Laverne Cox’s Best Beauty Tips Involve Baby Shampoo and Smizing

No one takes advantage of a red carpet like Laverne Cox. Since making her “Orange is the New Black” debut in 2013, the actress and activist has consistently delivered cutting edge fashion with an Old Hollywood twist. And now that she’s solidified herself as an icon-in-the-making, many look to her for the kind of beauty hacks you won’t necessarily find in a magazine, like using baby shampoo for face wash (yes, seriously).

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In a recent interview with Us Magazine’s “Stylish,” the 45-year-old shared that and more of her must-have tips, including how to find the light in selfies and why she customizes her foundation shades.

“I think whether you’re tall, whether you’re short, you have to know the angles of your face and how to put life into your face so there’s a light behind your eyes,” said the 5’11 stunner at Verizon’s “Connected Home” holiday event. “That means you’re smizing, to paraphrase Tyra [Banks].”

“For full body, if you have long legs a low angle will make them look great! Make sure your face is in the light, though, so you don’t get bunch of chins.”

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And before you can even grab the camera, “take care of your skin” with face cleansers like baby shampoo (“If it’s gentle enough for a baby, it’s gentle enough for your face!”) and remember that foundation only covers color, not texture.

“Deja, my makeup artist, mixes a lot of colors together to customize. We always do at least a couple different shades of foundation either in different parts of the face or mixed together. It’s all about dimension,” she said.

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And you know a beauty convo just isn’t complete without a wig moment, something Laverne could talk about all day.

“The fun thing about wigs is that you can change your look really really quickly. It’s the about the quality of the hair,” she said. “If you’re doing human hair like I would do you need to go for the best, virgin hair whenever possible. If it’s dyed make sure it’s not overly processed in the dying because it’s going to fry the hair.”