the same. But seriously, it’s not revenge, it’s actually a really weird thing. I definitely didn’t grow up thinking that I was sexy, more awkward than anything, like most folks in their teenage years. I was a late bloomer. I just find it really funny because I know it takes a lot of work to make that happen. On a normal, roll-out-of-bed day, I don’t think I’d be topping the “most sexy” list. When I get a little assistance accessorizing, it really helps!
CN: In many pics, it seems that you have naturally wavy hair. Is this the case?
Dawson: I grew up with really straight hair, but as I’ve gotten a little older, it’s become more wavy, which is really exciting because my mom has super curly hair. It was one of the things I used to get upset about because my brother has really curly hair as well. He’s tall, he’s got a really great ass, he’s got the height, he’s got the ass, he’s got the hair [laughter]. I was just really upset about that. But you know, I can wear heels, and now that my hair is starting to get curly, I feel less bad. I feel like I can blend in better with my family!
CN: What curly hair products are you using?
Dawson: I was just talking about this in Shape magazine. My really good friend, Tara Smith, who did my hair on “Death Proof,” started a hair product line called Tara Smith. It’s all paraben free and she said it’s tested on film stars, not animals. It’s an eco-conscious line and it works really well. I use everything from the Tara Smith Base Coat Serum to the shampoos. They have a line for curly hair, Tara Smith C Curls and one called Tara Smith Straight Away if you’re looking to straighten your hair. It really works, and you don’t even really have to flat iron it. I really love her stuff.
CN: What about skin care?
Dawson: I have a friend that does a beauty line called Sibu. They take seabuckthorn berries from the Himalayas and use them in their products. They have a facial and body cream, oil, liquid supplement and detox treatment. It’s all so fit and delicious and very, very natural. The supplement, I find, really helps take out inflammation. I used to give it to my grandmother before she passed. She had really bad arthritis and had to have those really weird jar opener things to open stuff up, and she threw them all away, and the lumps in her hands went down. She really promoted it. I definitely recommend both Tara Smith and Sibu. Look ’em up!
