Calling the Netflix series Young royals for a success is a strong understatement. The teen drama, which takes place at a dingy boarding school, was named Young Drama Series of the Year and Program of the Year at the 2022 Crystal Awards, and is now in its third season.
For 22-year-olds Nikita Owlwho plays the rich man’s daughter Felice, the success has meant a professional breakthrough, but also a personal development, not least because of screenwriter Lisa Ambjörn’s suggestion that the character should leave the straightener rejected and have Nikita’s natural curls.
– I got nervous. I’ve been straightening my hair since I was eight, nine years old.
NIKITA OWL
MAKE: Actor.
AGE: 22 years.
BOR: Stockholm, grew up in Kivik.
CURRENT: As Felice in the third season of the Neflix series Young royals.
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Straightening her curly hair started as a way to fit in with the other children in Kivik in Scania, where Nikita Uggla grew up. “Children can be brutally honest,” she points out. Flat hair became “one less thing to explain”. As the only dark person in a white family (she was adopted from South Africa), Nikita also had no idea how to care for aphthous textured hair. To flatten the simplified.
Now you can watch Nikita Uggla as Felice in the third season of Young Royals on Netflix. Photo: Netflix
– Mother did what she could. Every Sunday we sat in front of a TV series and untangled tangles with conditioner spray.
In the second and the upcoming third season of Young royals Felice has put down the straightener, which inspired Nikita to do the same in private.
– In retrospect, it has been so good for my self-confidence. Now I love walking around the house with my curls, without makeup and wearing glasses. It makes me strong Alicia Keys-vibes, she stopped wearing make-up and started wearing her hair in a wrap and she is so beautiful.
Today, Nikita Uggla has gotten to know her hair and skin – and found the right products. Photo: BEATA HOLMGREN / BEATA HOLMGREN
“Looks can decide if you get a role”
Nikita Uggla also visited a real afro hairdresser for the first time in her life and found out what her hair actually needs.
– Now I know that my type of hair is drier and requires other styling products. My favorite is Waterfall moisture & shine lotion from R+Co. The curls become defined and look so beautiful, the hair smells amazing and is moisturized. I have Living Proof shampoo and conditioner, they don’t dry out my hair and my scalp feels so much better.
Shampoo and conditioner from Living Proof, moisturizing lotion for the hair from R+Co and hair clip from Maanesten. Photo: BEATA HOLMGREN / BEATA HOLMGREN
But just today the straightener has come out again?
– Yes, it happens. And in winter it’s easier, the hair gets so frizzy otherwise.
You work in an industry where your appearance is a tool. Have you become comfortable with that idea or does it just add more pressure?
– Appearance can mean the difference between getting a role and not. You often hear “sorry, we’re looking for someone who looks like this”. It’s not personal, but it takes a lot of self-love not to get stuck in judgmental thoughts about yourself.
Recently, you unfollowed a bunch of social media accounts because the pictures of a perfect exterior affected you too much. You yourself have an account with 300,000 followers. How do you think about what you post?
– I think about it a lot, especially since I have many young followers. There have been times when I found myself thinking “oh shit, now that was some well-staged pictures”. But I try to give a reasonably real picture of my life. I also try to post pictures of me without makeup or walking around the house in a hoodie doing stupid things. The other day I posted that I had burnt popcorn twice and was doing a full dance in my kitchen.
Photo: BEATA HOLMGREN / BEATA HOLMGREN
Snail slime is a favorite
Acting is also a lot about changing your appearance. Do you often wear make-up in private?
– No, lately I’ve been focusing on skin care and trying to make my skin feel as good as possible. I’m totally hooked on a Korean brand called Benton. I have problem skin and have tried prescription tablets and creams, acids and everything else that has only eaten away at the skin. But with the products from Benton, I see results. The snail slime serum is a favorite and I always have the Goodbye redness centella face mask at home in case of a crisis. When I’m at my driest and a little tired, it restores everything. I also have a facial oil from RMS which is magical. I wear it when I’m not wearing make-up, but it also works on top of foundation for a natural glow. So now I’m trying to get used to only wearing lighter makeup like eyeliner, mascara and brow products. Partly because the skin can breathe, but also to stop seeing it as a problem that I sometimes have pimples.
Eyebrow wax from Per Lei, plus mascara, face oil and foundation from RMS Beauty. Photo: BEATA HOLMGREN / BEATA HOLMGREN
Face mask, Goodbye redness centella face mask, SEK 40, Benton.
There has been a lot of talk in the beauty world about how there have been so few dark shades on foundations. How has it worked for you to find suitable products?
– It has been disastrous! And I don’t even have that dark skin. People in the store don’t know how to help you. It was only when I started working as an actor that I got real help. The make-up guys used Giorgio Armani foundation on me and I got my shade home with me when we finished the shoot. Now I have found good shades from RMS Beauty as well. The situation has improved but it is still not good. For example, I lack a good contour product.
Foundation, Luminous silk foundation, 655 kr, Armani.
Marking brow pen, SEK 279, Rapide. Photo: BÖRJESONS REKLAM AB
Nikita’s 3 best tips
1. HEAT PROTECTION FOR THE HAIR
– If you are going to flatten your hair, use a conditioner with heat protection in it. It protects the hair and makes it soft and shiny. I use Leave in conditioner + Heat protection from Bobby Oduncu.
2. LOOSE EYELASHES
– Single lashes in the outer corners of the eyes give a cateye effect. Use black glue and some eyeliner and mascara, it opens up the eyes.
3. NAIL POLISH IN DIFFERENT COLORS
– You can mix colors, you don’t have to have one and the same. Don’t feel limited.
Nail polish from London Grace. Photo: BEATA HOLMGREN
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