Tips from Myha’la Herrold on Building Confidence in Your Smile and Embracing Your Inner Queen

Myha’la Herrold, a 28-year-old actress, has made appearances in a number of popular millennial-centric shows, including Bodies Bodies Bodies, Black Mirror and Modern Love. As she prepares for the upcoming third season of the hit series Industry, where she shines as the star, she is also working with Colgate on their My Smile is My Superpower campaign. Her job involves engaging in discussions about dental health, confidence, unique hair stylings like slicked-back buns, and more.

Herrold reveals that she has always had a happy and cheerful demeanor, eagerly smiling and expressing her joy. She recounts how, as a child, she was often encouraged to smile more naturally and subtly, which she admits she initially found confusing. This enthusiasm for smiling big and expressing her joy has always made her happy, and for the most part, she feels confident in sharing her smile with others.

Even though her adult teeth developed unusually small, a phenomenon known as peg laterals, she never felt insecure or the need to change them. There were times when visiting doctors would unwelcome and insensitively suggest cosmetic changes, but she has remained content with her smile.

Herrold admits that she briefly contemplated whether her smile might affect her career as she started in the industry and if it could make her appear too juvenile. She considered getting them capped but ultimately decided against it. Instead, she just wanted to look like herself and be recognized as such, feeling that her unique appearance played a significant role in her initial success.

She feels very confident in her ability to connect with others. She always tries to share her positivity and make others feel important and represented in her work. Although she sometimes experiences less confident days, she engages in aggressive positive self-talk to help lift her spirits.

Herrold shares that one of her dream roles is to portray Mimi in the musical Rent.

For maintaining her hair, she credits her stylist Cody and relies on two regular products, an Olaplex moisturizer and serum which gives a light hold and glossy finish. She recommends wrapping the hair for a super slick look. For keeping the hair slick while it dries, she suggests using a scarf, a do-rag or wrapping paper – a tip for black women out there.

Herrold had the advantage of a free, professionally-done hairdo throughout her life, and she fondly reminisces about her time at the salon. She used to help with small tasks after school, getting to know the regulars, and form a second family with the staff. She got to exhibit her creativity and meet a variety of different people, offering a bit of insight into her strong sense of community and creative environment while growing up.

“Um, I don’t leave my apartment—kidding! I am very regimented and almost militant in my whole wellness routine. Like clockwork, I do my skin care twice a day, every day. I drink a lot of water. I like to create the space so it feels quite luxurious in the bathroom showering. I’ve got eucalyptus in the shower, and I have all kinds of beautiful-smelling products or products with no fragrance that are good for my sensitive skin. I’m also a very aggressive person about my dental hygiene. I floss every day and I brush twice a day—if not more than that. I like to be fresh and clean and to feed my microbiome all the right things.”

“I am actually so crazy about dental health and care. I particularly love this campaign about encouraging people to embrace and take care of their natural smiles. It’s been a part of my journey, embracing my natural smile, and I’m really keen on keeping all my teeth in my mouth as long as I possibly can. I’ve got pretty weak enamel, and I’m pretty prone to cavities, so I’m all about letting people know that oral care is really important. And how lovely would it be for you to share so much uniqueness in your smile with all your natural teeth?”

“I feel like people want to be accepted, and they want to be liked, and they want to fit in, and that’s awesome. I feel like the thing that people gravitate to the most in me, is the things that make me different and unique. The things that make me special are the things that people are drawn to. So many people are like, ‘I love your little teeth. Those are great. They make you special,’ and they enjoy my smile that way. So I was actually so stoked to partner with Colgate on this because I really identify with it, and I think it’s a really strong message.”