Kerry Washington is adamant she isn't a "pawn" for the brands she represents.
Kerry Washington
The 'Scandal' star is a consultant with Neutrogena and is an ambassador for O.P.I - with the company releasing a range of nail polishes curated by the actress - and while she might make her job of representing their products look easy, she also demands to have a say in the creative process and says it isn't just about putting a celebrity's face to the brand.
She told WWD: "I've never been comfortable being a pawn. I work with brands where I feel like I can have my say, and companies that I'm proud to be in a relationship with. Partnerships take a lot of time. If I am going to put my name and my face and my energy behind something, I want it to be authentic."
For O.P.I, the 38-year-old beauty has chosen colours - including a nude called 'Pale to the Chief', a chocolate brown 'Speaker of the House' and tawny copper 'Yank My Doodle' - that she says suit her personally.
She added: "Nails are at that interesting point where fashion and beauty meet. For me, growing up, when people were saying 'nude', they weren't talking about my naked skin tone. I made sure that in my collection, we had nudes that also represent me."
Kerry also revealed that she is working with Neutrogena to ensure that their foundations are suitable for everyone.
She told WWD: "Part of my collaboration with both Neutrogena and O.P.I has been to keep inclusivity front of mind."
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