Naked Beauty

“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

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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 Boston to NY to pursue her dreams, how she approaches life behind the scenes, and what it was like to work with Naomi Campbell at just 21. We get into how to find the right stylist and how to ask the right questions – like her 6-year old client who knew exactly what he wanted when he got in the chair. She explains how to make the most of your appointment and getting what you pay for. Illiesha also gives me an incredibly helpful vocabulary lesson and teaches me what the difference is between base color, ombre, lowlights/highlights and balayage.

I ask her what the deal is with shampoo (is it as damaging as people claim) & how many products do we really need? She shares some amazing thoughts on how the energy you put into your hair manifests itself and how important it is to A) speak up but B) find someone who listens to you. Making time for yourself and loving your hair are two things Illeisha really believes in and I walked away feeling so inspired by our conversation.

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More about Illeisha: https://thehairartiste.com/

Follow her on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thehairartiste/

Stay in touch with me: https://www.instagram.com/brookedevard/

Join the Naked Beauty Community on IG: https://www.instagram.com/nakedbeautyplanet/

Rate, Subscribe & Review the Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-naked-beauty-podcast/id1131628553?mt=2

Thanks for all the love and support. Tag me while you’re listening @nakedbeautyplanet & as always love to hear your thoughts :)

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Dejah Poole, 19-year-old dancer from the Alvin Ailey school, has been dancing since she was just 2 years old. I initially discovered Dejah from her stunning Instagram account: @dejahonpointe & from there learned about her passion for speaking out and claiming her space as a black woman in the world of dance. We talk about bias in ballet (when nude isn’t really nude), accepting your body, eating disorders, the time she met Misty Copeland, and how her mom pushed her to accept herself above all else.

We discuss how you get the body of a dancer, how to stretch and gain flexibility and the process and sacrifices behind dancing (we get into dancer’s feet & missing toenails)! I was also curious to learn how certain beauty elements translate for black dancers: how she wears her hair (Dejah is natural), stage makeup, etc. Dejah professes her love for Fenty & educates me on what the kids are into these days. Before we end, we’re joined by Dejah’s BFF and fellow dancer Lindsey Treadwell, to discuss dating, competition & living in NYC.

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Links to Products Mentioned

• Dejah’s Profile in Byrdie Beauty: https://www.byrdie.com/dejah-poole-ballerina-beauty-routine
• Alvin Ailey (highly recommend seeing a show or taking their classes in NYC): https://www.alvinailey.org/
• Physique57 (my fave workout, mentioned in the intro): https://physique57.com/
• Misty Copeland, first black principal Ballerina for the American Ballet Theatre, check out this video to see her on stage in Romeo & Juliet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5qwctVrRvg
• @dejahonpointe Dejah’s amazing instagram account
• Fenty Gloss, Fenty Match Stix Trio & Fenty Foundation
• Rose water spray
• Kylie Lip Kits - Dejah approves of some of these shades for a bold lip

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• Stay in touch @nakedbeautyplanet
• Follow me @brookedevard
• Subscribe, Rate & Review the show on Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-naked-beauty-podcast/id1131628553?mt=2

Thank you for listening & your support!

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“Everything in wellness has gone to an extreme” - Sabrina Diaz, my guest, and founder of Grass Roots Juicery, a Brooklyn-based cafe that promotes healthy living through organic cold press juicing, smoothies & healthy food.

We talk about her experience growing up first-generation Dominican in the suburbs of NJ and how being the only hispanic person in her entire class made her ashamed of the things she now takes great pride in: her rich culture, using natural fruits and vegetables for beauty treatments and her beautiful curly hair.

We discuss her favorite things to juice, sugar addiction, her Whole30 experience, the rush of buying new things & how ultimately having less makes you so much happier. We also talk CBD, her addiction to red lipstick, Rent the Runway, plastic surgery & the slippery slope it introduces, the charcoal trend, the Matcha trend, and all the wellness trends that have gone too far.

We also get into a hysterical discussion of NYC nightlife with a bonus Sex & The City snippet. We talk promoters, models, clubs in the Meatpacking District circa 2008.

We wrap up our conversation on the beauty trends we both love like bold, glossy eyes and our general exhaustion with all things #WELLNESS. Here’s to more honest, authentic stories in the year ahead & true wellness > trends.

LINKS to things & products mentioned

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More about Sabrina & Grassroots Juicery via Vogue: https://www.vogue.com/article/before-bed-sabrina-diaz-brews-a-cbd-recipe-from-her-juice-bar-grassroots

Grassroots Juicery Juices I love:

• Skin Glow - Red Apple,Cucumber, Kale, Pineapple, Ginger, Lemon
• Zinger (Shot that I love for winter) - Lemon, Cayenne Pepper, Echinacea & Ginger

Join the Naked Beauty community on Instagram if that’s your thing :) @nakedbeautyplanet

Kat Von D vaccination scandal if you care to catch up here

Estee Laundry - IG account exposing beauty brands for BS, now addicted

Kosas - all natural brand with pigments

Dragon Girl Nars - Sabrina’s fave red

Lady Danger from Mac (more orange her summer red)

Rent the Runway - My cure for wanting something new all the time

The RealReal - how I shop & great resource for designer consignment

Biologique Recherche P50 - everyone raves about this chemical heavy exfoliator/skincare

Good read on the grey area of CBD & if it really does anything

Milk Eye Pigments

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One of the coolest girls I know - Grace Bukunmi is a Nigerian Photographer, Stylist, and Art Director working between LA & NYC. She’s worked with everyone: Alicia Keys, The Migos, A$AP Rocky & with the coolest publications: High Snobiety, Hypebeast, etc.

We talk about her growing up in a religious household & how her spirituality has evolved and how religion is perceived in her LA creative circle.I ask her if she think natural beauty will become a thing of the past & we try to decode deja vu.

I also talk to Grace about surviving a car crash (caused by sleep deprivation!) and how it forced her to re-evaluate her commitment to her work vs her health, and the relationships around her. We get into lash extensions, gel manicures & the joys of natural products like handmade soap

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Things/Products Mentioned:

Afro Punk (one day I’ll go): https://www.instagram.com/afropunk/

Cleremont Twins (in case you’re not familiar): http://www.papermag.com/clermont-twins-mont-budoir-yeezy-2531618962.html

The Twilight Zone Episode on Beauty ‘Eye of the Beholder’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFhKp-xi2DY (an amazing 20-minute episode, very worth watching)

Trypophobia is an aversion to the sight of irregular patterns or clusters of small holes, or bumps - a weird thing me, my brother & my Mom all suffer from. Link may be triggering for people who also have this bizarre paranoia lol

Are gels bad for your nails? I’m convinced they are but see this article: https://www.marieclaire.com/beauty/a16686803/do-gel-manicures-ruin-your-nails/

Hyaluronic Acid & Skin Benefits: https://www.elle.com/uk/beauty/skin/a35378/what-is-hyaluronic-acid-and-how-does-it-work/

Cupping Benefits: https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/cupping-therapy

Sugar Bear Hair Vitamins: https://www.sugarbearhair.com/

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Follow Grace: https://www.instagram.com/bukunmigrace/?hl=en

Join the Naked Beauty Community on IG: https://www.instagram.com/nakedbeautyplanet/?hl=en

& for this Holiday season - if you could rate & review the podcast on Apple Podcasts, I’d be forever grateful :) https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-naked-beauty-podcast/id1131628553?mt=2

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Aala is a very special person who's been able to self-heal and overcome a lot. Only 26, she's deeply aware of her purpose and it's so inpspring - I got a little emotional during this one. She's Sudanese-American and grew up in between cultures. We talk about how Sudanese women approach beauty, her relationship with her hair and how it changed when she got sick. Women's health and chronic illness is something that's not discussed often and so Aala is willing to talk about her private experience in detail – from the moment her hair kept falling out, getting rashes on her skin, experiencing chronic fatigue, migraines, muscle pain, etc. and then slowly rebuilding from there. 

We discuss the role of doctors verses a holistic approach, how her illness made her feel ugly for the first time in her life and how to handle a serious diagnosis. She discovered Dr. Sebi and began implementing these holistic principles to create a cleanse. An elimination diet addressed her gut/digestive issues. We also get into accessible beauty - you don't have to have a $75 jade roller to practice self-car (but she's got nothing against jade rollers, so get your roll on if it suits you). Aala explains how she compliments herself to feel empowered and how minding your business, drinking water are her top beauty tips! 

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Things/Products Mentioned:

Dr. Sebi (big proponent of self-healing through natural remedies): https://drsebiscellfood.com/

Aala's Book 'I am The Cleanse' https://aalacleanse.com/cleansematerials/iamthecure

Macrobiotic bowl - my go to healthy dinner: https://www.brit.co/macro-bowls/

Almond oil, Jojoba oil after she exfoliates: 

https://www.amazon.com/Desert-Essence-Organic-Jojoba-Oil/dp/B0000C0XL8?th=1

https://www.amazon.com/NOW-Solutions-Sweet-Almond-16-Ounce/dp/B0019LVFSU

Ground coffee beans to exfoliate DIY recipes at the link:

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/lifestyle/diy-beauty-projects-you-can-mix-up-with-used-coffee-grounds/

Raw honey and avocado blueberry mask - your skin is your biggest organ so she does natural masks to nourish her skin

https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/8-amazing-blueberry-face-masks-for-radiant-skin/#gref

Manuka honey - next level honey 

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/manuka-honey-medicinal-uses

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Follow Aala https://www.instagram.com/aalaofficial/

Follow the cleanse https://www.instagram.com/aalacleanse/

Follow the cleanse at @aalacleanse

Stay in touch with the #nakedbeautypodcast community: https://www.instagram.com/nakedbeautyplanet/

Follow me @Brookedevard https://www.instagram.com/brookedevard/

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“I’ve learned to love my body because I’ve accepted it as my home. This is where I live - where me - the person I love the most lives, I have to make the best of it.” - Tolly sharing gems on body acceptance on this episode that I love so much

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Tolani Shoneye (known by her fans as Tolly) is the host of one of my favorite podcasts ‘The Receipts’. I was able to interview her while in London and we talked about everything from her Nigerian upbringing to the type of men she wants to attract. We get into her experience as one of the popular girls in school, racism her family faced in the UK, and how she adopted the role of the ‘strong black girl’. Listen to hear her take on “instabaddies”, why she loves and accepts her body, getting sleep,David Beckham, Naomi Campbell, and her love for a glossy face (RIP matte).

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Products/Things Mentioned:

The Receipts Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/thereceiptspodcast

Ruby Woo, her favorite red

Blotting papers for shine (my suggestion): https://www.fentybeauty.com/invisimatte/blotting-paper/22322.html

Benefit Pore minimizer primer - her fave primer with a velvety finish: https://www.benefitcosmetics.com/ca/en-gb/product/the-porefessional

Tom Ford Traceless foundation (my suggestion)

https://www.tomford.com/traceless-foundation-spf-15/T0T5.html

Charlotte Tillbury (her winter foundation)

https://www.charlottetilbury.com/us/new-magic-foundation

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Follow Tolly: https://www.instagram.com/tolly_t/

Follow me: @brookedevard https://www.instagram.com/brookedevard/

Join the community @Nakedbeautyplanet https://www.instagram.com/nakedbeautyplanet/

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Subscribe, Rate and Review the podcast & share the love with someone you care about :)

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Logo update (yay!), a quick word on overeating & Thanksgiving indulgence, and then Rachel and I discuss clearing your closet & our Moms :) 

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Listen to the full episode with Rachel if you missed it: 'Is 29 The Perfect Age? Probably Not' https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/is-29-the-perfect-age-probably-not-ft-rachel-goldman/id1131628553?i=1000419118104&mt=2

Shoutout to the community for helping me with the logo! 

Join on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nakedbeautyplanet/

Design by the super talented Hannah Kunkle: https://www.instagram.com/__hannahrose____/

Stay in touch:

https://www.instagram.com/brookedevard/

If you need motivation to clear your closet, check out this book 'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing'

https://www.amazon.com/Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Decluttering-Organizing/dp/1607747308

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“It’s no accident I do what I do. I come from a long line of people making culture, considering how we live and responding either sonically or aesthetically to that.” - my inspiring guest, Lotte Anderson, who was described as ‘emblematic of the city of London’

Lotte, an artist living and working in London, creates work that explores the politics of taking up space, community, pleasure seeking and human behavior. Lotte tells me how growing up in West London amongst families of ‘creative dynasties’ inspired who she is today and how through the creation of her party series, MAXILLA, she realized she was making art the whole time. From there, she’s found herself in museums like the Tate Modern and we discuss how she’s able to recognize her own accomplishments.

We discuss how she navigates the art world as a woman of color and how her racial ambiguity weighs on her at times and how she explores it in her work. We talk about Scary Spice, how Mel B’s blackness was treated, and re-evaluating GIRL POWER. After attending fashion school and working for Alexander McQueen, Lotte tells me why fashion ultimately wasn’t for her. We discuss Supreme, the CFDA, casting in fashion and Fenty.

Although she’s often cited as one of the coolest girls in london, I’m shocked to learn that she felt awkward growing up. We talk about building community, the healing properties of water, CHANEL beauty, being a Gucci ambassador & lots more!

Products/Things Mentioned

@nakedbeautyplanet where you can find a lot of my natural beauty recipes

More info on Lotte’s latest show: How Do You Feel About Lying?

Shy Girl, the artist she collaborated with

https://www.coeval-magazine.com/coeval/shygirl

Kelis - Caught Out There (Iconic)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3JFwd1bk4Q

111 Cryo where Lotte tried Cryotherapy

https://www.111cryo.com/

REN Rose Body Oil

https://www.sephora.com/product/morroccan-rose-otto-ultra-moisture-body-oil-P378013

Women’s Balance Essential Oil Blend from Neal Yard

https://www.nealsyardremedies.com/aromatherapy/aromatherapy-oils-and-blends/essential-oil-blends/2715.html

Aesop Facial Toner

https://www.aesop.com/nz/p/skin/tone/parsley-seed-anti-oxidant-facial-toner/

Chanel beauty compact cream essential palette (comes in a range of 6 shades)

https://www.chanel.com/us/makeup/p/149150/palette-essentielle-conceal-highlight-color/

Dazed Beauty on IG - Constructed beauty at work

The Cleremont twins - for anyone unfamiliar

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Follow Lotte: https://www.instagram.com/_lotte_andersen_/

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Thank you for listening! Be sure to subscribe, rate, review & tell a friend about the #nakedbeautypodcast :)

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Annya Santana, who grew up in the Bronx and was born in the Dominican Republic, bought a one way ticket to Paris 4 years ago after heartbreak and started her clean beauty line Menos Mas (which means Less is More). Before finding herself in Paris, we talk about her experience growing up in NY and working in the early days of streetwear after finding herself in fashion PR. She explains that Paris is surprisingly afro-centric and we discuss the benefits of letting the day unfold — the Parisian way. We get into the moment the Bronx seems to be having (from Cardi B, to the Bodega Boys) and how people of color are now taking ownership for their contributions to culture.

Annya is majorly into health and fitness — an awakening that happened over time. She tells me about how she changed her entire approach to eating (first to clear her skin) but then realized how much better she felt after eating clean. In addition to fixing her skin issues, her cleanse eased the pain of menstrual cramps. We also get into: running the NY Marathon, wellness for free, creating her dual-gender, all-natural skincare, her Mom’s DIY remedies inspiring her, making hand cream for her Dad, acne scarring, changing your face via FaceTune, stretch marks, moisturizing as meditation, hormones, acupuncture, Dominican salons and embracing her natural hair texture, the body pos movement and its implications & much more!

Products/Things Mentioned:

Annya’s amazing line Menos Mas: https://www.menos-mas.com/

The China Project — the book that opened Annya’s eyes to the dangers of processed foods:https://nutritionstudies.org/the-china-study/

Superfood Probiotic Powders - she put a scoop of this in her water every day & treated her acne in a month

https://www.orgain.com/protein/organic-nutrition-powder/Organic-Superfoods-Powder.html

Vitamin E oil - also used to naturally heal her acne

Pink Cream from Dr. Jart Annya uses as Essence

https://www.sephora.com/brand/dr-jart

My essence from Tatcha - I actually really like this product

https://www.sephora.com/product/the-essence-plumping-skin-softener-P415771?icid2=products%20grid:p415771:product

Royal Jelly Menos Mas for scarring

https://www.menos-mas.com/shop/honey-royal-jelly-miracle-body-butter

Learn more about microblading:

https://www.elle.com/uk/beauty/a31566/microblading-eyebrows/

Where I got my Miicroblading done in NY (highly recommend):

http://nylasheyeland.com/

Bantu Knot Out how I sleep with my natural hair

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulqtwgglHc8

Pineapple Method how Annya sleeps with her natural hair

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS_qO6zMgu8

Ashley Graham Weight Loss Backlash

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“Creativity and being around creative people has been my drive” — my amazing guest Saidah Blount, on her career journey and finding herself in music where she always wanted to be :) 

Saidah tells me about moving to NYC in the 90s and making a career out of seeing bands. Originally from Kansas City, we talk about how she grew up and her early memories of visiting the Clinique counter for makeovers. We ponder whether or not artists of today have the same knack for style that musicians used to but we both think Rihanna, The Migos & Miguel are doing interesting things. We get into hair dye, expensive deep conditioning masks we enjoy wasting money on, the magic of a good skincare routine, whether or not vitamins really do anything, how working out and knowing her own personal strength can change everything, and how the right lipstick can be a form of personal empowerment. 

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Follow @nakedbeautyplanet on Instagram for all things beauty & join the #nakedbeautypodcast community :) 

Follow Saidah on IG: @SaidahB TW @Saibellanyc

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Products & Things Mentioned

Illeisha who did my color I mention in the intro: @thehairartiste

Siouxsie Sioux - the artist with the distinctive eyeliner look that inspired Saidah

Aztec clay to cleanse skin 

Biologique P50 < apparently worth all the hype

Tumeric mask for hyper pigmentation

Evening primrose oil from Mountain Rose Herbs 

Shu Emura Deep Conditioner 

Queen Helene Cholesterol deep conditioner - a classic

Shea Moisture Strengthening Mask - one of my fave deep conditioners & not too expensive

Morrocan Oil Deep Conditioner

Scalp Massager from Amazon I use 2x a month to stimulate hair follicles

The Buffet Serum from the Ordinary 

Moisturizer with sunscreen Saidah loves

Heyday - Saidah’s go-to facial spot in NY

The impact of sun (image to scare you straight into wearing SPF)

Rihanna RiriWoo - her ultimate red (sorry sold-out) 

BITE in soho where you can create your own lipstick 

L’Oreal boy brow dupe 

Fenty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Foundation

Youtube from dermatologists she loves (Dr.Dray)

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Stay in touch! I'm

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