Kindra Moné
Get used to seeing Tabria Majors. The accomplished model has made her presence known with her work ranging from Rihannaâs Savage X Fenty show to Forever 21, and even an exclusive swimsuit collaboration with Fashion to Figure. She practically broke the internet when she channeled BeyoncĂ© for Halloween, and she also happens to be plus-sizedâwhich, quite frankly IMHO, is one of the least interesting things about her.
Sure, her beautiful figure and the curvy representation that she brings to the industry are inarguably worth celebrating, but her work ethic and production mastermind are what really set her apart. While others are trying to fit the mold, Tabria carries herself with an heir and confidence that requires the mold to adjust to her. We caught up with the Nashville native to see beauty through her unique lens.
It's about glam time you treated yourself.
From the outside, it might seem like Tabriaâs rise to success was sudden, but she is a motivated hard worker and her accomplishments are not a flukeâtheyâre the result of long hours and lots of creativity. She was initially discovered on Instagram, where she âwas just taking pictures for fun. Instagram was new and exciting, and I was just on it just like everybody else. I was doing yoga a lot back then and that's what I was posting.â She never took it seriously until her friend entered her into a national competition for Wet Seal. When she won, she realized she was onto something. She decided to sign with the same agent from Instagram and has been working with him sinceâbut it didnât start off easily.
âMy first three years modeling was so hard. I started working as a housekeeper for different people, just because I didn't know when I was getting paid next. Eventually, I got in the groove of things, and now everything is great and stable. I also practiced a lot. I would time myself taking pictures then see how many photos were good enough to useâlike a batting average. It sounds silly, but I would do that a lot, mimic other models, and even look up poses on youtube.â
âI don't know where this mentality came from, but I've always been a hustler, even in middle school. I would make mixed CDs for kids and sell them for $5. I did whatever I could to make money. But I will say that I work too hard, and I need to find a balance. I don't think that the rise and grind mentality is healthy. I definitely need to enjoy life more. I donât really have as much time for self-care as Iâd like, so I should definitely practice what I preach a bit more.â
All of her hard work has clearly been paying off. Itâs possibly most evident in her famous 2020 Beylloween production, an 11-minute short film where Tabria paid homage to BeyoncĂ© by recreating several of her iconic videos for Halloween. The self-produced project has almost four million views (and counting!), and it has garnered the attention of fans and BeyoncĂ© herself.
âIt was so stressful, but it was totally worth it. Looking back, Iâm not sure how we pulled it off. My photographer and director Matt and I did everything. He would be googling locations, and I would be googling outfits. We prepped for a month, rehearsed for three weeks, and shot everything in eight days. It was definitely life-changing.â
Growing up, beauty was the furthest thing from Tabriaâs mind. Having good grades was far more important than a flawless makeup application. âMy beauty was never on my mind growing up, ever, '' she says. âI wasn't a tomboy, I wasn't a girly girlâI was just somebody who went to school and did their work and went home. My education was the most important thing that my parents instilled in me. I remember feeling sort of left out when it came to beauty because anytime somebody would compliment me as a kid, my parents would always retort with âOh, but her brains are more important! She has to stay in those books.â I was raised by my grandparentsâand they were amazing parentsâbut I think itâs also important to instill confidence in your childrenâs appearance.â
It wasnât until Tabriaâs time as a music major at the University of Memphis that she became aware of beauty standards and began to feel the comparative pressures of fitting in. âI became super aware of myself in college, and I always felt like I was so much bigger than everybody. Now when I look back on my pictures, I was so small! It's insane how I thought of myself when I was younger.â
Tabria has always been an advocate for inclusivity and uses her platform to shed light on inclusivity and body positivity, but recently, her feelings on the latter have started to shift towards body neutrality. âAs a plus-size model, people always ask me, âHow do you get so confident?â I think they expect me to say something like, âOh, you just say this three times and turn around, and there you are,â but itâs so much more than that.
Recently, I feel like body positivity has been co-opted by people that it wasn't initially meant for. It was created by fat women, and specifically fat Black women. Thatâs not to say that everyone can't be a part of the movementâbut still, thinner white women have become the standouts of the movement. Certain women talk about body positivity but never mention anyone outside of themselves, and thatâs not what itâs about.â
In contrast to body positivity, body neutrality supports accepting your body at whatever state it currently is in, without the need to strive to be excited or overly enthusiastic about it. It also focuses more on the functionality of your bodyâwhat it does for you every day, rather than how it looks. âBody neutrality resonates with me a lot more. I was practicing it for a while, and I didnât even notice,â says Tabria.
While Tabria is an advocate for loving yourself, she admits that even she can fall victim to being self-critical. âNow that Iâm a model, Iâm hyper-aware of everything, and I kind of hate that I notice every imperfection about myself. I don't try to correct everything, though. I accept most of my flaws, but I have my picture taken hundreds of times a day, and then someone on set will comment on something and make me notice it even more.â
Tabria also admits that she has a tough-love approach when it comes to encouraging herself and others. âI used to complain internally about the way that I looked and things that I didn't like about my body. I hated hearing myself complain all the time because I don't like hearing other people complaining about the same thing over and over again. If my friend keeps complaining about the same man, just leave him, sis! So I apply that same energy to myself: Either accept it or change it.
For example, I donât like my cellulite, but it is what it is, and everyone has it. I wonât complain; Iâll just accept it. But there are other things Iâm working to change. I recently became vegan because I was feeling really sluggish. Now I have so much energyâitâs crazy. If you donât like something, accept it or change it. Do whatever makes you happy.â
Representation has definitely increased in our post-2020 world, but Tabria expresses that the industry can still do so much better behind the scenes. âThere is definitely a huge lack of Black beauty professionals in the industry, and it is so infuriating,â says Tabria. âI don't know how we're still dealing with this, even after everything that happened last year. Iâm somebody who can voice their opinion on set and not be afraid to do so, but I know what it feels like to be a new model and not be able to voice your opinion because you don't know the ramifications.â
âI have lighter skin, so Iâve only had one bad experience with makeup. I will always ask dark-skinned models about who does their makeup well, and itâs always the same five artists that they mention. Thereâs so much talent out there, but the industry has to catch up. I've been modeling for six years now, and I've only worked with three Black makeup artists and three Black hairstylists.â Unfortunately, this is an experience that several Black models have expressed relating to. âSomething has to change, and the barrier to entry needs to be demolished. It shouldnât just be about who you went to dinner with last week. It should be about whoâs the most talented for the job.â
When Tabria isnât getting her glam professionally done for another campaign shoot, she likes to keep her routine pretty simple with a less-is-more approach to skincare and hair care. âI used to follow a Korean skincare regimen with ten steps every day and night. It was so intense, and it gave me great results, but I've definitely scaled back to a more minimal routine. I use about four products every morning and every night: cleanser, hyaluronic acid, moisturizer, and sunscreen, of course. Oh, and retinol from Paulaâs Choice. Outside of that, I rotate products. Iâm not much of a brand loyalist. I feel like a lot of skincare is about marketing.
As far as her natural curls go, Tabria big-chopped her hair in 2018 after years of straightening damage. âI used to put oil in my hair, and then straighten it. So stupid. These days, I wear my hair curly 99 percent of the time outside of work. Wigs have also been very helpful with protecting my curls, but Iâm a pretty lazy natural. I donât do a lot. The most Iâll do is a deep conditioner. I also love to make my own flaxseed gel. It gives you the most hydrated, juicy curls.â
So whatâs next for the model and multi-talented star? Tabria is just getting started. âI would like to explore acting more, and Iâve even tinkered with the idea of a production company. I also want to have my own clothing line eventually, but whatever I do, I just want to be able to extend opportunities to other people. Wherever I see a gap in the industry, I want to work to fill it. Whether it's with design, acting, modeling, or productionâwhatever, I just want to give opportunities and bring as many people along with me as I can. Who knows what's in store?â But we know one thing for sure: Weâll be staying tuned to see what iconic looks sheâll deliver this Halloween.
Interested in reading more stories of Beauty Through The Black Lens? Read how celebrity stylist Lacy Redway is changing the beauty industry. Want in on all the IPSY Glam Bag fun? Take our Beauty Quiz now to get started. Already an Ipster? Refer your friends to earn points, which you can use toward products. Either way, donât forget to check us out on Instagram and Twitter @IPSY.
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