April 1, 2024 • 29 mins
Welcome to another enlightening episode of "InspiHER'd, your grown-up girl talk," hosted by Stacey Fleece and Samantha Tradelius. Our esteemed guest is acclaimed celebrity makeup artist, Ashunta Shariff-Kendricks, renowned for her stellar work in popular films and television shows like 'Empire,' 'The Lost City,' and 'Hidden Figures.' Beyond the limelight, she also runs her own highly-regarded beauty line.
As an Anthropology major and red-carpet makeup artist, Ashunta shares her unique trajectory and how her academic foundations in human appearance shape her beauty philosophy. Learn how she marries anthropology and beauty, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of individual aesthetics, paving the way for a more inclusive beauty narrative.
Step into Ashunta's world as she narrates her rich experiences spanning her career's beginnings in the music video scene, working with powerhouses of the celebrity world, and the resilient spirit that guided her journey. Despite the industry's challenging environs, she recounts the immense fulfillment she derives from her work, noting her fruitful long-term collaboration with global icon Alicia Keys.
Additionally, Ashunta offers a heartfelt recount of early motherhood and the pivotal role of family support in her success. Her emphasis on the crucial network a young mother needs to build her career underlines her insightful perspectives on balancing personal and professional life.
Dive into the universe of her makeup line, a potent carrier of her commitment to celebrate beauty, diversity, and inclusivity. Witness the rare authenticity as she opens up about disparities faced by women of color within the industry. Discover how her brand becomes a voice for inclusivity, offering long-wearing waterproof makeup products loved and cherished by the celebrity world, now accessible for all women.
Join us in this enriching conversation as it delves into relevant social issues of colorism, hair texturism, racial disparities, and inclusivity for BIPOC brands. This inspiring discussion concludes on a hopeful note, envisioning beauty as empowering, inclusive, and sustainable. Revel in key moments including her conversation with Vice President Harris, her brand’s mission for inclusiveness, and the candid portrayal of the industry's underrepresentation and funding for BIPOC brands. Embrace an empowering beauty journey with us now.
Ashunta Sheriff-Kendricks (@ashuntasheriff) • Instagram photos and videos
ALL – Ashunta Sheriff Beauty (ashuntabeauty.com)
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hello and welcome to Inspired, your grown-up girl talk. I'm Stacey Fleece with
co-host Samantha Tredelius, as always.
Here we are. Dude, there was something in the air today. I know.
People need to just settle the fuck down. They do. People need to settle the fuck down.
Here's what we're going to do to make sure they get there. I got to tell you,
(00:21):
we are in presence of greatness today.
Day there is there is some fame and greatness
going on that is upping our game and i'm
super excited to have our guest here
who has been involved in such amazing
things that we've all seen in movies and television like empire the lost city
(00:41):
hidden figures one of my favorite movies by the way what oh i love that movie
smoking aces nanny diaries i mean the list goes on so i don't I want to hear
all of, I want all the goods, Ashunta.
We have with us Ashunta Sharif-Kendricks, who is not only a red carpet go-to
(01:03):
makeup artist, but has, Ashunta, you have your own line too.
Which I'm putting on right now.
I mean, I felt like I had to up my game today because you were going to be here
and I'm watching very closely.
I need, this is not my skill set. Like it's not even close to my skill set.
That? Well, this actually was voted by Women's Day, you know, Women's Day magazine.
(01:24):
Yeah. Our Blur FX powder is the number one pressed translucent powder for mature skin.
I'm 50 years old, so I take it very serious.
I like to not be shiny, you know, and then you hear like, don't put powder on because you're mature.
It's going to get in your lines and wrinkles. Well, we have one of the most
finely crafted milled bad boy.
I mean, like I'm all up under my eye and everything. good and it
(01:47):
just to be clear translucent and anybody of
any any race any color any skin tone
can wear this bad boy that's that's a big part about
a shinta sharif beauty is we make universal products like
our blur effects or like this product which is called thermal blush i'll give
you guys a little test run it's basically a clear jelly it it's usually clear
(02:08):
but what ends up happening is over time it oxidizes but when it goes on it actually
color adjusts to your actual body's chemistry, yeah?
So it's the right color for you no matter what. For you always,
no matter what you're feeling like.
How does it do that? I know. So this is, so this all, it's all, that's all science.
(02:28):
That's where the innovation comes within the beauty brand.
I don't really know exactly what triggers it, but I do know that like mood lipsticks
and mood glosses back in the seventies and eighties had this very same kind
of formulation within it.
It's just that now we've been able to master it with clean ingredients.
So that's what's kind of cool about it. So this is Thermal Blush Gel.
(02:50):
It's our number one selling product. product, universally works for all skin
tones, all complexions and all ages and really, really great on mature skin as well.
But I just wanted to demo those products for you just so you could see them in real time.
No, but you're putting it on with a brush. Yeah, I put it on. You can use your finger.
You can actually put it on as like a lip balm. So if I did it right now and
(03:13):
did it like a little tinted lip balm,
it's going to look clear when I put it on, but then it's going
to to color change see to this nice rosy color
so it's nice because you'll get
i'm frozen on my end i don't know you are frozen but it's
okay we can still hear you okay good okay what
you got going on temporarily i'm like i don't want to i don't want to waste
(03:33):
it for your viewers but yeah so that color changes and does that color adjustment
to your body's natural ph chemistry so that's really a cool product we have
other really fun products like our uv liners which are amazing so So this is Limeade.
And so it's just green. But, you know, if you take a UV light,
it'll pop out. Can you see?
(03:56):
No, you're still frozen. But I think I was looking online and you've got such
fun, vibrant colors, mascara.
And, you know, whoever thought that orange mascara would be something that we
needed. I know, that was pretty cool. It's pretty awesome.
I know. Orange mascara is amazing. And what's great about our mascaras is they're
super, super pigmented.
(04:17):
They go on like a normal bright bold color, but then you get that whole like
elevation of your makeup when you go into UV light. So this is like fun for like Coachella.
This was fun for Renaissance Tour. We saw a lot of product moving because of
Beyonce's concerts and people having events to go to.
This is fun for Burning Man. This is fun for just a date night.
(04:38):
I wore this particular green liner, which I wish the damn Wi-Fi would freaking
see. She's a bitch today. She's a bitch.
We already talked about the bitchy Wi-Fi earlier. She is so bitchy today.
Yeah, when I wore this green liner and I went out to dinner with my partners
and I was walking around, you know, going back to the hotel and literally the
(05:00):
traffic lights were making the product neon and glowing in the dark.
And this lady in the street jumped and she's like, oh my gosh, are you an alien?
And I was like, no, I'm not an alien. I just have glow in the dark eyeliner.
And I literally right on the corner made a cell. Like she literally was like,
where do I find that? That's so cool. My daughter would love that.
And I'm showing her the website. site. And next thing you know,
I walk away and she's, bling, order Shopify.
(05:22):
So it sells itself. It's fun stuff.
I call it beauty elevated.
We can break away from that black, brown, and navy liner and try bubble gum
or try fruity or try limeade.
You know what? I will make you a believer, Stacey. If I did it,
I would make you a believer.
That's a tough call for me. I mean, and I'm willing to play,
(05:44):
but oh boy. Stacey rolls in with a little lime on her lid.
I think that- No, I've convinced even a billionaire woman who barely puts any,
I mean, she is like, I was with her for the opening of the bell, for the NASDAQ bell.
And she was like, I don't do this. I don't do this. And she's like this super
billionaire tycoon lady, and I don't want to disclose her name.
(06:07):
And I got her to wear Limeade. I got her to wear Limeade. And the way I applied it.
She was in shock when she saw it, when she was finished. She was like,
green is my color. I was like, I told you it was going to make your brown eyes pop.
So you'd be surprised. It's all about the application.
And unless anyone thinks this just happens overnight, I mean,
you've been in this business for 20 plus years.
(06:27):
And of course, logically, you have an anthropology major.
Yeah. So let's talk a little bit about how anthropology led you to this amazing,
amazing successful career.
I love that. Actually, I believe that there's so many parallels in the journey
because I feel like every time I sit a client down, I'm literally investigating
(06:51):
them like an anthropologist.
You know, I'm finding out, I look at their faces and I go, oh, are you Jewish descent?
Or are you this? I can always pick up on stuff. And they're like, how do you know?
I'm like, well, because the way your eyes are shaped, da, da,
da, da. Or are you Southeast Asian?
I come up with the most random things and someone will be like,
Like, I'm from Singapore.
How did you know that? I'm like, oh, it's because this. So it's certain things
(07:13):
you learn from anthropology that just are blueprints to humanity,
you know, features, why we look the way we do, why our hair is the way it is,
why our complexion is the way it is.
And it's always been really fascinating to me that those differences were really,
were fostered out of real need for human survival.
You know, like we literally all look the way we do because of environment.
(07:36):
And that's the only reason why we do look different is because Europeans were
up north and Africans were south and Asians were east.
And so we all literally have a very specific look that's all kind of rounded
out into the various climates we were growing up in and way, way back in time.
And, you know, why our noses may be wider, maybe because we need more humidification
(07:58):
in these more dense areas. We learn all that kind of stuff, literally down to
why our noses are the way they are.
Why your noses need to be more slender in terms of the nostrils is because why
would you need big nostrils in a really cold climate?
Think about that. It's too much air. It's going to be issues.
(08:19):
So, you know, it's just one of those things that has been a guiding force for
me, which is helping to connect with humans.
And I think it makes us understand anthropology, how much more similar we are than different.
That those differences that we have as precursors on external are just it.
That's it. They're literally only made just for the surviving that we needed
(08:42):
to get through in that time, you know, back in antiquity.
Okay so i'm see i really am into it so no
i think it's it's phenomenal because usually you
talk to people that are you know makeup artists or you know designers or creators
and you know they just have these artsy brains and they kind of go down this
like it's a passion but now you're bringing into like a whole historical factor
(09:03):
like how it really all ties together which is super cool to be able to connect
your creative brain and your logic brain and be like all right here we go Oh,
so I want to talk about what it's like to be in the, you know, in the celebrity world,
because that's obviously not a super easy, like world to jump into.
I mean, I'm sure it was pretty hard when you got started.
(09:24):
It was, it's definitely not a world that, you know, like, hey,
it's here. Come on, come in. Yeah. No, it's definitely not that space.
It is, it is definitely a space that you have to know someone to get into it.
You need to be referred into it. You, you know, you're not coming without a recommendation.
And so I was becoming, you know, very, very much so like circulated in the music
(09:46):
video scene because I was connected to a woman named Stacey Gray.
And I always mention her name because she really is the door opener for me.
Stacey Gray saw something in me. She was a big New York City hairstylist and
makeup artist at the time who was doing like most of hip hop,
R&B and even pop music videos.
She was usually the key heading both departments and she would sometimes man
(10:08):
up or power up the departments with some help.
And she saw my work one day at Henry Bendel's, weird enough,
she was there for an event.
I gave her my card and she was like, Like, you know, I'm going to stay in touch
with you. And, you know, people say that kind of stuff all the time.
And she really stayed in touch with me, like so much so she called me one random Sunday.
It was like four something in the morning.
(10:30):
I was a young mom. I had a one-year-old daughter. We were living with my mom
because I had left her terrible dad.
Yes, I said it. I moved back home with my mom.
And I get this call. She's like, Ashimta, are you available?
And I'm like, now? And she's like, yeah.
Can you like meet this van at 42nd Street at the Port Authority?
You know, it's a white 15 passenger van.
(10:52):
You know, it's going to pick you up at 530 with a group of people.
And, you know, you're just going to get on that van and ride to the location.
And I was like, sure. And there's nothing sketchy about it. feel super normal.
And in hindsight of all the crazy sex trafficking that we go through in Hollywood,
you know, like you hear about, you're like, holy shit, I could have been totally
sex traffic, but thank God she was really legit.
(11:14):
I got on a van and in that van, it was, you know, stylists and models and hairstylists
and barbers and all kinds of people and didn't know where the hell I was going
and get to the location, still didn't know what I was doing.
Start doing makeup. It's one video girl after another. I'm just being told,
make them look sexy, make them look hot.
And not literally not knowing what I'm doing until I go on set.
(11:36):
And they're like, can you touch up 112? And I'm like, 112?
They're like, yeah, this is 112 music video for their song, Dance With Me.
Don't you know? And I'm like, no, I don't know anything.
So I end up by accident, by default, having to groom them because their makeup
artist had a car car accident. He was running a little late.
(11:59):
And so those first shots that got kicked off, I had to step up and help out.
And the rest was really history.
I was bitten at that point. I loved the speed of this.
I did 21 girls makeup and seven guys grooming, and it was a 22-hour day.
And who the hell is happy about that? But I left there so full.
(12:19):
I was like, this is dope. I love this experience, and I want to keep experiencing that.
And that's what happened. I kept getting and call for music videos and,
you know, doing all kinds of music videos from Jay-Z's music videos,
even being asked to be in his music video for Change Clothes.
I'm the makeup artist that's actually working throughout the music video.
They show like little snippets of me, like putting makeup on models and stuff.
(12:42):
And, you know, literally the director, Chris Robinson was like,
Ashinja, just get in the video, just do what you're doing. It's great.
You know? So I was just literally working, like touching people up,
like I would backstage because he wanted it to to look realistic,
to being backstage at a fashion show.
I had worked on fashion teams for world-renowned artists like Laura Mercier
and, you know, Pat McGrath worked on their team.
(13:04):
So, you know, all of the experience with the music video experience just made
me really fast as a makeup artist.
And so that traveled because you know what, time is money in the music industry
and record execs, when they found out I could beat Alicia Keys' face in like
35 minutes, They were like, done, you know, done.
And so like, literally, I got my first test out the gate with Alicia for a vote or die commercial.
(13:30):
And it was free. It was no money. I went out to Brooklyn, you know,
pay for my own parking, did her makeup, didn't know what it would end up in.
And it ended up in 13 years later with her, you know, so and doing seven world
tours and getting RCR, what do they call it?
RIA plaques, you know, global world plaques. And I'm a part of,
you know, her big world tours.
(13:51):
My mom kept one, of course, within her house. She won't let me have it.
Well, she did watch the one-year-old while you did the 22-hour mystery white man.
I want to, like, going back to the... She goes, this is my blood,
my blood money right here.
So, yeah, she put that plaque on her wall.
I want to talk about being a mom and being a young mom and having,
(14:11):
you know, trying to build your career and doing it on your own.
I mean, that must have been in its own right challenging. challenging.
I don't know if you guys heard my dog. He is so annoyed with this interview. He went...
He only does that when he's annoyed. But no, being a young mom,
I mean, I couldn't have done it without my mom.
She was my village. She was my support system.
She still is. Even to this day as a 50-year-old woman, my mom is a huge supporter of mine.
(14:38):
If I need anything, even down into my business, like, Mom, I don't have money for inventory.
Okay, let me pull out some credit cards. She just has always championed for
me and wanting to see me win and believed in me.
And she's always like, you've had it, baby girl. That's what she'd say. You've got it.
And I know the world will see it. And that's my prayers. I know I've done a
(14:58):
lot that's made her proud.
But the things that I'm trying to do, like what I'm doing on Friday,
is next level type stuff.
And that's the stuff. Talk about what you're doing on Friday.
And so Friday, I am going to the White House to speak to Vice President Harris.
I just got the chills.
I know. And, you know, speak. And this will all have happened by the time,
(15:24):
you know, this airs. But, you know, I'm going through, you know,
the vetting and all of that stuff. And so it's happened. It's confirmed.
And they want me to moderate this panel, which is basically about beauty,
diversity, and inclusion and the, you know, really lack of funding that Black
and BIPOC brands face within the industry.
We all know about the various disparities we face as women, as women of color.
(15:48):
And so I'm there to like amplify that conversation because over the last several
years since really Black Lives Matter, I was trying to figure out as a makeup
artist, what is my contribution to humanity besides making women feel terrible?
You know, like doing all this work on celebrities has has been like really interesting, right?
Because it's a gift and a curse because I'm making great money. I'm creating trends.
(16:12):
I'm doing my job. I'm doing my thing. I'm doing what I love.
But on the other end, you hear real women when you come into the real women's
space of how women really feel.
I don't look like Kim Kardashian. I don't look like this. I don't look like that. I can't look.
And people do have people like me that do their hair, that do their makeup,
that style their their clothes, that train them, that wake them up and get them out the fucking bed,
(16:34):
you know, make sure that they look great so that they can do their jobs and
perform at the highest level, right?
Because that's a big job to be a star in Hidden Figures and to,
you know, carry the weight of a role like a Katherine Johnson,
you know, a historical character who did something for humanity, right?
So we have to do our part. All of us are pieces to the puzzle,
the makeup, the hair, the this, the that, to make the talent be able to really
(16:58):
just soar and do what they want.
And in us doing that, sometimes, you know, we don't always get shine.
We don't always get flowers.
We don't always get seen. And that's what our job has typically been.
It's kind of like, I always used to call it a high indentured servant, you know?
And my husband said to me, he said, no, you are no one's servant.
(17:19):
You're no one's servant. You provide a service, but you're no one's servant.
I mean, I think that's your business.
I don't think it's a serventure. So I think it's very interesting,
this statement you just made about, you know, making women feel bad because
I have two young girls and we talk about it time and time again about,
you know, what they see online and what they see with,
(17:40):
you know, the Kardashians and all these other people, but not really realizing what goes into that.
That's not a normal like it's it's it's not a normal lifestyle for the normal
woman or young. And so for you to really acknowledge like, hey,
like we're here as a team to do these things, to create.
And you also recognize that it may have an adverse reaction on the other side
(18:02):
to, you know, the general population of women because it's unattainable for many of us.
Yeah, it would be, you know, I have daughters and I know how they have been
affected. I've had to have Alicia call my daughter, literally,
when I was on tour, because I would always get her hair braided and put into
nice little beaded hair styles.
Not because of Alicia. That's just what Black girls do. That's what we do growing up.
(18:24):
And she was like, I don't want my hair like this. It's ugly.
I looked at it. And she was crying and crying. And then my mom's friend gave
her a Barbie doll that happened to be a Kenya Barbie doll. So the doll had no
hair and was like a very traditional African Kenyan woman with the low haircut.
And she threw the doll, broke it. Like it was like straight out of Jane Elliott's,
(18:49):
you know, you know, what she was talking about during the pandemic where we're
dealing with race relations.
And I was like, holy moly, my daughter is dealing with colorism,
dealing with hair texturism.
She's dealing with all these things. And so I had Alicia call her.
Alicia calls her and gave her a really nice talking to about,
don't you like my braids?
And she was like, yeah. She was like, don't you think my braids are pretty?
(19:09):
And she's like, yeah. She's like, don't you think I'm beautiful?
And she was like, you're so beautiful.
And she's like, so why aren't you beautiful with those same braids?
And it was something that NAMI finally was able to go, okay.
But that's when I really saw how deeply our kids are affected by the work that we do.
And so I always wanted to do the work, be a great makeup artist,
(19:30):
but also be an acknowledgement that to tell women that I am there helping these
women obtain this beauty.
You know, there's a professional that's on the other side of that and that anyone
can have this, like if they have a team. It's just a fact.
And I think that helps normalize it for real women to go, oh,
okay, I get it. It's a team. And if I was a famous woman, I'd have a team and
(19:53):
I'd be able to be pulled together that way.
But what I do offer is I have some tips and tricks that I can share with you
how I get my glam together for my celebrities, for red carpets or for television all day long.
How can I have my makeup last all day long in the summer heat?
How do you do that for your clients? So that's the gift back I feel like to
(20:15):
women is giving them the secrets, giving them the trade secrets.
But I also think having this own line of yours is also giving back because,
yes, you are doing it for these celebrities.
And yet, you know, a lot of us look at them and feel shitty about ourselves at that moment.
But you're giving us an opportunity to also have some of the same tools that
(20:35):
they have and and at really affordable price points.
So you are being so inclusive in what you can offer to those of us who are not
walking the red carpet. it.
Absolutely. And that's, that
was a big part for me. This is the second inception of a brand for me.
The first one, you know, was all about that and it, you know,
it didn't work out well for me and it's fine.
(20:57):
And that was with learning curves that made me stronger to be ready for this brand.
And that's all Ashin Tushri Beauty is all about is really celebration,
that diversity, the inclusion, that all of it, like, look at all three of us.
You both are blonde, but you don't to look the same. You have different features,
different faces, really just celebrating that individualness and womanhood.
(21:19):
And also even down to my models on my website, my mom is on there,
Anita, who's my business partner, 70 plus years old.
Please don't kill me, Anita, for saying that out loud. Beautiful. Beautiful.
But, you know, beautiful white woman, gorgeous white head of hair and just so regal.
And someone is like my other, you know, to me, just a really wonderful woman.
(21:39):
And all the women kind of on the site, as well as the other people who are trans
or, you know, non-binary that we have are just all friends of friends.
You know, like I didn't hire any pro models.
I mean, we really try to like use that too as a template to show that,
you know, beauty is obtainable through anybody,
(22:00):
you know, because you see a plus size black woman or you see a plus size white
woman or you see an older white woman or mature black woman,
like whatever, that it's all obtainable and it's all there.
And we are giving you the tools that a lot of it is really about waterproofing.
People don't realize that's like one of the biggest secrets for makeup artists,
why the makeup stays and looks so good is we waterproof makeup a lot of times,
(22:22):
or we're using waterproof makeup.
So all my makeup is built waterproof, like literally like- Built to go the distance.
Built to go the distance and for long wear.
Now, I want to go back to talking about, you know, brands for,
you know, different non-white people. Okay. Let's just put it frankly, play. Right.
(22:42):
Because, you know, I was at Sephora just last weekend with my daughters and,
you know, there's like this small little corner that's, you know,
dedicated to women of color. And I'm like, this is bullshit.
You know what, Samantha, that is bravo to you for noticing, but go ahead.
But you know what? It was really, I was just walking around and it caught my
eye because it was like these crazy colors. And I was like, what is that?
(23:03):
And then I walked over and I was like, this is the smallest little area.
And there are so many women of all different walks that That,
you know, don't just fit into this little box that we are told a society is,
you know, the makeup box or the glam box.
And, you know, so what are we doing as a society to shift that?
(23:24):
I mean, is it something that we're so far away from or are we moving towards
a more, you know, all over inclusive environment?
We're moving closer to it than we ever have. And that's what the conversation
is about, honestly, with Vice President Harris.
It's about moving this conversation forward about inclusivity for everybody.
You know, there's people I know who are white who have biracial kids and their
(23:47):
kids don't fit in those boxes, you know.
They say, I mean, Stacey fits that box. Yeah. So you understand what I mean?
So it affects way more people than we know.
And what you're saying in terms of the shitty corner at Sephora that's given out to the BIPOC brand.
I've actually had brand founder friends.
We've gone into the store and seen their products not really properly maintained.
(24:09):
Contained or, you know, not you, you asking like, is this product there?
And they're like, oh, it's here, but you don't put it up on the shelves.
It's just a lot of sloppiness, you know, when it comes to certain things.
And I don't want to say it's intentional because we don't want to keep pointing fingers at everything.
I just think it is. No, let's say that it's fucking intentional because I feel
like we all know that we need to be more, you know, moved to incorporate all
(24:34):
different things into our environments, but we're still at the bottom of the shelf.
Yeah. And that's not cool. What I'm going to say is more than better than intentional
is people are just fucking lost.
You know, like people are not tapped into reality.
John Leo Guzman said it best, you know, when I interviewed him,
you know, about the Oscars and he said, why can't we have movies where,
(24:58):
you know, they're written for white people, but the leading actors are Latino or black or black?
Why does the concept have to only be white men and white women?
And someone said, why do you think that is the case? He said,
because Hollywood is fucking white and it's lost.
And it's not women like you guys who are tapped in and aware.
It's really, unfortunately, white men. And this is constantly a conversation
(25:23):
I'm hearing from women from all walks of life.
And no shade to any white man out there, but there's a lot of disconnect in
terms of what women really need, what women are really asking for across the
board, white all the way to the darkest shade of black.
You know, like there's just a, there's a major disconnect.
(25:44):
And a lot of these corporate heads that are running Sephora, a lot of them are men,
you know, like, so why do we have men in those positions in beauty that really
don't understand the story and the journey of a customer as a,
as a makeup user, as a makeup wearer?
They don't understand that story unless you're gay, honestly.
(26:05):
You really don't understand the same story that a woman understands in terms
of the beautification aspect or trans or whatever.
But you got to be other than white male to really understand that journey.
We refer to that as pale male and stale.
And there's too much of that running. We're fucking over it.
I don't care what industry you're in. It's everywhere. It's a pandemic.
(26:29):
It's a blandemic. It's a blandemic.
You know what? Yes. And we're going to use it from now on, and we're going to
credit you every time. Yeah. A blandemic. A stale blandemic.
I'm glad I'm not on camera right now because I'm crying.
Oh, my gosh. But, yes, so, you know, that is the problem.
(26:51):
And I think, you know, I tell all my friends, I'm like, Like,
I know that these white men aren't being raised by none of my white girlfriends
because my white girlfriends are raising their kids.
Right. You know, like to be conscious of everything.
And they even call me sometimes, ask me about little things,
you know, like, what do you think about that?
And that's that's what it takes. Right. It takes a village for us to understand
each other and have these open dialogues.
(27:11):
My neighbor during the pandemic, at first I was highly offended,
called a meeting for all the Black townhouse owners in my townhouse community
to come because she really wanted to understand what was happening.
And at first I was highly pissed.
But after four hours and three bottles of wine, I really understood, you know? Yeah.
(27:31):
I understood why she needed this meeting because she said to me,
I didn't grow up with a lot of Black people.
She's like, I grew up white as fuck. That's what she said. And she was like,
I really want to understand.
And she's like, it's really unfair of me to say on one Sunday afternoon in four
hours and three bottles of wine that I can really understand Blackness.
But I want you guys to try to show me, try to tell me your journey so I can
(27:53):
try to make a connection.
And it floored her when she heard everybody's story there. She was just crying, crying.
You know, and we heard her story and was crying as well.
And she said, that's so crazy. People don't usually get emotional because she
had been molested and been through all these things.
But that was like all of us, all the Black girls that went through that,
we had all been molested by family members.
(28:15):
We all went through these things with this and that. It was like so much similarity.
And a lot of that is attributed to, you know, to poverty and growing up in inner
cities and lack of education and a system that's broken. And,
you know, we just have so, I just think if women honestly did take over the
world, and I don't mean to sound corny, I think we would be in a better place.
Maybe not in a perfect place, because I don't think women are perfect.
(28:38):
But I definitely think we would make some better decisions that would better
suit more of humanity. humanity.
I couldn't agree more. And I think the mission and the vision of us as we push
forward as women raising young women and the next generation that's coming up,
I mean, it's our job to really push forward that narrative.
(29:00):
And you're doing that with your work, with your line, with just the person that
you are and the woman that you are. I mean, it's incredibly moving.
I can't say thank you enough for your time today.
Shunta, we are going to post all of the links to your Beauty line where we can
get our hands on that translucent powder we all so badly need and the blush
that we have been missing out on our whole entire life.
(29:22):
We hope that everybody this week gets out there and is inspired.
Hello and welcome to Inspired, your grown-up girl talk. I'm Stacey Fleece with
co-host Samantha Tredelius, as always.
Here we are. Dude, there was something in the air today. I know.
People need to just settle the fuck down. They do. People need to settle the fuck down.
Here's what we're going to do to make sure they get there. I got to tell you,
(00:21):
we are in presence of greatness today.
Day there is there is some fame and greatness
going on that is upping our game and i'm
super excited to have our guest here
who has been involved in such amazing
things that we've all seen in movies and television like empire the lost city
(00:41):
hidden figures one of my favorite movies by the way what oh i love that movie
smoking aces nanny diaries i mean the list goes on so i don't I want to hear
all of, I want all the goods, Ashunta.
We have with us Ashunta Sharif-Kendricks, who is not only a red carpet go-to
(01:03):
makeup artist, but has, Ashunta, you have your own line too.
Which I'm putting on right now.
I mean, I felt like I had to up my game today because you were going to be here
and I'm watching very closely.
I need, this is not my skill set. Like it's not even close to my skill set.
That? Well, this actually was voted by Women's Day, you know, Women's Day magazine.
(01:24):
Yeah. Our Blur FX powder is the number one pressed translucent powder for mature skin.
I'm 50 years old, so I take it very serious.
I like to not be shiny, you know, and then you hear like, don't put powder on because you're mature.
It's going to get in your lines and wrinkles. Well, we have one of the most
finely crafted milled bad boy.
I mean, like I'm all up under my eye and everything. good and it
(01:47):
just to be clear translucent and anybody of
any any race any color any skin tone
can wear this bad boy that's that's a big part about
a shinta sharif beauty is we make universal products like
our blur effects or like this product which is called thermal blush i'll give
you guys a little test run it's basically a clear jelly it it's usually clear
(02:08):
but what ends up happening is over time it oxidizes but when it goes on it actually
color adjusts to your actual body's chemistry, yeah?
So it's the right color for you no matter what. For you always,
no matter what you're feeling like.
How does it do that? I know. So this is, so this all, it's all, that's all science.
(02:28):
That's where the innovation comes within the beauty brand.
I don't really know exactly what triggers it, but I do know that like mood lipsticks
and mood glosses back in the seventies and eighties had this very same kind
of formulation within it.
It's just that now we've been able to master it with clean ingredients.
So that's what's kind of cool about it. So this is Thermal Blush Gel.
(02:50):
It's our number one selling product. product, universally works for all skin
tones, all complexions and all ages and really, really great on mature skin as well.
But I just wanted to demo those products for you just so you could see them in real time.
No, but you're putting it on with a brush. Yeah, I put it on. You can use your finger.
You can actually put it on as like a lip balm. So if I did it right now and
(03:13):
did it like a little tinted lip balm,
it's going to look clear when I put it on, but then it's going
to to color change see to this nice rosy color
so it's nice because you'll get
i'm frozen on my end i don't know you are frozen but it's
okay we can still hear you okay good okay what
you got going on temporarily i'm like i don't want to i don't want to waste
(03:33):
it for your viewers but yeah so that color changes and does that color adjustment
to your body's natural ph chemistry so that's really a cool product we have
other really fun products like our uv liners which are amazing so So this is Limeade.
And so it's just green. But, you know, if you take a UV light,
it'll pop out. Can you see?
(03:56):
No, you're still frozen. But I think I was looking online and you've got such
fun, vibrant colors, mascara.
And, you know, whoever thought that orange mascara would be something that we
needed. I know, that was pretty cool. It's pretty awesome.
I know. Orange mascara is amazing. And what's great about our mascaras is they're
super, super pigmented.
(04:17):
They go on like a normal bright bold color, but then you get that whole like
elevation of your makeup when you go into UV light. So this is like fun for like Coachella.
This was fun for Renaissance Tour. We saw a lot of product moving because of
Beyonce's concerts and people having events to go to.
This is fun for Burning Man. This is fun for just a date night.
(04:38):
I wore this particular green liner, which I wish the damn Wi-Fi would freaking
see. She's a bitch today. She's a bitch.
We already talked about the bitchy Wi-Fi earlier. She is so bitchy today.
Yeah, when I wore this green liner and I went out to dinner with my partners
and I was walking around, you know, going back to the hotel and literally the
(05:00):
traffic lights were making the product neon and glowing in the dark.
And this lady in the street jumped and she's like, oh my gosh, are you an alien?
And I was like, no, I'm not an alien. I just have glow in the dark eyeliner.
And I literally right on the corner made a cell. Like she literally was like,
where do I find that? That's so cool. My daughter would love that.
And I'm showing her the website. site. And next thing you know,
I walk away and she's, bling, order Shopify.
(05:22):
So it sells itself. It's fun stuff.
I call it beauty elevated.
We can break away from that black, brown, and navy liner and try bubble gum
or try fruity or try limeade.
You know what? I will make you a believer, Stacey. If I did it,
I would make you a believer.
That's a tough call for me. I mean, and I'm willing to play,
(05:44):
but oh boy. Stacey rolls in with a little lime on her lid.
I think that- No, I've convinced even a billionaire woman who barely puts any,
I mean, she is like, I was with her for the opening of the bell, for the NASDAQ bell.
And she was like, I don't do this. I don't do this. And she's like this super
billionaire tycoon lady, and I don't want to disclose her name.
(06:07):
And I got her to wear Limeade. I got her to wear Limeade. And the way I applied it.
She was in shock when she saw it, when she was finished. She was like,
green is my color. I was like, I told you it was going to make your brown eyes pop.
So you'd be surprised. It's all about the application.
And unless anyone thinks this just happens overnight, I mean,
you've been in this business for 20 plus years.
(06:27):
And of course, logically, you have an anthropology major.
Yeah. So let's talk a little bit about how anthropology led you to this amazing,
amazing successful career.
I love that. Actually, I believe that there's so many parallels in the journey
because I feel like every time I sit a client down, I'm literally investigating
(06:51):
them like an anthropologist.
You know, I'm finding out, I look at their faces and I go, oh, are you Jewish descent?
Or are you this? I can always pick up on stuff. And they're like, how do you know?
I'm like, well, because the way your eyes are shaped, da, da,
da, da. Or are you Southeast Asian?
I come up with the most random things and someone will be like,
Like, I'm from Singapore.
How did you know that? I'm like, oh, it's because this. So it's certain things
(07:13):
you learn from anthropology that just are blueprints to humanity,
you know, features, why we look the way we do, why our hair is the way it is,
why our complexion is the way it is.
And it's always been really fascinating to me that those differences were really,
were fostered out of real need for human survival.
You know, like we literally all look the way we do because of environment.
(07:36):
And that's the only reason why we do look different is because Europeans were
up north and Africans were south and Asians were east.
And so we all literally have a very specific look that's all kind of rounded
out into the various climates we were growing up in and way, way back in time.
And, you know, why our noses may be wider, maybe because we need more humidification
(07:58):
in these more dense areas. We learn all that kind of stuff, literally down to
why our noses are the way they are.
Why your noses need to be more slender in terms of the nostrils is because why
would you need big nostrils in a really cold climate?
Think about that. It's too much air. It's going to be issues.
(08:19):
So, you know, it's just one of those things that has been a guiding force for
me, which is helping to connect with humans.
And I think it makes us understand anthropology, how much more similar we are than different.
That those differences that we have as precursors on external are just it.
That's it. They're literally only made just for the surviving that we needed
(08:42):
to get through in that time, you know, back in antiquity.
Okay so i'm see i really am into it so no
i think it's it's phenomenal because usually you
talk to people that are you know makeup artists or you know designers or creators
and you know they just have these artsy brains and they kind of go down this
like it's a passion but now you're bringing into like a whole historical factor
(09:03):
like how it really all ties together which is super cool to be able to connect
your creative brain and your logic brain and be like all right here we go Oh,
so I want to talk about what it's like to be in the, you know, in the celebrity world,
because that's obviously not a super easy, like world to jump into.
I mean, I'm sure it was pretty hard when you got started.
(09:24):
It was, it's definitely not a world that, you know, like, hey,
it's here. Come on, come in. Yeah. No, it's definitely not that space.
It is, it is definitely a space that you have to know someone to get into it.
You need to be referred into it. You, you know, you're not coming without a recommendation.
And so I was becoming, you know, very, very much so like circulated in the music
(09:46):
video scene because I was connected to a woman named Stacey Gray.
And I always mention her name because she really is the door opener for me.
Stacey Gray saw something in me. She was a big New York City hairstylist and
makeup artist at the time who was doing like most of hip hop,
R&B and even pop music videos.
She was usually the key heading both departments and she would sometimes man
(10:08):
up or power up the departments with some help.
And she saw my work one day at Henry Bendel's, weird enough,
she was there for an event.
I gave her my card and she was like, Like, you know, I'm going to stay in touch
with you. And, you know, people say that kind of stuff all the time.
And she really stayed in touch with me, like so much so she called me one random Sunday.
It was like four something in the morning.
(10:30):
I was a young mom. I had a one-year-old daughter. We were living with my mom
because I had left her terrible dad.
Yes, I said it. I moved back home with my mom.
And I get this call. She's like, Ashimta, are you available?
And I'm like, now? And she's like, yeah.
Can you like meet this van at 42nd Street at the Port Authority?
You know, it's a white 15 passenger van.
(10:52):
You know, it's going to pick you up at 530 with a group of people.
And, you know, you're just going to get on that van and ride to the location.
And I was like, sure. And there's nothing sketchy about it. feel super normal.
And in hindsight of all the crazy sex trafficking that we go through in Hollywood,
you know, like you hear about, you're like, holy shit, I could have been totally
sex traffic, but thank God she was really legit.
(11:14):
I got on a van and in that van, it was, you know, stylists and models and hairstylists
and barbers and all kinds of people and didn't know where the hell I was going
and get to the location, still didn't know what I was doing.
Start doing makeup. It's one video girl after another. I'm just being told,
make them look sexy, make them look hot.
And not literally not knowing what I'm doing until I go on set.
(11:36):
And they're like, can you touch up 112? And I'm like, 112?
They're like, yeah, this is 112 music video for their song, Dance With Me.
Don't you know? And I'm like, no, I don't know anything.
So I end up by accident, by default, having to groom them because their makeup
artist had a car car accident. He was running a little late.
(11:59):
And so those first shots that got kicked off, I had to step up and help out.
And the rest was really history.
I was bitten at that point. I loved the speed of this.
I did 21 girls makeup and seven guys grooming, and it was a 22-hour day.
And who the hell is happy about that? But I left there so full.
(12:19):
I was like, this is dope. I love this experience, and I want to keep experiencing that.
And that's what happened. I kept getting and call for music videos and,
you know, doing all kinds of music videos from Jay-Z's music videos,
even being asked to be in his music video for Change Clothes.
I'm the makeup artist that's actually working throughout the music video.
They show like little snippets of me, like putting makeup on models and stuff.
(12:42):
And, you know, literally the director, Chris Robinson was like,
Ashinja, just get in the video, just do what you're doing. It's great.
You know? So I was just literally working, like touching people up,
like I would backstage because he wanted it to to look realistic,
to being backstage at a fashion show.
I had worked on fashion teams for world-renowned artists like Laura Mercier
and, you know, Pat McGrath worked on their team.
(13:04):
So, you know, all of the experience with the music video experience just made
me really fast as a makeup artist.
And so that traveled because you know what, time is money in the music industry
and record execs, when they found out I could beat Alicia Keys' face in like
35 minutes, They were like, done, you know, done.
And so like, literally, I got my first test out the gate with Alicia for a vote or die commercial.
(13:30):
And it was free. It was no money. I went out to Brooklyn, you know,
pay for my own parking, did her makeup, didn't know what it would end up in.
And it ended up in 13 years later with her, you know, so and doing seven world
tours and getting RCR, what do they call it?
RIA plaques, you know, global world plaques. And I'm a part of,
you know, her big world tours.
(13:51):
My mom kept one, of course, within her house. She won't let me have it.
Well, she did watch the one-year-old while you did the 22-hour mystery white man.
I want to, like, going back to the... She goes, this is my blood,
my blood money right here.
So, yeah, she put that plaque on her wall.
I want to talk about being a mom and being a young mom and having,
(14:11):
you know, trying to build your career and doing it on your own.
I mean, that must have been in its own right challenging. challenging.
I don't know if you guys heard my dog. He is so annoyed with this interview. He went...
He only does that when he's annoyed. But no, being a young mom,
I mean, I couldn't have done it without my mom.
She was my village. She was my support system.
She still is. Even to this day as a 50-year-old woman, my mom is a huge supporter of mine.
(14:38):
If I need anything, even down into my business, like, Mom, I don't have money for inventory.
Okay, let me pull out some credit cards. She just has always championed for
me and wanting to see me win and believed in me.
And she's always like, you've had it, baby girl. That's what she'd say. You've got it.
And I know the world will see it. And that's my prayers. I know I've done a
(14:58):
lot that's made her proud.
But the things that I'm trying to do, like what I'm doing on Friday,
is next level type stuff.
And that's the stuff. Talk about what you're doing on Friday.
And so Friday, I am going to the White House to speak to Vice President Harris.
I just got the chills.
I know. And, you know, speak. And this will all have happened by the time,
(15:24):
you know, this airs. But, you know, I'm going through, you know,
the vetting and all of that stuff. And so it's happened. It's confirmed.
And they want me to moderate this panel, which is basically about beauty,
diversity, and inclusion and the, you know, really lack of funding that Black
and BIPOC brands face within the industry.
We all know about the various disparities we face as women, as women of color.
(15:48):
And so I'm there to like amplify that conversation because over the last several
years since really Black Lives Matter, I was trying to figure out as a makeup
artist, what is my contribution to humanity besides making women feel terrible?
You know, like doing all this work on celebrities has has been like really interesting, right?
Because it's a gift and a curse because I'm making great money. I'm creating trends.
(16:12):
I'm doing my job. I'm doing my thing. I'm doing what I love.
But on the other end, you hear real women when you come into the real women's
space of how women really feel.
I don't look like Kim Kardashian. I don't look like this. I don't look like that. I can't look.
And people do have people like me that do their hair, that do their makeup,
that style their their clothes, that train them, that wake them up and get them out the fucking bed,
(16:34):
you know, make sure that they look great so that they can do their jobs and
perform at the highest level, right?
Because that's a big job to be a star in Hidden Figures and to,
you know, carry the weight of a role like a Katherine Johnson,
you know, a historical character who did something for humanity, right?
So we have to do our part. All of us are pieces to the puzzle,
the makeup, the hair, the this, the that, to make the talent be able to really
(16:58):
just soar and do what they want.
And in us doing that, sometimes, you know, we don't always get shine.
We don't always get flowers.
We don't always get seen. And that's what our job has typically been.
It's kind of like, I always used to call it a high indentured servant, you know?
And my husband said to me, he said, no, you are no one's servant.
(17:19):
You're no one's servant. You provide a service, but you're no one's servant.
I mean, I think that's your business.
I don't think it's a serventure. So I think it's very interesting,
this statement you just made about, you know, making women feel bad because
I have two young girls and we talk about it time and time again about,
you know, what they see online and what they see with,
(17:40):
you know, the Kardashians and all these other people, but not really realizing what goes into that.
That's not a normal like it's it's it's not a normal lifestyle for the normal
woman or young. And so for you to really acknowledge like, hey,
like we're here as a team to do these things, to create.
And you also recognize that it may have an adverse reaction on the other side
(18:02):
to, you know, the general population of women because it's unattainable for many of us.
Yeah, it would be, you know, I have daughters and I know how they have been
affected. I've had to have Alicia call my daughter, literally,
when I was on tour, because I would always get her hair braided and put into
nice little beaded hair styles.
Not because of Alicia. That's just what Black girls do. That's what we do growing up.
(18:24):
And she was like, I don't want my hair like this. It's ugly.
I looked at it. And she was crying and crying. And then my mom's friend gave
her a Barbie doll that happened to be a Kenya Barbie doll. So the doll had no
hair and was like a very traditional African Kenyan woman with the low haircut.
And she threw the doll, broke it. Like it was like straight out of Jane Elliott's,
(18:49):
you know, you know, what she was talking about during the pandemic where we're
dealing with race relations.
And I was like, holy moly, my daughter is dealing with colorism,
dealing with hair texturism.
She's dealing with all these things. And so I had Alicia call her.
Alicia calls her and gave her a really nice talking to about,
don't you like my braids?
And she was like, yeah. She was like, don't you think my braids are pretty?
(19:09):
And she's like, yeah. She's like, don't you think I'm beautiful?
And she was like, you're so beautiful.
And she's like, so why aren't you beautiful with those same braids?
And it was something that NAMI finally was able to go, okay.
But that's when I really saw how deeply our kids are affected by the work that we do.
And so I always wanted to do the work, be a great makeup artist,
(19:30):
but also be an acknowledgement that to tell women that I am there helping these
women obtain this beauty.
You know, there's a professional that's on the other side of that and that anyone
can have this, like if they have a team. It's just a fact.
And I think that helps normalize it for real women to go, oh,
okay, I get it. It's a team. And if I was a famous woman, I'd have a team and
(19:53):
I'd be able to be pulled together that way.
But what I do offer is I have some tips and tricks that I can share with you
how I get my glam together for my celebrities, for red carpets or for television all day long.
How can I have my makeup last all day long in the summer heat?
How do you do that for your clients? So that's the gift back I feel like to
(20:15):
women is giving them the secrets, giving them the trade secrets.
But I also think having this own line of yours is also giving back because,
yes, you are doing it for these celebrities.
And yet, you know, a lot of us look at them and feel shitty about ourselves at that moment.
But you're giving us an opportunity to also have some of the same tools that
(20:35):
they have and and at really affordable price points.
So you are being so inclusive in what you can offer to those of us who are not
walking the red carpet. it.
Absolutely. And that's, that
was a big part for me. This is the second inception of a brand for me.
The first one, you know, was all about that and it, you know,
it didn't work out well for me and it's fine.
(20:57):
And that was with learning curves that made me stronger to be ready for this brand.
And that's all Ashin Tushri Beauty is all about is really celebration,
that diversity, the inclusion, that all of it, like, look at all three of us.
You both are blonde, but you don't to look the same. You have different features,
different faces, really just celebrating that individualness and womanhood.
(21:19):
And also even down to my models on my website, my mom is on there,
Anita, who's my business partner, 70 plus years old.
Please don't kill me, Anita, for saying that out loud. Beautiful. Beautiful.
But, you know, beautiful white woman, gorgeous white head of hair and just so regal.
And someone is like my other, you know, to me, just a really wonderful woman.
(21:39):
And all the women kind of on the site, as well as the other people who are trans
or, you know, non-binary that we have are just all friends of friends.
You know, like I didn't hire any pro models.
I mean, we really try to like use that too as a template to show that,
you know, beauty is obtainable through anybody,
(22:00):
you know, because you see a plus size black woman or you see a plus size white
woman or you see an older white woman or mature black woman,
like whatever, that it's all obtainable and it's all there.
And we are giving you the tools that a lot of it is really about waterproofing.
People don't realize that's like one of the biggest secrets for makeup artists,
why the makeup stays and looks so good is we waterproof makeup a lot of times,
(22:22):
or we're using waterproof makeup.
So all my makeup is built waterproof, like literally like- Built to go the distance.
Built to go the distance and for long wear.
Now, I want to go back to talking about, you know, brands for,
you know, different non-white people. Okay. Let's just put it frankly, play. Right.
(22:42):
Because, you know, I was at Sephora just last weekend with my daughters and,
you know, there's like this small little corner that's, you know,
dedicated to women of color. And I'm like, this is bullshit.
You know what, Samantha, that is bravo to you for noticing, but go ahead.
But you know what? It was really, I was just walking around and it caught my
eye because it was like these crazy colors. And I was like, what is that?
(23:03):
And then I walked over and I was like, this is the smallest little area.
And there are so many women of all different walks that That,
you know, don't just fit into this little box that we are told a society is,
you know, the makeup box or the glam box.
And, you know, so what are we doing as a society to shift that?
(23:24):
I mean, is it something that we're so far away from or are we moving towards
a more, you know, all over inclusive environment?
We're moving closer to it than we ever have. And that's what the conversation
is about, honestly, with Vice President Harris.
It's about moving this conversation forward about inclusivity for everybody.
You know, there's people I know who are white who have biracial kids and their
(23:47):
kids don't fit in those boxes, you know.
They say, I mean, Stacey fits that box. Yeah. So you understand what I mean?
So it affects way more people than we know.
And what you're saying in terms of the shitty corner at Sephora that's given out to the BIPOC brand.
I've actually had brand founder friends.
We've gone into the store and seen their products not really properly maintained.
(24:09):
Contained or, you know, not you, you asking like, is this product there?
And they're like, oh, it's here, but you don't put it up on the shelves.
It's just a lot of sloppiness, you know, when it comes to certain things.
And I don't want to say it's intentional because we don't want to keep pointing fingers at everything.
I just think it is. No, let's say that it's fucking intentional because I feel
like we all know that we need to be more, you know, moved to incorporate all
(24:34):
different things into our environments, but we're still at the bottom of the shelf.
Yeah. And that's not cool. What I'm going to say is more than better than intentional
is people are just fucking lost.
You know, like people are not tapped into reality.
John Leo Guzman said it best, you know, when I interviewed him,
you know, about the Oscars and he said, why can't we have movies where,
(24:58):
you know, they're written for white people, but the leading actors are Latino or black or black?
Why does the concept have to only be white men and white women?
And someone said, why do you think that is the case? He said,
because Hollywood is fucking white and it's lost.
And it's not women like you guys who are tapped in and aware.
It's really, unfortunately, white men. And this is constantly a conversation
(25:23):
I'm hearing from women from all walks of life.
And no shade to any white man out there, but there's a lot of disconnect in
terms of what women really need, what women are really asking for across the
board, white all the way to the darkest shade of black.
You know, like there's just a, there's a major disconnect.
(25:44):
And a lot of these corporate heads that are running Sephora, a lot of them are men,
you know, like, so why do we have men in those positions in beauty that really
don't understand the story and the journey of a customer as a,
as a makeup user, as a makeup wearer?
They don't understand that story unless you're gay, honestly.
(26:05):
You really don't understand the same story that a woman understands in terms
of the beautification aspect or trans or whatever.
But you got to be other than white male to really understand that journey.
We refer to that as pale male and stale.
And there's too much of that running. We're fucking over it.
I don't care what industry you're in. It's everywhere. It's a pandemic.
(26:29):
It's a blandemic. It's a blandemic.
You know what? Yes. And we're going to use it from now on, and we're going to
credit you every time. Yeah. A blandemic. A stale blandemic.
I'm glad I'm not on camera right now because I'm crying.
Oh, my gosh. But, yes, so, you know, that is the problem.
(26:51):
And I think, you know, I tell all my friends, I'm like, Like,
I know that these white men aren't being raised by none of my white girlfriends
because my white girlfriends are raising their kids.
Right. You know, like to be conscious of everything.
And they even call me sometimes, ask me about little things,
you know, like, what do you think about that?
And that's that's what it takes. Right. It takes a village for us to understand
each other and have these open dialogues.
(27:11):
My neighbor during the pandemic, at first I was highly offended,
called a meeting for all the Black townhouse owners in my townhouse community
to come because she really wanted to understand what was happening.
And at first I was highly pissed.
But after four hours and three bottles of wine, I really understood, you know? Yeah.
(27:31):
I understood why she needed this meeting because she said to me,
I didn't grow up with a lot of Black people.
She's like, I grew up white as fuck. That's what she said. And she was like,
I really want to understand.
And she's like, it's really unfair of me to say on one Sunday afternoon in four
hours and three bottles of wine that I can really understand Blackness.
But I want you guys to try to show me, try to tell me your journey so I can
(27:53):
try to make a connection.
And it floored her when she heard everybody's story there. She was just crying, crying.
You know, and we heard her story and was crying as well.
And she said, that's so crazy. People don't usually get emotional because she
had been molested and been through all these things.
But that was like all of us, all the Black girls that went through that,
we had all been molested by family members.
(28:15):
We all went through these things with this and that. It was like so much similarity.
And a lot of that is attributed to, you know, to poverty and growing up in inner
cities and lack of education and a system that's broken. And,
you know, we just have so, I just think if women honestly did take over the
world, and I don't mean to sound corny, I think we would be in a better place.
Maybe not in a perfect place, because I don't think women are perfect.
(28:38):
But I definitely think we would make some better decisions that would better
suit more of humanity. humanity.
I couldn't agree more. And I think the mission and the vision of us as we push
forward as women raising young women and the next generation that's coming up,
I mean, it's our job to really push forward that narrative.
(29:00):
And you're doing that with your work, with your line, with just the person that
you are and the woman that you are. I mean, it's incredibly moving.
I can't say thank you enough for your time today.
Shunta, we are going to post all of the links to your Beauty line where we can
get our hands on that translucent powder we all so badly need and the blush
that we have been missing out on our whole entire life.
(29:22):
We hope that everybody this week gets out there and is inspired.
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