We are pleased to present a series of articles that examines one person’s relationship with beauty and how it has changed over time. It also explores how they feel being seen. We’re speaking to Jessica Alba an actress and founder at  The Honest Company and Honest Beauty who is relaunching its line with sustainable packaging and launching four new products: a setting cream, a powder cleanser and a purifying lotion.

Alba discusses how growing up as a child actress impacted her relationship to beauty and how social media helped her reclaim control over her image. “My mom would never leave the house without her makeup on, not even to take me to school. Even though she didn’t have any money as a child, she always kept her face clean. My mom loved a strong blush, black eyeliner and a red lip.”

“My grandmother also had a big influence on me. One red lipstick was her go-to for all occasions. My grandmother was minimalistic with her makeup. My mom was the exact opposite. I was somewhere in the middle.”

Actress adds: “I started acting when I was 12. My hair and makeup made me look like the character I was trying to portray. I had the opportunity to work with many famous makeup artists and was able to meet so many. It was a way to express yourself through makeup.”

“I learned how to do makeup through all my mistakes. Unfortunately, I was forced to see myself on a large screen and realized that I looked terrible. Maybe I shouldn’t do my hair and make-up for a red carpet. Then it got too extreme. I was doing a lot of glam. It was too much.”

“Honest, I think I sort of fell into the groove of being comfortable with myself in a different way. It is very hard to feel confident in the entertainment industry. Before the internet, magazines editors and journalists were in control of how I was perceived by others. But, someone wanted me to be sold to their audience. That is how I was presented. Social media was the catalyst that allowed me to control my narrative and image. I get to be my own megaphone–everything feels connected.”

“Before, I think I just felt really disconnected from my own image. I tried to work alongside those manufacturers but they kept falling short of our standards since we don’t use more than 2,500 ingredients. They couldn’t do it. We were forced to move in-house. In addition to the regulatory team, chemists and two labs, we had to create a sourcing team. We pushed contract manufacturers out of their comfort zones and into new areas in many ways. We felt like “This is the future of the industry.”

“We’ll keep moving the needle, and hopefully more people will notice and follow our lead.”