Ask a new mom about her children and chances are she'll turn to mush. Dania Ramirez, who currently stars as Rosie Falta on Lifetime's comedy-drama Devious Maids and has been featured in a slew of hit shows and movies, like The Sopranos, Entourage, and X-Men: The Last Stand, is no exception. The mention of her 11-month-old twins, daughter Gaia and son Aether, with her husband, director Bev Land, elicits a blissful sigh from the 35-year-old Dominican native. "That kind of love is incomparable to anything else," she says. Now listen in as we talk to the former volleyball player about her postpregnancy beauty routine and body mojo.
GLAM BELLEZA LATINA: You were raised by your grandmother in the Dominican Republic while your parents were settling in the United States. What do you remember about your childhood, before you finally arrived in New York City at age 10?
__DANIA RAMIREZ:__It was an amazing time in my life. We didn't have a lot of money, and there was nothing to do but let your imagination go wild. We did simple things, like climbing trees and playing in the river. That upbringing has helped me as an actress, actually. And then there's the part of me who's just a Dominican chick from Washington Heights.
__GBL:__Can you imagine your kids growing up without their mom nearby?
__DR:__I can't. Our parents were so courageous for leaving us so that we could have a better future—not that they had a choice.
__GBL:__Gaia and Aether are adorable! How did you react to the news that you were expecting twins?
__DR:__It was shocking but joyful. My grandmother had twins and triplets, so I had always hoped for two kids at once. A boy and girl, and that's it—done!
__GBL:__How soon after giving birth did you have to return to work?
__DR:__I began working again about two and a half weeks after I had them. Devious Maids went back to filming sooner than planned. When I got the news, I was in the hospital just crying, overwhelmed. But now I think it was really good for me. I didn't have time to plan anything. It allowed me to be in the moment.
__GBL:__Was there a lot of pressure to get back in shape?
__DR:__Definitely! My character was not pregnant, so I had to make sure that I started looking close to how I did before the pregnancy. Maybe it's because I played sports my whole life, but I'm used to following a schedule as far as my eating habits.
__GBL:__What was your strategy?
__DR:__I stuck with mostly fruits and vegetables right after I gave birth. I wanted to get accustomed to eating really healthfully and to having smaller portions throughout the day. Also, I like to feel healthy. I know that when I'm looking better and I'm eating right, I also feel better.
__GBL:__Sounds like a lot of discipline! How would you sum up your approach to beauty as a mom?
__DR:__You get so much out of the extra effort that you put into looking your best. The key to being confident is taking care of yourself and feeling like you're the best you can be.
__GBL:__How has your beauty routine changed?
DR: I have less time, but certain things remain the same. For instance, I still always take my makeup off, no matter how tired I am. The babies are teething and waking up at night, so I use my MAC wipes as a shortcut. In the mornings I try to find time to use my Clarisonic brush. Being able to really clean my pores has changed my skin completely.
__GBL:__Any other glow boosters for the sleep-deprived?
__DR:__I used to take the time to contour my skin perfectly, but now I just even it out quickly with foundation and then add a little bronzer on my cheeks.
__GBL:__Do you still make time for your hair? You wear it in
so many different styles: curly, straight, pulled back.
__DR:__I love it natural—down and curly. But that tends to be more work because it gets tangled in my sleep, so I end up styling it straight a lot more. But there's something about curls that really brings me back to my roots. I love that.
