Khoudia Diop

“I was so ashamed of it that I would spend hours in the shower crying and trying to wash my skin off.”

“I was in Italy on vacation, and I saw my reflection in a mirror. I saw how unique my skin was and why people stop me on the street to ask about it. I started falling in love with it.”

“I was bullied a lot, being a kid, so I feel like I'm standing out because I realize who I really am.”

“Personally, it was always very difficult to find complexion products that match my shade.”

“While in Paris, I got into modeling - photographers would literally stop me on the street.”

“For those who feel the need to be bullies, I ignore them.”

“My very first account was @BlackBarbie, which is what my friends called me growing up. Then I thought, 'You can either call yourself that, or you can find something that will matter to dark-skinned girls.' So I came up with @melaniin.goddess.”

“I don't know why. I'm fascinated with stars and space. I just love them.”

“A tip that I got from my mom that really helps keep my skin fresh is to wash my face with ice water in the morning. I love it. Just splash with water - cold water. That's the first thing I do every morning.”

“I hear a lot from women in Africa. And not just from dark-skinned women but from all women struggling because of insecurity. They thank me and tell me that I inspire them. And that makes me feel really, really proud.”

“Self-love is not something that you get in one day or two days. It's an ongoing process, and I go through it every day.”

“I was born in Senegal in 1996. My mom moved to New York when I was two years old, so I was raised by my aunt back home.”

“In my country - even though we have a lot of dark-skinned people - people think the lighter you are, the better you are. They think beauty has to do with being light-skinned. I think that's really wrong.”

“Make Up For Ever has foundation options that work for me - and everyone.”

“As I grew, I learned to love myself more every day and not pay attention to the negative people, which helped a lot.”