Beauty in Progress

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We invite you to know the story of someone who succeeded in the beauty industry and decided to change it for the better! Thatiana Diaz is a senior editor and beauty contributor for Refinery29. She leads the editorial strategy, ideation, and execution of Somos, Refinery29's first Latino multiplatform channel. Thatiana produces deeply informed beauty pieces and exclusive celebrity features. She joined Refinery29 from People en Español, where she launched Chica, Meredith's first brand targeting Latino millennials. As a teenager she got into the world of pageants, and she was successful as she was Miss New York USA 2015 and a finalist in Miss Dominican Republic Universe. Once she left that world behind, she studied Communication Studies at Pace University, graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts. Her passion is covering beauty from different perspectives, and gaining visibility and proper representation for Latinos in the media.

Highlights:

• Thatiana tells why she jumped from beauty pageants to journalism.
• She says how she thinks and chooses the stories told in Somos.
• She shares her opinion on current beauty trends.
• Thatiana explains the fears and insecurities she had being part of beauty pageants.
• Why she believes filters in social media are a problem.
• Importance of achieving a more diverse and accurate representation of Latins.
• She says how the pandemic changed our view of ourselves and what we consider beautiful.

To learn more about Thatiana Diaz, you can visit Somos website or follow her on Instagram.

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Get to know the behind the scenes of plastic surgery! Dr. Sheila Nazarian is a Beverly Hills board certified plastic surgeon, founder of Nazarian Plastic Surgery, and host of the Netflix show Skin Decision. Dr. Nazarian attended Columbia University in New York and graduated with a BA in economics with a pre-medical concentration. From there, she enrolled at Yeshiva University’s Albert Einstein School of Medicine, and then went on to a combined residency in plastic surgery at the University of Southern California. She loves to improve a patient's appearance, as this often improves quality of life, but each patient is chosen if she agrees on what procedure they want, as she puts ethics above everything. Her meticulous eye for detail reflects the artistry that distinguishes her work and commitment to achieving a natural look. Her commitment and dedication in the field of plastic surgery with her patients have earned her an excellent reputation.

Highlights 

• Dr. Nazarian tells how the pandemic was a moment of awakening for her to enjoy things more than ever.
• She says why selling things isn't gross if it helps people.
• Dr. Nazarian thinks the lockdown has made people focus more on investing in themselves.
• Her show Skin Decision on Netflix and how she turned down offers until she could do the show she wanted.
• She explains why she rejects patients looking for trends.
• The importance of the relationship with patients and her passion for educating the masses.
• Dr. Nazarian emphasizes the importance of taking baby steps toward something that resembles what you envision.

To learn more about Dr. Sheila Nazarian, you can visit her website or follow her on Instagram.

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It's never too late to start taking care of your skin! Today's guest is Doris Day, MD, a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in laser, cosmetic, surgical, and aesthetic dermatology. Dr. Day graduated from Columbia University with a BA in English, completed her MA in journalism and science writing at New York University before earning her MD from Downstate School of Medicine in New York. She completed her dermatology residency at Cornell University School of Medicine, earning the title of Chief of Residents. She owns a dermatology clinic and understands that medicine is constantly evolving, which is why she is committed to change in the field of cosmetic dermatology. Doris shares her unique insight as a clinical associate professor of dermatology. She is the author of several books, as Beyond Beauty and Forget the Facelift, where she shares all her knowledge and experience. We invite you to listen to this fantastic conversation about the importance of ethics when working with people's skin, and the new treatments and procedures that are improving year after year.

Highlights 

• Dr. Day tells about the growing loss of individuality in aesthetic processes according to trends and why it is a problem.
• She explains why it is essential for skin professionals to work ethically and be responsible.
• She talks about hair loss, types of treatments, and what stressors can stimulate telogen effluvium.
• Dr. Day tells her opinion on stem cells used in conjunction with PRP as injections.
• She gives the four-step program for healthy skin.
• Dr. Day talks about Micro-Needling and Sculptra.

To learn more about Dr. Doris Day, you can visit her website or follow her on Instagram.

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Have you ever thought about what place has plastic surgery in feminism? Today's guest is Suzannah Weiss—a writer and editor, whose work consistently focuses on discussing gender, sex, and feminism, and has been featured in The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Washington Post, and Vice. Weiss grew up on Long Island, New York, and attended Brown University, where she studied Cognitive Neuroscience, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Modern Culture and Media. She had several jobs but finally found her place as a freelance writer and editor, where she can share her ideas and do her research without being tied to any media. As a lover of knowledge and spiritual seeker, Suzannah works as a sex and love coach, teaching people to love themselves in order to love others. She is currently working on several books, writing articles of scientific and cultural interest, and appearing regularly on television shows and podcasts to discuss gender, body image, and social justice.

Highlights 

• Suzannah shares her perspective, as a feminist, on plastic surgery.
• She talks about her ethical responsibility as a sex and love coach.
• She explains whether THC can enhance pleasure in sexual intercourse.
• G Shot, The Mona Lisa Touch, and other modern procedures
• Suzannah says what feminism is for her.
• Orgasms and what can prevent people from having them

To learn more about Suzannah Weiss, you can visit her website or follow her on Twitter.

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A picture is worth a thousand words! Kiyana Tehrani is a Los Angeles-born photographer and creative director who specializes in fashion portraits and highlights the utter beauty in anyone. She is a true artist and portraitist who feels free and brave when she works. Capturing real beauty is one of her constant goals, so she uses little editing on her models to achieve a true and unique expression in each image. For the past 8 years, she has been honing her ability to lead creatively and produce her own sessions. At this moment, she is in constant exploration to tell a story behind each picture, looking for models that do not fall under the classic term of beauty, but rather with edgier characteristics that stand out, representing real characteristics. As she says, “The perfect imperfect.”

Highlights 

• Kiyana explains why she looks forward to shooting people that don't fall under the classic term of beauty.
• She tells how influencers edit their photographs and how a certain camera lens can change the way someone looks.
• Kiyana talks about the competition in the photography world and the struggles of being a freelancer.
• She says how hard model agencies are and why she still doesn’t portrait herself.
• Kiyana explains she would like to work with Gucci, because they do edgy stuff.

To learn more about Kiyana Tehrani, you can visit her website or follow her on Instagram. 

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Some artistic disciplines are socially relegated but are just as creative as other popular doctrines. Bethany is an artist and works as a makeup artist in LA. Her journey began as a painter, and she has been creating art since she could hold a pin. While being a body piercer, she fell in love with bodies and faces and decided to get into makeup. She was already amazing on paper, so starting on skin wasn’t much of a challenge––but becoming a licensed esthetician was essential to understanding more about the subject. Bethany uses her skills to produce creative and engaging visual marketing material for beauty, making fabulous looks that appear natural. During COVID, she found the time to focus more on painting again and went to digital illustration, encapsulating all her styles and learning new tools for future projects.

Highlights 

• Bethany talks about her goal: reaching the most beautiful and natural version of each client. 
• She discusses the concept of Pinpoint Concealing: covering pimples, redness, or freckles without having to put on a full face of foundation.
• She explains how she tries to find a middle ground with the client before starting work.
• Bethany says she doesn’t wear makeup and talks about why she sees it as another extension of art.
• She believes makeup is a buffer when it comes to faces that appear on TV cameras.

To learn more about Bethany Garita, you can visit her website or follow her on Instagram. 

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The fashion industry as we know it needs to change. And what better time than now? Rebecca Dennett is a stylist and art director that uses fashion as a medium to create boundary-pushing visual narratives. She studied textile design at Brighton University, fell in love with vogue art, and started working for a stylist in London. Since moving to New York in 2012, she has contributed to prestigious clients such as Elle, Allure, and Style Magazine. Rebecca acknowledges fashion is a constantly changing industry, and that’s why she combines trends with stories to create a concept in each work. Her current project is to seek out and collaborate with more people that don’t fall for the conventional term of beauty.

Highlights:

• Rebecca explains how the styles she creates on productions depend on the concept the client is looking for. 
• She says keeping up with trends is very important in her job because she seeks ideas around them.
• She talks about the aspirational fantasy that fashion tries to achieve, body-positive models, and why brands are not used to calling them.
• Her relationship with social media and how she tries to avoid it to stay creative.
• The importance of thoughtful shopping and recycling clothes.

To learn more about Rebecca Dennett, you can visit her website or follow her on Instagram. 

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Treat your hair and skin better using chemical-free products! Rochelle Graham-Campbell is an accomplished entrepreneur, CEO, and Co-Founder of Alikay Naturals, a luxury organic line of hair and skincare products. Her journey started in 2008 as one of the first vloggers on YouTube, where she did hair-care tutorials. Everything blew up when her subscribers started asking for the natural hair oils she was doing for herself. That’s how Alikay Naturals was born! A visionary pioneer in the natural hair movement, Rochelle now leads a multi-million dollar company that continues growing at a rapid pace. She is a powerful woman that everybody should listen to. 

Highlights:

• Rochelle tells how her journey started on Youtube as a hair vlogger, and how Alikay Naturals was born.
• She shares how she managed to work, study in college, and make products during Alikay’s first months. 
• The importance of keeping quality while your business grows--starting small and growing strategically.
• Rochelle says she cares about hair discrimination and that it’s still legal in the USA. 
• She explains the origins of locks and why the word ‘dread’ has a negative connotation.

To learn more about Rochelle Graham-Campbell, you can visit her website or follow her on Instagram. 

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Have you ever wondered how Hollywood actors get chosen? Today’s guest, Danielle Eskinazi, is an award-winning casting director with an ability to spot potential where others can’t. She started working in the entertainment industry more than twenty years ago and has cast incredible actors, such as Milla Jovovich, Hank Azaria, Woody Harrelson and David Bowie. Producers and directors trust her creativity to find actors that suit their needs. Authenticity and personality are what she prioritizes in castings. And in her workshops, she teaches how to give a truthful performance. 

Highlights:

• Danielle shares how she started working as a casting director without experience and developed a unique eye spotting talent.
• The importance of confidence and authenticity in castings.
• Listening to what directors are looking for and giving them direction.
• Transitioning actors into different roles that correspond more to their age.
• She thinks commercials are more challenging for her job than movies.
• Danielle insists that actors need to keep on working and studying to get better. 

To learn more about Danielle Eskinazi, follow her on Instagram or Twitter.

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The perfect brow-look exists and today’s guest, Sania Vucetaj, will explain how to achieve it. Sania is an eyebrow stylist and founder of Sania’s Brow Bar in New York City. Due to her unique and incredible style she has become an icon in the beauty industry working with celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, Rihanna, Angela Simmons and Eliza Dushku. Her passion began when she was a kid and got a scar in her brow, and in order to fix it, she camouflaged the wound and started playing with beauty tools. Nowadays, Sania  uses social media to give advice on how to keep brows healthy and has launched a line of beauty products that has amazing feedback.

Highlights:

• Sania shares her determination when she started her business 20 years ago even though no one thought it would work.
• The 3 keys in brows; Sania believes they are symmetry, fullness, and shape.
• Sania explains what you shouldn’t do if you want to keep your brows healthy.
• The difference between threading and waxing and why tweezing is better.
• Why eyebrows are not a Do It Yourself field. 
• Sania says that there is not enough training in brows and that’s why she educates and helps through tutorials in social media.
• Reveals how to succeed with clients: making them feel comfortable, listening and trying to give them brows the way they desire.

To learn more about Sania Vucetaj, you can visit her website or follow her on Instagram. 

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