Pharrell Williams has been in the public eye for a long time and has cemented his place as one of the wealthiest men in hip-hop. The producer, rapper, songwriter, and entrepreneur rose to fame as part of The Neptunes alongside Chad Hugo in the late-1990s and, since the early-2000s, has been a dominant force in the culture. As well as being a talented musician, the Virginia native has also had a lot of leverage in the fashion world.
In 2003 the ‘Frontin’ hit-maker entered a joint venture with Japanese clothing designer Nigo and launched his luxury streetwear brand Billionaire Boys Club. Williams has since collaborated with brands such as A Bathing Ape, Adidas, and G-Star.
Having achieved an extreme degree of renown, even those who aren’t fans of Williams’ music know his face and, over the years, people have continuously called into question his looks, but more specifically, his face and apparent lack of ageing. Many speculations have surfaced, with some insistent that it is cosmetic surgery and others claiming make-up. However, fans can now put their conspiracy theories to bed as in an interview with the esteemed magazine DAZED, Williams revealed why he looks the same now as he did two decades ago.
Addressing the fanatic fodder, the ‘Happy’ singer revealed that he is genuinely just thorough regarding his skincare, disclosing, “I exfoliate like a madman. When you exfoliate, and you drink a lot of water, that does good for you. To me, the key is just exfoliating, like a monster. There’s a lot of dead skin. All the time. Like a narcissistic madman.”
Following his DAZED interview, the musician was also asked the same question by Into the Gloss. While discussing skincare, Williams unveiled that since he was a child, he has had a hard-line regiment that he has never neglected. Delving into the details, the iconic producer explained, “You have to clean your face! You can’t sit around and assume it’s going to be OK! I wash my face every day. Don’t be afraid to wash yours before you go to bed.”
However, although it’s a far cry from cosmetic surgery, the Grammy-award-winning beatmaker did admit that he employs a dermatologist, confessing, “My dermatologist, Dr Elena Jones, gave me the Glytone Self-Foaming Cleanser, which I wash off with cold water to close my pores. I follow that with a Clearing Toner and Moisturizer, also from my dermatologist. You have to take care of your skin.” Williams didn’t initially consider taking help from a dermatologist but did so upon a recommendation he received from the British supermodel Naomi Campbell.
Detailing his exchange with Campbell, Williams recalled, “Years and years and years ago, Naomi Campbell pulled me aside and said, ‘Listen, this is what you have to do—you have to go to a dermatologist; you can’t keep using drugstore products.’ Well, you can, but with the store products, you have to be really diligent.” When the speculation surrounding Williams’ face began, one absurd rumour suggested he may be a vampire. Unfortunately, during his conversation with In The Gloss, the Neptunes frontman put an end to the fan-fuelled conspiracy, humorously responding, “No, I am not. I’m willing to go on record as saying that I don’t drink people’s blood. How do I stay so young-looking for a 40-year-old? I wash my face.”
You can watch Pharrell sharing his skincare routine with GQ in the video below.
