SIMPLICITY WINS

Rickey Thompson Finally Revealed Why His Skin Is So Damn Glowy

We chatted with the social media star about his amazing eyebrows, the secret to his dewy skin, and what he's looking for next with his career. 
rickey thompson wearing metallic green eye makeup and metallic emerald lipstick with pink fishnet  one shoulder crop top...
Courtesy of Instagram/@rickeythompson

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The journey to figure out your distinctive eyebrow shape can involve a lot of trial and error — extra emphasis on the error. But when you do perfect the shape or style you want, it can really change the way you look at your own face. That's part of the reason why brows are the main part of Rickey Thompson's makeup routine. "My favorite part of my face is my eyebrows," he tells Allure via a phone call.

The social media sensation first became well known for his videos on Vine that showcased his loud personality, positive energy, and comedic flair. Since the days of Vine, he has expanded to other social media platforms and completely new ventures including modeling and acting. 

His infectious personality and distinctive, thick brows landed him the opportunity to star in Benefits Cosmetics' Brow Tales campaign. The brand isn't highlighting any new products in this campaign, but it does feature videos of the internet personality as a guardian "arch angel" — yes, you read that right — working his magic to instill confidence in various women with the help of the Precisely, My Eyebrow Pencil and the 24-HR Brow Setter Clear Brow Gel. If there's one thing Thompson excels at, it's uplifting your spirit and making you feel like you are the best and baddest you could ever be. 

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Thompson shares that he's loved the brand's products, particularly the Brow Setter, for a while now, so when he got the call to work on the campaign he was shocked the brand even knew his name. "I've been using the brow setting gel for the longest time ever," he shares. 

benefit precisely my brow pencil on white background

Benefit

Benefit Cosmetics Precisely, My Eyebrow Pencil

open benefit cosmetics 24-hr brow setter eye row gel on white background

Benefit

Benefit 24-HR Brow Setter Clear Brow Gel

He likes to use the gel to achieve what he calls the "whole neat-but-messy brow look" and set the hairs in place. "I just love how [the gel] stays on for literally ever," he shares. "I could do anything, and my brows are always together and ready to go throughout the whole entire day." In fact, the brow is one of the few makeup products he uses because he likes simple makeup in favor of spending more time on his skin-care routine. 

With a simple scroll down his Instagram feed, you'll notice his skin is glowing in every single picture as if he somehow manages to bring the perfect beam of sunlight with him wherever he goes. In addition to drinking water and getting plenty of rest (can't relate), he credits serums and sunscreen for keeping his skin looking dewy all the time. 

bottle of Freck Beauty On Repeat on white background

Freck Beauty

Freck Beauty On Repeat

uncapped bottle of Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum on white background

Sunday Riley

Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum

eyedropper bottle of Ferver Fermented Hyaluronic Acid Face Serum which is a pink liquid on white background

Ferver

Ferver Fermented Hyaluronic Acid Face Serum

eyedropper bottle of yellow fluid that is the Ferver Fermented Prebiotic Glow Face Serum on white background

Ferver

Ferver Fermented Prebiotic Glow Face Serum

To start, he washes his face with the Freck Beauty On Repeat cleanser and then applies his serums. He loves vitamin C and plumping serums in particular. "I used to not be obsessed with [serums because] I didn't understand them. But now, I'm like, 'Oh my gosh, my skin loves it,'" he shares. Which serums get his stamp of approval? He name-drops Sunday Riley's C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum and both the Ferver Fermented Hyaluronic Acid Face Serum and Fermented Prebiotic Glow Face Serum (he's a paid partner of Ferver). 

After applying the serums, he goes in with an eye cream, specifically, Ole Henriksen's Banana Bright Eye Crème, which also contains vitamin C. We recommend Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream for brightening and Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb for a moisture boost if you're in the market for an eye cream with a similar effect. Then, it's time for moisturizer. (The Best of Beauty-winning Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Moisturizer is a great option.)

He's a big fan of vitamin C, and we completely understand why because the ingredient is a powerhouse. It's "a potent antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals," New York-based board-certified dermatologist Patricia Wexler, MD, previously shared with Allure. "Because of its antioxidant properties, vitamin C aids in your skin's natural regeneration process, which helps your body repair damaged skin cells." It can also brighten the skin and aid in collagen production, which helps plump the skin.

Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Creme on white background

Ole Henriksen

Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Crème

Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream on white background

Drunk Elephant

Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream

Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb on white background

Belif

Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb

jar of Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Moisturizer on white background

Fresh

Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Moisturizer

SPF is an absolute must for him, too. "Wearing your sunscreen is very, very, very important," he says. "You have to protect the skin always." After moisturizing, he applies Eve Lom Daily Protection SPF 50. He originally received the product in a PR package and has loved it since first trying it because it's sheer — those with brown or dark skin know that it is a struggle to find a sunscreen that won't make you look casket-ready. 

tube of Eve Lom Daily Protection SPF 50 on white background

Eve Lom

Eve Lom Daily Protection SPF 50

His hair-care routine has been just as simple as his makeup routine since cutting off his hair. In June 2021, Thompson revealed to Instagram fans that he traded in his signature braided bob for a buzz cut. Unlike in the past, when he would use scalp oils, he now just brushes his hair down. 

A drastic haircut like that can feel life-changing, even if it's truly not that dramatic, but he doesn't regret the decision one bit. He was motivated to cut his hair simply because he wanted something new. "I told myself, 'I want to give grown and mature and sophisticated,'" he says. "I was like, 'You know what? My braids are cute, but it's time to really switch it up.'"

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The urge to switch it up isn't just exclusive to Thompson's beauty routine. Becoming an internet star is no easy feat, but through the years, he has managed to evolve with the times — even after the shut down of Vine, which he admits he really does miss. Despite that, he still loves social media and doesn't see himself ever leaving completely, but he is looking into other opportunities, namely acting — he's already had a chance to star in the YouTube Red Series Foursome, which ran from 2016 to 2018. 

Social media not only launched his career but helped give him a thicker skin and appreciation for his authentic self, no matter how many people comment saying he's too loud or doing too much. "Those comments, they don't get to me at all. I'm like, 'This is me,'" he says. "And hey, I'm successful being me."


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