Naked Beauty

“For me, my flaws are what make me and I've learned through years to embrace that, and I like them now.”

Issa Rae, actress, producer, and serial entrepreneur talked about all things beauty and self care on this week’s episode. Issa shared what it was like growing in L.A. and how a trip to Senegal reaffirmed her beauty when she was still in high school. We talked about her iconic looks on Insecure and she underscored how exciting...

In today’s episode of Naked Beauty, I spoke to three writers from top beauty brands: Glossier, Dieux, and Sol de Janeiro for a deep dive into all things beauty copywriting. In the crowded landscape of beauty, tone, and voice are key ways for brands to break through the noise. I’ve been wanting to do an episode on this topic for so long - tune in for conversations with Laura Casciola of Dieux Skin, Hardeep Gill, formerly a copy...

Sir John and I had a fascinating conversation with Dita Von Teese, the Queen of Burlesque. We talked about her childhood and the Hollywood starlets that inspired her to transform into the pinup girl of her dreams. Dita shared with us how her start dancing in the rave and strip club scene empowered her to always be her unique self. We also got the inside scoop on her Vegas show, a compilation of her life's work that includes origina...

Welcome to another Beauty Rant/Beauty Rave, and this time I had to dedicate an entire episode to the beauty cycle I’m currently in the grips of: lash extensions. What started as a simple birthday set of lashes has turned into a whole lash journey and I unpack it all, lash blindness included. I go over some practical advice on maintaining extensions, discuss the importance of communicating effectively with lash techs, and suggest al...

In our follow-up conversation Elaine and our mothers discuss the many lessons that motherhood teaches us about ourselves before and after giving birth. Elaine talked about the Birth Fund, and what spurred her to provide midwifery care to families across the U.S. She explained some of the differences between the traditional medical model and midwifery, which can provide lifesaving care that mends our maternal health crisis. This con...

Episode Description: In this heartfelt episode of Naked Beauty, I sat down with Elaine Welteroth, an acclaimed journalist and founder of Birthfund, along with our iconic mothers for an intimate conversation about motherhood. Elaine and I are deep into our second pregnancies, a time that sparks a lot of reflection, so we thought it’d be great to reflect with the women who influenced us the most: our mothers. We explore the profound ...

“I think self-love and happiness are habits” - Law Roach

In this episode of the Naked Beauty podcast, Sir John and I spoke with the one and only Image Architect Law Roach. We explore his remarkable journey in transforming celebrities into fashion icons, delving into his path from the south side of Chicago to styling stars like Zendaya, Celine Dion, and Megan Thee Stallion. We also discuss his new book, 'How to Build a Fashion Ic...

Author, journalist, TV presenter, fellow podcaster and creator Candice Brathwaite-Aboderin is here on the pod and ready to talk through the evolution of her relationship with beauty. From her tomboy phase where she was completely uninterested in appearances, to her dancehall girl phase battling breakouts for the first time, to life as a mom helping her kids navigate anti-black beauty standards, Candice has seen and felt it all. Tun...

Brigette Romanek is an Architectural Digest-recognized interior designer who has furnished the homes you’ve likely drooled over on Instagram. Given my recent move and renovation journey, I’ve been dying to get her on the show, and just as I expected our conversation was spectacular. We delve into her self-taught journey, collaborations with high-profile clients like Gwyneth Paltrow and Beyoncé, and her philosophy of creating Livabl...

Sir John and I had an incredible conversation with Robert Meyer, a skincare expert, and top Shiseido training executive. Robert talked with us about what his decades-long career, at some of the most influential beauty companies, has taught him about beauty and the consumer experience. Specifically, how Shiseido successfully translates 150 years of Japanese beauty history to consumers around the globe. We discussed how the brand mee...

I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Zambia with my husband, son, and growing baby, and I couldn’t help but be mesmerized by all the beauty I saw. In this beauty dispatch from Zambia, you'll hear about the beauty insights I gained, from marveling at the local wildlife and skincare traditions to making Mongongo oil with the Booma Women’s Cooperative and of course, shopping in the local market.

Tune in as I discuss:

• Th...

Trigger warning: We discuss emotional and physical abuse in this episode. 

In Part Two of our conversation with Jackie Aina, Sir John and I learned even more about what drives her. Jackie shared how she learned to enforce boundaries with her huge online community of supporters and how to engage with difficult topics. This led to an incredible discussion of her survival story, how her experiences inform her approach to helpi...

Sir John and I had the pleasure of sitting down with Jackie Aina, the original YouTube It Girl turned entrepreneur and advocate. For the past 15 years Jackie has shaped conversations about Black women in beauty on every major social media platform. In part one of our conversation we talked to Jackie about what inspired her to create content initially and how having a presence online has changed over time. Jackie also talked about h...

I had the incredible opportunity to partner with Shiseido for a live conversation with everyone’s favorite triple threat, Kelly Rowland and Face Architect Joomee Song. During Shiseido’s inaugural Benefiance retreat, we talked everything beauty, business, travel, and motherhood. We had such a great time talking about our respective visits to Japan, our approaches to aging, and of course our first impressions of the Benefiance eye cr...

The Naked Beauty fragrance is finally here! Over the course of the last 10 years, I’ve been experimenting with creating my own fragrances, mixing essential oils until I found blends that I loved. Now, many years later, my very first fragrance, Naked Beauty has finally launched, and I wanted to give you an in-depth look at what it took to make the fragrance. From smelling over 15 different iterations of the fragrance to creative dir...

"If you're not getting nos, you're not challenging yourself to your full potential."

Last month, Sir John and I had a great live show in Beverly Hills. As a Cancer and a Leo, this time of year naturally brings reflection for both of us, and we went deep during the live show! The energy in the room was amazing, and the conversation was so incredible that Sir John and I knew we had to bring these topics to the larger Naked Beauty ...

In my follow-up conversation with Amy Koberling PA, The Skinthusiast, we talked about all things pregnancy skincare. The conversation covered our experiences with pregnancy myths about products, skincare treatments, and even food. Amy shared her professional opinions about why expecting moms don’t need brand new skincare routines, dietary books she recommends for those who are trying or expecting, gestational diabetes, and what cur...

Over the course of 18 packed hours, I shadowed the ambitious and energetic Sabrina Elba for 54 Magazine. When 54 reached out and asked me to write the cover story on Sabrina and her award-winning S'ABLE Labs brand I knew I had to do it, despite having never written a cover story before. In less than 24 hours, Sabrina and I did pilates, tested lab samples, met with her woman-led team, and danced the night away at a party hosted by N...

When I met Amy Koberling aka The Skinthusiast, I knew I had to have her on the podcast to talk about what we should really be paying attention to when buying skincare. During our conversation, Amy dispelled some common beauty myths and misunderstandings about popular ingredients from benzoyl peroxide to vitamin C. Our conversation covered trends in skincare marketing, overhyped and underhyped products, and how we ensure credibility...