This episode is so special to me, y’all.

Not only is it the 10th episode of the podcast (MAMA, WE MADE IT!) but I had the pleasure of interviewing someone I have literally been watching for almost a decade.

Megan Lytle, or more commonly known as ULoveMegz, is a familiar face in the beauty world. She’s a beauty influencer, Youtuber, and popular personality who has touched hundreds of thousands of women like you & me.

For me, inviting Megan on the show was kind of a no-brainer. & not just because she’s beautiful, down to earth, and downright funny. But because of what she represents to the community. She’s been our homegirl on our phones & our laptops. Encouraging us to take ownership of our individual beauty as we laughed & had girl talk along the way.

& that’s really what today’s episode is. A continuation of that endearing conversation we’ve been having with Megan for all these years.

I know y’all are gonna enjoy this one…

Love,

Coco.

Having Shemika Harmitt on this week’s show was such a pleasure! Having recently met at a beauty conference here in Los Angeles, I instantly knew that she had to be on the show. Tune in while we chat about everything from our natural hair struggles, the inequalities in the PR, & what finally led her to create Prime Beauty Cosmetics in the first place.

Until next time…

Hi Everyone,

This week, I am joined by Helena Hailu, founder, and CEO of Konjo Naturally. Konjo Naturally is a customizable, natural haircare subscription box aimed at taking the guesswork out of finding products that work for your specific hair type.

Helena is a complete trailblazing entrepreneur. Someone who saw a true need in the hair care industry & just decided to go for it.

After conversing with Helena, I had an internal moment where I questioned how she managed to find time to start an entire business all while entering her senior year of college. In less than one year, she was able to create a concept for it & successfully bring it to the market. Astounding, right?

No.

Every day black women are badass. Every day we reach higher. Every day we show up as our best selves & continue to break boundaries.

Hence, why this episode is titled, #Everydayblackgirl. The title is meant to celebrate everything that black women are on a daily and acknowledge how being phenomenal is really quite… normal.

& of course, Helena is no different. Join us as we explore everything from the influence her Ethiopian heritage has had on her life, to how Konjo Naturally can help you find the exact products for your hair type.

As always,

I hope you enjoy.

Follow Helena or Konjo Naturally here on Instagram: @helenaxhaile; @konjonaturally

Shop the brand here: http://www.konjonaturally.com

Consider this fair warning, you are now listening to an episode of straight #girltalk

What happened to the beloved days of calling the beauty shop for a hair appointment 2 weeks in advance? Or simply walking in to get your nails done early on a Saturday morning? These days… between all of the deposits, booking instructions, and strict requirements it seems like you have to jump through hoops just to practice self-care.

In Episode 7, Jocoby has a candid take on the current state of the beauty industry, it’s professionals & how it can sometimes make a regular, degular customer feel.

Has trying to set a hair appointment ever left you anxious, frustrated, & ready to go bald? Share with us your story by reviewing the show on Apple/Google Podcasts and Spotify. Also, connect with us on Instagram & Twitter to keep the conversation going: @bynamebeauty

To the Girls That the World Will One Day Know By Name,

As I write this, it’s the 21st of September (**cues EW&F**), & its official: our hot girl & hot boy summers have really come to an end (I know, devastating but we must endure). 

Along with the change of the season, came a lot of change in my personal life. Think— 7 states in less than 2 months, a promotion, a farewell tour, & then a cross-country move. I’ve been beyond exhausted, yet exhilarated all at the same time. Excited yet anxious. All packed up & ready to go but still somehow not quite ready. Keep listening as I kick this week off by giving you a quick recap of this whirlwind that I call my life.

Later in the episode, we take a deep dive into why we here at By Name will always be #Team OwnershipOverCollaboration. It’s no secret that minority-owned businesses are especially uplifting & empowering, yet there still doesn’t seem to be enough of them. Meanwhile, brands continue to be profitable while using our likeness. Something ain’t clean in the water y’all…

But of course, it’s not enough for us to call attention to the fact that minority communities need & deserve more ownership. In fact, it is also our duty to call out, buy from, highlight, and overall make a big deal about the brands that already exist! So, to round out this week’s episode we mention six black, women-owned brands that are in fact doing the dag on thing in the beauty space!  All brands are mentioned below w/clickable links! 

* Beauty Beez Beauty Supply Store* The Lip Bar * Highly Recommended: Straight Livin’ Lip Liner (a must-have for my medium brown-skin girls) along with their Hot Mama Liquid Lipstick * Camille Rose * Try their Coconut Water Collection * The Mane Choice * Uoma Beauty * The Crayon Case 

& before I go…

This week, I challenge you to support any minority-owned business that piques your interest. & not just with buying their products/services (even though I definitely want you to do that!). But also try thanking them for their commitment to the people that they serve, commenting on their social media, or even sharing their business with someone who isn’t as familiar. 

Here’s to supporting one another & giving credit where credit is due…

Love,

Coco 

Beauty + Social Resistance. Two terms not often used together yet they can be deeply intertwined.

Join Jocoby as she discusses popular comedy, “Grownish”, & how it reminded me that I can use anything to make a change & resist the status quo.

What does skin whitening, plastic surgery, and even face tune/photoshop all have in common? They all qualify as some sort of body modification. This week, expert researcher, professor, and author, Dr. Rokeshia Renee Ashley, visits the podcast to discuss breaking the stigma around body modification and instead why she believes we should encourage women of color to engage in it safely.

Connect with Rokeshia on social @keshiaphd & via linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/keshiaphd/

Relevant works by Dr. Ashley as it pertains to this week’s show:

An examination of black women’s health information understanding and negotiation of engagement in skin whitening

https://mospace.umsystem.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10355/68883/research.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

#BlackBodiesMatter: Cross-Cultural Examination of Black Women’s Motivation to Engage in Body Modification

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0021934716686022

In this week’s episode, Jocoby & Ericka discuss who they consider a beauty icon and why. With any good debate, there were some laughs & definitely a few side-eyes involved. More importantly, they challenged themselves on what shapes their personal philosophies around who they consider beautiful.

Icons Mentioned (in no particular order):

* Keyshia Ka’oir Davis* Rihanna* Bella Hadid * Yara Shahidi* Nicki Minaj* Queen Latifah* Eartha Kitt* Lena Horne* Lupita N’yongo * Lil’ Kim* Gabrielle Chanel

**In our Aaliyah voice**

In the midst of another failed foundation launch, By Name Beauty discusses the importance of having a manifold of people at the table before making decisions. & more importantly, how should people respond when it’s clear that many cosmetic companies just aren’t listening.

Let’s Keep the Convo Going.

IG: @bynamebeauty

Twitter: @ByNameBeauty1

On this day, I count it as a true honor to be able to share with you all the first episode of the By Name Beauty Podcast. By Name was simply born out of a desire for women who looked liked me to be included in this wonderful, magical, and empowering space known as beauty.

I wanted every woman to know that she was an individual that had been called “by name.”

That regardless of what companies were saying, she was much more than just a consumer.

That she deserved to be heard in her concerns and frustrations. Marketed to with shade ranges and colors that actually fit her skin-tone. Featured in the latest ad campaigns. Highlighted and celebrated in the media. & most importantly, acknowledged for who she was and what she brought to this space.

So to all my Black girls. Brown girls. Caramel girls & all glorious pigmented shades in between. I’m doing this for YOU.

Welcome to the By Name Beauty Podcast: Where Women of Color & Beauty Dialogue Meet.