"I was happy for all the girls who would see me on [it] and feel a little more seen," the Oscar winner says of her cover.
Born in Mexico and raised in Kenya, 31-year-old Lupita Nyong'o tells People she "never dreamed" of receiving such an honor, but says "I was happy for all the girls who would see me on [it] and feel a little more seen."
After growing up watching actresses with "light skin and long, flowing, straight hair," Nyong'o says she struggled because "subconsciously you start to appreciate those things more than what you possess."
As a teen, Nyong'o tried dying her hair every color and even went as far as shaving her head bald. "It was very strange and very cold," she says, adding, "It was scary but I like to dare myself."
Thanks to a lifetime of compliments from her mom, Nyong'o is finally comfortable in her own skin and recently signed as the new face of Lancome.
But today, the actress says the best compliments are "when I have been called beautiful with not one drop of makeup on - before I comb my hair or put on a pretty dress. Happiness is the most important thing."
Nyong'o tops People's list of the 50 most beautiful people that also includes Kerri Russell, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, and Mindy Kaling.