“Try colors you wouldn’t normally wear. It’s not permanent, it’s not a tattoo. And you might realize that actually, that green or that yellow goes with your clothes so much better than the red or nude does.” - Sylvie Macmillan on how to step out of comfort zones & try new colors for your nails. I had to share some extras from my conversation in London with super-talented nail technician Sylvie Macmillan. We talk about the debilitating effect of too many options at the nail salon, SNS dipping...
Oct 07, 2019•11 min
"I'm a size 16 black woman with natural hair who's big and broad and takes up a lot of space. And I'm unapologetic about it. I'm dope." - my guest, Julee Wilson, Global Beauty Director of Essence When it comes to beauty, Julee Wilson is all about showing up with authenticity and confidence. Her unique childhood within the Mormon community at home, and within the Quaker community at boarding school, inspired her progressive, open-minded and creative approach to beauty. Wilson continuously advocat...
Sep 30, 2019•1 hr 3 min
Dr. Jones treats newborns to 100 year olds, celebrities (like Pharell *gag*) & regulars like yours truly – in fact I’ve been seeing Dr.Jones at her UES practice for over 15 years. I couldn’t be more excited to her skincare wisdom with all of you! We talk about everything from how to find a great dermatologist (& more specifically a black dermatologist), haircare, cosmetic surgery and how to simplify your skincare routine for maximum effectiveness. Growing up, Elena Jones always knew that...
Sep 23, 2019•1 hr 8 min
“Every great brand has something in it that’s very unique and distinctive and belongs on this planet, and the best brands are the ones that know how to take that and constantly evolve it. Those brands stand the test of time.” - my guest, Amanda Baldwin Over the past three years, UV protection brand Supergoop! (est. 2007) has rapidly become a household name, and it’s no surprise that President Amanda Baldwin is behind the effort. Having received degrees from both Harvard and Wharton, experience a...
Sep 16, 2019•49 min
Harlem-born, LA-based artist Mandy Harris Williams is thinking about beauty on a *much deeper* level. This was the intellectual beauty I conversation I've been chasing all 2019. Mandy’s ultimate aesthetic: summering on Martha’s Vineyard with a strong no-makeup skin flex. Listen to hear Mandy & I discuss the mythology behind the ‘ideal’ black woman, being ‘uglied’, fitting into cultural norms, high heels as a manifestation of the patriarchy and how we feel about white women wearing braids. We...
Sep 09, 2019•1 hr 9 min
“Nails can be just as important as jewelry” - my guest Sylvie Macmillan. Sylvie's journey to becoming a talented nail technician was anything but direct. After receiving a degree in technical arts and special effects, and working as a graphic designer and model maker, the Bath local could have done anything. Yet her lifelong love for nails was an affection that couldn't be ignored. With clients like Vogue , Dazed , and Fashion East designer Asai under her belt, it’s clear that Macmillan is well ...
Sep 02, 2019•46 min
We all need to be reminded to have a sense of humor when it comes to beauty. Mandi & I talk skincare obsession, how the team at the Baalm crafts brilliant beauty memes, the joy of your boyfriend adopting a skincare routine & more on this leftovers episode of Naked Beauty. And stay tuned if you want to hear a snippet of my stand up comedy routine from Caroline's on Broadway [can't believe I'm releasing this but YOLO, enjoy] --- Listen to the full episode with Mandi Nyambi, author, co-foun...
Aug 26, 2019•9 min
“I work backstage and it teaches you so much. The models are getting so many photos taken of them, so you have to be perfect.” - my guest makeup artists & model, Raisa Flowers Raisa is an icon in the beauty game and I’ve been wanting to interview her for so long! She’s done everything from hit the runway as a model for Rihanna’s most recent Savage x Fenty show to working with musicians to working at fashion week’s top shows. The NY native continuously serves some of the most eccentric looks ...
Aug 19, 2019•53 min
With degrees in Regenerative Biology & Nutrition from Harvard, Mandi Nyambi truly has skincare down to a science. Which is why the skincare consultation network she co-founded, the baalm (formerly Le Culture Club) is set to become such a trust-worthy name among beauty enthusiasts. I loved talking with Mandi and getting all my burning skincare questions answered, hearing about her Cameroonian background, ingredients to look for & skincare that’s worth paying for! Links to products/resourc...
Aug 12, 2019•48 min
Vic Styles is highly driven by aesthetics but she’s far from superficial – she's come into her own & creates from a place of intention. After starting her journey in L.A. as an assistant wardrobe stylist, Vic quickly became a stylist in her own right & as of today, has been featured in several publications (R29, Essence, Teen Vogue),living her best life as a freelance writer & influencer. Links to products/resources mentioned: Thinx Period Panties , Manuka Honey , Aztec Indian Healin...
Aug 05, 2019•43 min
Creative freedom, the role of therapy, patience with your hair, your skin, the joys of being alone, affirming your own destiny, setting intentions...so much of this very special episode with Madison is about trusting the timing of your life. I’ve admired Madison, founder of Utendahl Creative , for years! She was the force behind some of my favorite work at Refinery29, social director for the Museum of Ice Cream & overall industry thought leader. It was a joy to learn more about her story and...
Jul 29, 2019•49 min
An encore episode with Harper’s Bazaar senior digital fashion editor, Chrissy Rutherford. Chrissy has some advice for hopefuls wanting to work in fashion: "If you don’t love it, you won’t last a week”. Chrissy tells me what it’s like being a digital editor and why her perspective as a woman of color is important right now. We discuss foundation (who is it really for?),miracle cures for cystic acne and her relationship with her hair dresser. My favorite part of the interview? Chrissy gives me her...
Jul 22, 2019•40 min
“To me the coolest people, the people that I'm inspired by, are people who are just 100% themselves.” - my guest, friend, and designer Recho Omondi on trying to define the intangible quality of coolness. I could speak to Recho for *hours* and this live episode, all about expression, is no exception. Listen to hear us discuss: Developing a unique personal style How moving around growing up influenced her sense of self Finding your people on the internet (so important) Why there’s power in not nee...
Jul 15, 2019•33 min
“Your health is your responsibility, it’s really up to you” — Annya Santana explains this truth to me & a sold-out crowd in NYC for this live edition of Naked Beauty Annya joins me to talk about how we care for our body as part of our beauty routine. Annya is firmly #teamfitness & team #plantbased vegan & I couldn’t be more inspired. We talk about how she started her health journey, how she’s been able to maintain her plant-based diet & how she’s been able to bring her Dominican ...
Jul 08, 2019•40 min
An honest talk about mental health — from my live Naked Beauty event in NYC I’m joined by writer, DJ & childhood friend, Gillian Sagansky to talk about how she’s come out as someone who struggles with OCD. We discuss her choice to seek treatment & how life was before she realized she needed to make mental health her ‘full-time job’. She explains how important it’s been for her to live without shame and the power of telling a single story.We discuss taking breaks from social media, how to...
Jul 01, 2019•25 min
From product development at Glossier to the front lines of L’Oreal — Diarrha has seen a lot and I was so eager to hear all the beauty TEA & it is *hot* – I had a jaw on the floor moment during our chat! I also learned A LOT - Diarrha talks about the science of skin, how products are formulated and women of color being excluded from clinical trials. We discuss Drunk Elephant, how Sephora uses data to market products brilliantly, how she found herself at Glossier & she shares all of her fa...
Jun 24, 2019•47 min
Marjon Carlos is a writer, cultural critic, speaker and editor whose work I’ve admired for years. She is the former Senior fashion writer at Vogue.com where she explored the intersection of style and culture – informed by her academic background in African-American studies at Brown and Columbia University. Marjon tells me how she came into her own personal style, shopping memories in Dallas, the early days of Saint Heron and how she’s thinking about aging. She’s a fashion girl slowly wading into...
Jun 17, 2019•51 min
Besidone has worked across fashion, music and entertainment at some of the top global brands & has a passion for business strategy. I wanted to share our discussion on finding mentors, bullying at work and why women need to support women for this leftovers episode! --- Tickets for the #NakedBeautyPodcast LIVE experience June 22nd are on sale and going fast! Get your tickets today: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/naked-beauty-live-podcast-event-tickets-62793405767?err=23#tickets -- Listen to the...
Jun 10, 2019•6 min
“I have a story. It’s hard, it’s gnarly but it’s not about the story, it’s what you do with it.” - Sophia Roe, my incredible guest for this special episode of Naked Beauty. Sophia’s wisdom, humor and excitement for life are all so refreshing and a joy to witness. I loved learning about how she got her start in high-end restaurants, then to catering, and how her love of food has evolved over time. We talk clean beauty and the correlation between skin and food, make-up girls vs skincare girls, cur...
Jun 03, 2019•1 hr 29 min
Self-care isn’t for sale. Despite the best efforts of marketing, a sheet mask won’t change your life. But sleeping more will.Going outside for a walk will.Stretching for 15 minutes a day will. #Selfcareisfree & if there’s one thing you retain from listening to this episode, it’s that you to believe & know in your core that buying products or hiring experts is not necessary to do the work that needs to be done to be your best self. Self care is not a product, it’s a habit. This episode is...
May 27, 2019•16 min
Hannah Bronfman is one of the most inspiring, ambitious, down to earth women I know & when you meet her Mom and hear their story— it all makes sense. Loved talking to this powerful Mother-Daughter duo for this special episode of Naked Beauty 💗 Hannah talks about how watching her Mom create opportunities for herself (like writing her own fan mail!) inspires her to hustle (9:59). Sherry ‘Peaches’ Brewer came to NY from Chicago on the Greyhound Bus, determined to make it (12:29) and she speaks...
May 11, 2019•1 hr 8 min
Some leftovers from my discussion with Ashley Weatherford (senior editor at Into the Gloss) and Utibe Mbagwu (social at Into the Gloss)! We talk about the challenge of being 'the only one' and what it's like the sole person of color on a team. Utibe and Ashley share their transition to going natural and thoughts about how the beauty conversation has changed over the years. Utibe, who manages social for @intothegloss, shares some insights on social strategy and her must-have beauty products [like...
Apr 29, 2019•14 min
Happiness-inducing morning routines, skin-perfecting color corrector, expert facials & head-turning natural hair looks –– Besidone and I get into at all in this AMAZING episode of Naked Beauty. You’re all going to fall in love with Besidone because not only is she an incredible career-woman but she’s also so spiritually grounded. Besidone shares her experience growing up in LA with Nigerian parents who instilled a love and appreciation for her culture in her early. We talk about how life can...
Apr 16, 2019•1 hr 5 min
“I had a really unhealthy obsession with looking a certain way that just wasn’t possible 24/7” - my guest Nia Pettit, who’s only 21 but has had a following on social since she was 16. At 20 she freed herself of being preoccupied with her hair. Self-love, natural hair journeys, bacne, being mixed race, international travel, baby hairs, veganism –– Nia and I talk about it all and I’m so blown away by her wisdom. I loved hearing how Nia’s self-perception, approach to beauty and the content she crea...
Apr 01, 2019•55 min
Bonus content from my interview with Negarin Sadr, listen to the full interview here (one of my faves) In this leftovers episode, we discuss the shift towards casual/comfortable clothes for women and how much we miss Pheobe Philo, the designer and innovator behind Celine. Pheobe Philo has been replaced by Heidi Silmane and the results are not great (see article for reference). ALSO we have the hardest time finding shoes, can anyone relate? Negarin has solutions! - Things Mentioned: Jacquemus + S...
Mar 22, 2019•8 min
"I love a new candle just as much as I love a new pair of socks" - my guest and friend of 16 years, Abigail Stern Abigail is not a girly-girl, she was always the cool one in sneakers when everyone else was hobbling around in heels. I've watched her blossom into an incredible entrepreneur and launch her own line of technical performance wear: Matek. We talk about what being Jewish means to her and how her Isreali mom gave her some early hair memories that have stayed with her to this day. We remi...
Mar 20, 2019•41 min
“I loved beauty without knowing it” - my guest Ashley Weatherford, Senior Editor at Into The Gloss Ashley has been an authority in beauty for years and I’ve followed her career since the beginning – so I was incredibly excited to have her on and learn her story: from Ohio to Northwestern to NY. Ashley wanted to be a lawyer but started a beauty blog on the side for fun, which eventually landed her a position at New York Magazine. We talk about the power of her recommendations and if she feels gui...
Mar 05, 2019•1 hr
"I find the body to be a very sacred place and I don’t think that you need to get attention by exposing your skin, I think you can get attention by dressing interesting." - my guest Negarin, on the modest fashion movement and her personal style Negarin has always been a go-getter. In the same year we met, I watched her launch her own fashion line, Negarin London , debut at London Fashion Week. She was also really nice to me when I moved to London (which I can’t say for most girls). We discuss ho...
Feb 18, 2019•1 hr 3 min
“I’m over complicated skin routines. I have this conversation with a lot of other editors. There are too many products that do the same thing. As someone who is supposed to promote these products for you, even I feel overwhelmed.” - my guest Janell shares some very honest thoughts on this episode of Naked Beauty Janell Hickman started her career at WWD, did PR at Victoria Secret and Essence but ultimately found herself working in beauty full-time and I was so excited to get her thoughts on where...
Feb 04, 2019•58 min
“When you’re in the hair salon, speak up. Be direct. Direct questions, get direct answers.” - my wise guest & talented hair artist Illeisha on claiming your voice and advocating for what you want when it comes to your hair ------------------- Illeisha has an artistically-based education but expresses her art through hair. She’s spent the last decade in the industry building an incredible career and working with some of the top talent in the game. We talk about how she took the jump from Bost...
Jan 21, 2019•50 min
