Keep your eye on Jasmine Mathews. The up-and-coming actress currently plays Heather on new series “Sweetbitter,” based on the novel of the same name by Stephanie Danler, and will star as a totally different Heather on Paramount’s upcoming reboot of—you guessed it—cult classic “Heathers.”
Read on as Mathews talks meditation, crystals and self-care.
Tina: What did you like most the looks of your characters in “Heathers” and “Sweetbitter”?
Jasmine: The fact that I got to play two characters of the same name who couldn’t be more different from each other, down to their style, was such a treat! What I truly love about Heather McNamara’s [of “Heathers”] style—and this is all a tribute to costume designer Aubrey Binzer who is an absolute genius—is that she takes risks! She purposely pairs things together that simply didn’t belong, like a vintage yellow leopard print jacket with a tight spandex body suit and some Fenty Puma heels.
It’s as if Heather McNamara, although an insecure follower most times, chooses to be a rebellious, confident trendsetter through her wardrobe. It’s like her style is her only mode of self-expression that she knows will be seen and heard. Her look is her voice.
Heather in “Sweetbitter” is the exact opposite in many ways. Granted, the year is 2006 in the show. She’s not a risk taker at all. She always goes for what’s safe, and dwells in the land of fashion dos and don’ts. You would never catch Heather in a skin tight body suit—if she’s wearing something skin tight, say, a skirt, she has to have a loose, flow-y blouse up top. One thing I do love about Heather in “Sweetbitter” though is that she’s more in tune with who she is ethnically and chooses to embrace that, no matter if it’s accepted or not. That’s why you’ll find this Heather wearing her natural hair.
How do you keep your skin so smooth and camera ready?
I feel like my skin knows when I have a shoot or an event coming up and will rebelliously break out the night before! In all seriousness though, I think my most important routine for clear skin is drinking lots and lots of water! A lot of people rush to more products before realizing that maybe they need to drink a bottle of water instead of reaching for soda or juice. It makes a difference, I promise! I also use an organic, vegan face wash called OrganiGlow twice a day. I do the Aztec Clay Mask once a week or once every two weeks, depending. But honestly, when it comes to your face, water and healthy eating are your best friends!
What are some of your go-to cosmetics off-screen?
I’m more of an au naturale girl so when I don’t have to wear make up, I don’t. When I do want to glam it up a bit, my definite go-to’s are my Graphblack Mac Eyeliner pencil (it lasts a little longer than drugstore eyeliners in my opinion), Dr. Hauschka Volume Mascara (it’s organic, non-irritating, doesn’t run, gives my lashes a great boost and doesn’t clump up at all) and last but certainly not least, the Freestyle Highlighter in Trophy Wife from Fenty Beauty. It illuminates my features without taking away from my natural beauty.
In what ways has your practice of meditation and interest in crystals enhanced your life?
I could talk about this all day. Meditation keeps me centered in my being; it reminds me that there’s more to this world than meets the eye; it gives me a solution to all of the problems we face on the daily; it gives me a way out. By turning inward, I am gifted with stillness and a sense of peace, a reassurance that no matter what, all things are always working out in my favor! Meditation also gives me a chance to detach from my thoughts and simply observe them without being overtaken by them. Meditation helps realign me with who I truly am and keeps me from becoming too attached to this world.
As for crystals, Willow Smith said it best in one of her songs: “They’re good vibe generators.” I’m a firm believer that all things are full of life force and because of that, all things vibrate at a specific chosen frequency, including trees and crystals. Both just so happen to be high on the vibration scale. So when I carry crystals, they serve as a physical reminder for me to raise my vibrations to that of love, or confidence, or whatever crystal I’ve chosen for the day. Crystals are also tools that, when paired with an intention, help me raise my vibrations to my desired state.
Every crystal, just like every human, is programmed with a purpose. Some are set to vibrate in the field of self-love, some are set to vibrate in truth and others, cosmic consciousness. Whatever my intention is for the day, I have a crystal alongside to help me accomplish my set intention. Crystals are one of my favorite things in the world.
Whose style, spirit and beauty inspire you most?
There are four women in particular whom I take inspiration from on the daily. They inspire me to walk confidently, embrace myself as I am, and know and continue to increase my sense of self-worth. Those women are Dorothy Dandridge, Eartha Kitt, Angela Bassett and my mom.
More and more though, the woman who inspires me most is the woman I am, and the woman within me that is yet to be discovered. I am constantly in awe of the way that I choose to express myself in any given moment, the way I continue to heal from past trauma and the way that I dig deeper into myself (through meditation) to find more self-acceptance and self-love.
I constantly honor the fact that my being changes not according to the outside world, but according to what is happening within. By recognizing that at no point am I bound to the person I chose to be yesterday or even 5 minutes ago, all that I do—down to my wardrobe, makeup and hairstyle—is truly a reflection of my spirit’s expression in that specific moment. That’s why on some days you’ll see me wearing baggy army fatigues and my hair in a mohawk, and on other days in hippie attire with an afro!
Interview & Photography: Tina Turnbow
Hair: Takisha Sturdivant-Drew for Exclusive Artists using TSD Hair
Makeup: Tyrone Traylor
Styling: Ashley Pruitt
