Motherland: Fort Salem’s Ashley Nicole Williams Says This Hack Is Perfect For Those Who Can’t Do Makeup

Up until recently, the extent of Ashley Nicole Williams' (star of Freeform series Motherland: Fort Salem) makeup skills involved applying mascara. In fact, when discussing her current beauty routine with The Zoe Report, the 21-year-old actor laughingly admits that she's "never been able to do makeup," and has relied heavily on the tips of the on-set makeup artists she's worked with on the show.

"I'm definitely an au naturel girl, but I love when a glam team does my face," says Willams, who plays witch-turned-army recruit Abigail Bellweather on TV. "When I filmed the show [Motherland], I saw how my makeup artist applied base coat and all those things, so I've tried to kind of mimic them a bit. But, normally, I wear nothing on my face, besides a little mascara."

Picking up pro artist tips can be a challenge, especially for someone with novice makeup skills, which is why the Dallas, Texas native relies on a few simple hacks she's learned while sitting in the makeup chair. "If I have dark circles under my eyes, [I learned] you can do different color concealers, like red, a darker purple, or green to lighten things up before you apply the skin-tone concealer. I thought that was wild!"

And while she may play a conjurer on Motherland, Williams has learned some magic of her own, using eyeliner and tape instead of a wand. "[My makeup artist] uses these little strips of tape to make the winged eyeliner so sharp," she says, with a tinge of awe in her voice. "I'm like, 'oh, so this is how you do it. You just need to use this little piece of tape.' I'm so amazed by makeup artists."

Just because she's no master with eyeliner or concealer doesn't mean Williams hasn't perfected a routine on her own. The actor has a well-oiled beauty regimen that focuses on keeping her skin healthy and naturally flawless. "In terms of skin products, I use the Caudalie face serum and moisturizer," says Williams. "So, typically, I'll wash my face with Éminence oil cleanser and then apply serum, moisturizer, a little bit of mascara, and Laneige lip balm on my lips. [...] I use the "Better Than Sex Mascara" by Too Faced, but they just released a new one called "Damn Girl," and that's the one I'm using right now. I love it. It really makes my lashes pop."

For days she wants to kick things up a notch, Williams looks no further than the reigning queen of beauty. "Rihanna is my girl," says the actor. "When I do wear makeup I wear Fenty [Beauty]. I wear the concealer, foundation, and powder — all of that. If I don't want to wear lipstick, I'll go with a Fenty gloss. My go-to is one of the original shades, a pink one called Fu$$y."

The actor will also do a little eye play here and there, opting for some tried-and-true makeup palettes (she's used Urban Decay Naked Palettes for years) as well as some new faves. "I love Morphe shadow palettes," says Williams. "The pigment is amazing."

Another woman who's inspired Williams glam over the years is her mother, who instilled a love for high-octane lip shades in her. "Growing up, my mom always wore red lipstick," recalls the actor. "That's where I get the red pop from. The actual shade I always wear is MAC's Lady Bug [lipstick]. If I want to go a little pink, I'll put on Pretty Boy, which is also a MAC lipstick. I love a good lip, because I can't do anything else!"

Williams' mother is also credited in giving the actor a beauty mantra that sticks with her to this day. "My mother always says you’re perfectly made in God’s light," says the TV star. "Everyone has beauty, and you don’t have to wear makeup to be beautiful. Being yourself is the true definition of beauty."

Fair enough. But in the event you want to up the ante, ahead, Williams' go-to beauty products for both au naturel and all-out glam looks.

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