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 Livable Luxe. Brigette opens up about how her nomadic childhood influen...
Sep 23, 2024•1 hr 11 min
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 meets the needs of more educated consumers, remains aware of specifi...
Sep 16, 2024•1 hr 9 min
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: The beauty of the school children in Zambia and the impact of colonializa...
Sep 09, 2024•27 min
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 helping others escape abusive environments, and her relationship non-negotiable...
Sep 02, 2024•53 min
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 her relationship to beauty as a child, the strategy behind transit...
Aug 26, 2024•53 min
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 cream. We even got some great beauty tips from the live audience! T...
Aug 19, 2024•36 min
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 directing my own campaign in the canyon behind my home, this was a t...
Aug 17, 2024•18 min
"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 audience. We had a beautiful discussion on personal growth, building...
Aug 12, 2024•53 min
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 current research says about retinoids, sunscreen, and more. The info...
Aug 05, 2024•32 min
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 Naomi Campbell. Our time together illuminated exactly why Sabrina ...
Jul 29, 2024•17 min
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 with our audiences. Tune in as we discuss: The rise of A-Beauty ...
Jul 22, 2024•52 min
In this week’s episode, Sir John and I sat down to chat about what it means to be Summertime Fine mentally and physically. Our conversation included a very special announcement from Brooke, thoughts on how we recharge after major events, and our favorite eye looks on Black women. Sir John shared some tips on elevating any look with custom grills and gave details on his innovative guide to contouring in the sun. Brooke talked about how her ideal summer looks will accentuate her changing body and ...
Jul 15, 2024•49 min
In this rerun of one of my favorite episodes, I sat down with TikTok queen herself, Tefi. Estefania Pessoa AKA Tefi is the best friend, cultural commentator, and skinfluencer we all needed during COVID-19, and if you have yet to come across her name on TikTok you are truly missing out. Tune in as we discuss her takes on both the toxicity and joy of Y2K beauty culture, growing up as a half-Colombian, half-Brazilian girl in Miami, working through unhealthy relationships, establishing a career as a...
Jul 08, 2024•1 hr 1 min
“At the top of the list of what you need to know about Tanner Adell is she is glam country, it's definitely a defining feature for me.” For our second episode together, Sir John and I sat down with someone we feel is truly blazing her own trail and looking incredible doing it: Tanner Adell. This year alone she's walked her first red carpet, presented an award at the CMT’s, and had her first-ever televised performance - not to mention being on a Beyonce album. During our conversation, Tanner talk...
Jul 01, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Tune in for a LIVE conversation with the one and only Jenna Lyons. From her trendsetting tenure at J. Crew to her candid conversations about her relationship to beauty on Real Housewives of New York Jenna’s authenticity is undeniable. During our conversation, we discussed her commitment to fostering diversity in the fashion industry and what she’s learned about herself since founding Loveseen. We also talked about how she prepared for the high level of scrutiny housewives face, successful queer ...
Jun 24, 2024•39 min
After spending the past year developing my own fragrance, I’ve become obsessed with learning more about the process of developing fragrance. Maya Njie, an artist and self-taught perfumer, was the perfect person to dive deep on fragrance with. During our conversation Maya and I explored the scent composition of some of her top perfumes while discussing how significant her family history has been in building her business. We also talked about the unique experience of trying to capture feelings and...
Jun 17, 2024•1 hr
While speaking with Charlotte Mensah, she shared her expertise in caring for Afro-textured hair, with products, tools, and styling recommendations. Charlotte also revealed how significant it was for her to grow up surrounded by family, having her hair done and styling it for others. Our conversation illuminated her decision to develop the Curl Power Workshop, an annual haircare and hairstyling event where adults learn to care for the Afro-textured hair of the children they love. For the second y...
Jun 14, 2024•14 min
Charlotte Mensah, the first Black woman inducted into the British Hairdressing Hall of Fame, once turned her kitchen into a laboratory to develop products for her clients. Raised in her grandparent's Ghanian compound, Charlotte was exposed to her grandmother’s boundless creativity and her grandfather’s corporate acumen. Unsurprisingly, she harnessed their wisdom and built an award-winning career in beauty that spans decades. In our conversation, Charlotte talked about her path to opening Hair Lo...
Jun 10, 2024•57 min
Another edition of beauty rant and beauty rave, including a hot take about luxury skincare and my recently acquired membership to LA's Erewhon and why I was so reluctant to join the cult of this hyped upscale grocer. Tune in to hear my thoughts on: How clinical research and development separates luxury brands from competitors The question of whether or not a product is 'worth it' What a consistent skincare routine can do to transform your skin Why Erewhon Goes beyond a grocery store and becomes ...
Jun 03, 2024•20 min
Tune in for a rerun of one of my favorite Naked Beauty episodes with Charlotte Palermino, co-founder of Dieux Skin and self-proclaimed skincare fairy godmother. This episode was all about unpacking and debunking ALL of the beauty rules that so many of us subscribe to. From daily exfoliation, to DIY skincare, to beauty regulations, there’s a lot to get into! Link to Products Mentioned: Ep.29: Esme Brown , Chemist Confessions Balm Voyage , SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.3 , CeraVe Retinol , BeautyStat Vi...
May 27, 2024•58 min
We need to process together! Last week, we all heard the iconic Ms. Tina Knowles bless the Naked Beauty podcast with her wisdom, wit, life, and beauty knowledge. On this episode, Sir John and I sit back and unpack our takeaways from that intimate conversation. Tune in to hear all of the behind-the-scenes details, what resonated with us most, how Ms. Tina inspires both of us, and how it felt to interview such a pioneer for the culture. Tune in to our recap as we discuss: What Ms. Tina taught us a...
May 20, 2024•16 min
Ms. Tina has been infusing bold and beautiful Texas style into global pop culture for decades. Sir John and I talked to Ms. Tina about her successful career as a stylist, her beauty regimen, building Cécred, and the significance of early exposure to images of Black beauty and power. We learned how she carries her mother's lessons about honoring creativity in yourself and your children. She told us about how her decision to enter beauty school in her 30s led her to build Headliners, a successful ...
May 14, 2024•59 min
Excited to share that the multi-talented Sir John will be joining me as our new Naked Beauty co-host. We’ll be doing a limited six-episode series in which we interview guests who are impacting the culture and delve into their life stories and POV on beauty and self-expression. Please join us in giving Sir John a warm welcome to the Naked Beauty Community! See me Live in NY 5/20 ( limited tickets here ) Rate, Subscribe & Review the Podcast on Apple Thanks for all the love and support. Tag me ...
May 10, 2024•18 min
It is almost time for the most iconic Monday of the year, the Met Gala. This week I spoke with several talented people in the beauty industry about their Met Gala prep, red carpet predictions, and what happens behind the scenes to make the magical event happen. Master hairstylists Nikki Nelms and Jawara Wauchope gave insight into how they build trust with clients like Janelle Monae, Solange, and Paloma Elsesser to create iconic looks. Chloe Malle and Kristie Dash discussed how social media has r...
May 06, 2024•1 hr 17 min
Cyndia Harvey is the force behind some of the most iconic hairstyles in luxury runway and editorial campaigns. From lace baby hair at Mugler to screen-filling curls for Jacquemus, Cyndia takes creative risks because she knows that trusting the process always leads to success. During our conversation, Cyndia talked about cultivating this radical sense of self and trust by giving herself exactly what she needs. Whether it be a silent retreat at a secluded monastery or an escape from a turbulent ho...
Apr 29, 2024•53 min
Tarek Ali is no stranger to sharing his healing and trauma with the world. Tarek has been creating content online for over a decade as a YouTuber, advocate, author, writer, and healer. In a radically vulnerable approach to engaging online, Tarek’s audience has journeyed with him as he healed relationships with others and himself. This week we sat down to discuss how his initial goal of being seen, heard, and loved online blossomed into a career of healing and artistic expression. Tune in to lear...
Apr 22, 2024•1 hr 8 min
Kendra Bracken-Ferguson knows that Black beauty brands and their founders need capital and community to circumvent systemic racism at the heart of venture capital funding. As the Founder and CEO of Braintrust Founders Studio Kendra uses her experience identifying talent and innovation to provide companies the support they require to succeed. In this episode, Karen and I explore how her legacy of building digital communities guided her toward her professional “North Star” and how we might do the ...
Apr 15, 2024•1 hr 6 min
During our initial conversation, Erica Chidi shared so much knowledge about intimacy, wellness, and how to develop positive sexual experiences with our partners and ourselves. That conversation led us to discuss some common myths about sex and vaginal health. Tune in as we discuss: Why she believes “sex is food and food is sex” How to prioritize comfort during sex The differences between water-based and silicone lubricants Why our vaginas don’t need to smell like fruit Vote for Naked Beauty for ...
Apr 08, 2024•13 min
“Our culture isn’t designed for intimacy or time with your partner…it’s about capitalism.” To have positive experiences with sex and intimacy Erica Chidi knows that we have to “keep in contact” with our bodies. Erica is a Wellbeing Guide and the CEO & Founder of Loom , an app that provides reliable information about women’s reproductive health. It was so interesting to learn about how our sex education never really stops and where we can turn for more information. Tune in to learn more about...
Apr 01, 2024•53 min
Exploring beyond the limits of topical beauty treatments, and into the world of cosmetic technology can often feel daunting, or even deceptive in today’s social media landscape. So, I wanted to use this episode to break through the clutter and take you all on an audio tour of an increasingly popular treatment: PRFM or PRP. For those who may not be familiar, PRFM stands for Platelet -Rich Fibrin Matrix. It, along with PRP (Platlet-Rich Plasma) - referenced by Dr. Nanaa Boakye - have been making h...
Mar 25, 2024•46 min
