Cyrene Tankard’s New Interactive Journal Helps Young Women Find Themselves
Charlotte, NC – Epiphanies are important. For Cyrene Tankard, a co-star on Bravo TV’s primetime reality series “Thicker Than Water”, she knew she wanted a change of scenery.
“Our show stopped filming my sophomore year going into junior year,” said Tankard, who was attending Howard University, “and around that time, I didn’t care. I was working with the production company that was filming our show, ‘Sirens Media’, and I was working with them as a (production assistant) which was: ‘Whew!'”
“Then I did casting, and some other stuff, some development stuff, so that was cool. Then I worked on a couple of movie sets, so that was cool, and I liked the feel of that, but I also realized that wasn’t what I wanted to do. Getting up at 4 am, getting bossed around and told what to do all day, and then possibly getting yelled at, and that’s not what I’m cut out to be – like I can’t do that.”
Tankard, 23, graduated in four years from Howard University in 2018 with a public relations degree despite taking time off after being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis during her freshman year. Wanting a break from T.V., Tankard had to figure out her next action.
“The day that I knew, ‘Hey! I could possibly do this beauty influencing whole thing,’ was I went to Sephora, because I was having skin issues, and I asked, “Hey! What’s good for clearing up skin?” She was like, “You should use ‘Sunday Riley‘. I went I got all of my stuff. I got like a beauty blender, some masks, some other stuff and I just took a flat-lay of it, literally, and Sunday Riley DM’d me and was like, ‘Hey! We would love to send you the full green line. Can you send us your information?'”
“And I’m like, ‘for real?'”
Tankard started media blitzing different companies about collaborations. At this moment, she had an important epiphany.
“Honestly,” Tankard said, “I realized I could make my own rules. I can make my own way and I can make it how I want it to work. I don’t have to oblige by getting up at this time, going to bed at this time, and going there this time and doing this. I can customize my own experience.”
She customized her brand, “Cyrene Lovette”, into three central pillars.
“Right now,” Tankard said, “my focus is pretty much the three pillars of my brand, which we’re kind of expanding, but its beauty, health, and inspiration then kind of starting to add in travel and fashion.”
Tankard has created content for different brands in Sephora and Ulta. Regarding health, she collaborates with different brands that align with holistic healing of the gut. She practices hot yoga daily and has a gluten-free diet. Regarding inspiration, Tankard has a new project.
“I’m releasing an interactive journal for young girls,” Tankard said, “which will kind of go over certain topics like finding your niche; being selfish with your time; strategy and execution; finding where you are; and how you are going to get there. The journal is called “Journey to Self” and it’s accessible on my website.”
Tankard has been an avid writer since she was a child, and has always found comfort in it. She has by-lines in Essence Magazine, and still journals today to keep her grounded.
“It’s not really an epiphany,” Tankard said. “ … A recurring thing or thought for me has been, don’t celebrate victories too long, but also don’t stay down too long. Push yourself harder, but not to the point where you’re going to break yourself or damage yourself mentally. Because I think that when you’re trying to be successful, it’s really easy to feel like you’re not doing enough. OK. Let’s talk about what you are doing. So for me, it’s been really good.”
Along her journey from being a 16-year-old reality TV star to a young, black entrepreneur, Tankard has had many epiphanies. Her interactive journal is just one of her many “relics” she hopes to leave behind.
“Give (the journal) to your momma, give it to your auntie, give it to your sister, give it to your brother if he wants it,” Tankard said enthusiastically, “but it’s geared toward young girls ages 13 to 25. DM me. I will be answering my DM’s. Talk to me. I love y’all … and I hope to be talking to y’all soon.”