

The Charisse Report
Charisse Kenion
The Charisse Report hosted by journalist Charisse Kenion, is a platform that explores the people and stories that shape fashion, beauty and entertainment.
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/charisse_kenion/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TheCharisseReport
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@charissekenion
Newsletter https://substack.com/@thecharissereport
Please rate and review the show if you enjoy it.
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/charisse_kenion/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TheCharisseReport
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@charissekenion
Newsletter https://substack.com/@thecharissereport
Please rate and review the show if you enjoy it.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 7, 2022 • 24min
Ep. 149: The best beauty moments from the Savage X Fenty shows so far and what we can expect from Volume 4
This episode is all about the magic of the annual Savage X Fenty show that Rihanna and her team have been producing since 2019. I thought it could be fun to look back at its history and share some of the beauty looks from the first three shows as volume 4 is happening this week.
By the way, at the time of recording, I didn’t know that Johnny Depp might be featured in the show and even if I did, I wouldn’t really have gone into that story, purely because it just seems very murky as to who was in the right. How could we ever know?
So instead this episode focuses on key beauty looks and why the Savage Fenty show does more for body positivity than any other brand. I also predict the looks we might expect from Volume 4 so stay tuned and let me know what you’re looking forward to. If you’re already a fan of Savage Fenty you’ll love this episode, but if you’ve never checked it out before, you’ll find out why you should.
The show airs in over 240 countries, exclusively on Amazon Prime Video from Wednesday November 9th. Let me know how watching the Savage Fenty show makes you feel over at @beautymepodcast on Twitter and Instagram and check out my TikToks at @charissekenion. Don’t forget you can also subscribe to my newsletter for free at beautymenotes.substack.com, and if you enjoyed this episode, I’d love it if you could leave a 5-star review over on Spotify or share a review on Apple Podcasts – it really helps! See you next time.
Shop the Savage Fenty Volume 4 show here: https://www.savagex.com/show
BeautyMe on Twitter: https://twitter.com/beautymepodcast
BeautyMe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautymepodcast/
BeautyMe newsletter: https://beautymenotes.substack.com
BeautyMe on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charissekenion

Nov 4, 2022 • 59min
Ep. 148: Exploring body neutrality, beauty as currency and the end of the (traditional) influencer with beauty and lifestyle writer Ata-Owaji Victor
In today's episode I sit down with Ata-Owaji Victor, a London-based beauty and lifestyle writer of Nigerian descent who writes for the likes of Black Ballad, Elle and Vogue and is on a mission to encourage discussions around the politics of beauty.
Ata briefly touches on her ADHD experience and brings up so many thoughtful subjects, such as why we work the way we do; why work and labour are so prized and praised in society and why she chooses to nurture a neutral view of her body.
Her mother comes up a lot in this conversation, and it’s clear to see she not only influences how Ata sees her own body but she’s also the one who taught her how to choose the right foundation. We discuss how makeup is all about expression and why it might be time to reclaim the word ‘beautiful’.
Finally, if you’re a budding beauty writer, listen out for Ata’s offer of advice – you can find her email address on her Instagram profile @ataowaji if you want to reach out.
Don’t forget to subscribe and follow BeautyMe so you never miss an episode, and you can also find me on Instagram @beautymepodcast. I’m also sharing videos at @charissekenion and there’s a newsletter too if you want even more; sign up at beautymenotes.substack.com. See you next time!
Products mentioned:
Charlotte Tilbury Eyeshadow Palettes: https://www.charlottetilbury.com/uk/products/makeup/eyes/eyeshadow/eyeshadow-palette
Pat McGrath Eyeshadows: https://www.patmcgrath.com/collections/eyes
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick: https://www.lauramercier.com/makeup/eyes-eyebrows/eye-shadow/caviar-stick-eye-color-prod450002.html
Isamaya Beauty Industrial Palette: https://isamaya.co.uk/products/industrial-color-pigments
Kiss Falscara Individual Lashes: https://www.superdrug.com/make-up/eye-makeup/false-eyelashes/individual-eyelashes/kiss-falscara-individual-lashes-starter-kit/p/792699

Oct 28, 2022 • 34min
Ep. 147: From London to Los Angeles – beauty trends and wellness tribes with freelance beauty editor Ava Welsing-Kitcher
This episode sees the return of my friend and former guest Ava Welsing-Kitcher. She moved from London to Los Angeles earlier this year and I really wanted to catch up with her to find out what, if anything, was different when it came to beauty trends between the two cities.
During our chat we touch upon trends in makeup and plastic surgery and Ava shares how she's enjoying certain aspects of the wellness culture that LA is well-known for, but not loving some of the less than friendly vibes from certain 'tribes' of gym-goers and grocery shoppers. Ava also shares her musings over how LA is different to California as a state, and we discuss how the LA sun does so much for her mind and morning routine.
Be sure to check out Ava's Instagram @avawelsingk and give her newsletter a read over at facetsbyava.substack.com. Don't forget to subscribe to and follow BeautyMe on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss another episode and be sure to check out my newsletter over at beautymenotes.substack.com. Find me on TikTok to check out the Sza video I mentioned in the intro!
BeautyMe on Twitter: https://twitter.com/beautymepodcast
BeautyMe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautymepodcast/
My TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charissekenion
BeautyMe newsletter: https://beautymenotes.substack.com/
BeautyMe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A3yloKnIQ6wagUxLxBuaT?si=4d36f5f9c91e499f
BeautyMe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/beautyme-with-charisse-kenion/id1466941875

Oct 25, 2022 • 21min
Ep. 146: The future of Allure magazine as it goes digital-only; why Brits aren’t bothered about Sephora, yet and Taylor Swift’s Midnights
This week it’s a beauty news round-up; I’m talking about the latest print issue - the penultimate print - of Allure and dipping into the history of the magazine, and I’ll be talking about the early reactions to Sephora’s online store here in the UK and briefly wondering what Taylor Swift’s visuals for her new album Midnights could look like.
I had to dedicate much of this episode to Allure because I'm a longterm fan who's seen it change hands from founder Linda Wells, to former Nylon editor Michelle Lee, to the current editor in chief, Jessica Cruel. Discussing print and people of colour comes up and I'd love to know your thoughts on the conclusions I make. Sometimes it feels like the major magazines bring in people of colour way too late, which leaves them in a vulnerable position, as if they alone have to save the title. Let me know what you think! Tag me when you're listening over on Instagram @beautymepodcast or reach out to me on Twitter @beautymepodcast. I also give my thoughts on the latest print cover over on my TikTok, @charissekenion.
I also touch on Sephora's arrival in the UK - for now it's online only and it's getting a lot of criticism, but I'm intrigued to see if they're going to bring in same-day delivery for us as well as the States - and I wonder what kind of visuals we can expect as Taylor Swift's album Midnights takes over the internet and makes Spotify history. At the point of recording Taylor had only released several lyric videos and one video for Anti-Hero, but this morning I've seen she's released a video for Bejeweled.
Ciara breaks down her most iconic music videos for Allure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IFrVucSv6g
Black Icons in Herstory by Darian Symoné Harvin: https://bookshop.org/p/books/black-icons-in-herstory-50-legendary-women-darian-symone-harvin/17359104
BeautyMe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautymepodcast/
BeautyMe on Twitter: https://twitter.com/beautymepodcast
Find me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charissekenion
Sign up for my newsletter: beautymenotes.substack.com

Oct 21, 2022 • 43min
Ep. 145: Donyale Luna, the first black supermodel
This episode is going to be a timeline of the life, impact and death of Donyale Luna, the first black supermodel.
We’ll be touching on her life growing up in an abusive household in the 1940s, becoming a model during a time when racism was alive and well within the fashion industry and 1960s America as a whole, and we’ll be looking at how her rise to the top led to an inevitable drug addiction and a lonely death at the age of 33.
If you’ve been following my Tiktoks you’ll know that I’ve been talking a lot about the concept of the supermodel lately and really trying to break down what makes a supermodel. Despite labelling the concept as a ‘90s phenomenon, I think there were early signs of this phenomenon, and that Donyale was actually the first black supermodel, particularly because of how she impacted the fashion industry as a whole. That’s just one of the reasons I wanted to dedicate an episode to her; I feel like she’s often a footnote in the history books and there are so many inaccuracies in much of the content that’s created around her life.
So, this is kind of my love letter to Donyale, an audio memorial that hopefully fills in any gaps for her fans and brings her to life for a whole new audience.
This episode probably wouldn’t have happened if it hadn’t been for the work of journalist and author Ben Arogundade. His book: Beauty’s Enigma; the story of Donyale Luna – The First Black Supermodel – was hard to track down but was one of the few solid accounts that I could rely on for real facts. I’ve left a link to it for you below if you’re interested.
I’d love to know what you think of this episode? Had you heard of Donyale before? Do you like these historical look backs at beauty? Let me know over @beautymepodcast on Instagram or Twitter and definitely look out for some Donyale-themed TikToks over at @charissekenion. I’ll also be saving a Donyale highlight on my Instagram so you can see much more of her looks and style. I’ve also written about the research process for this episode at beautymenotes.substack.com.
Thank you so much for listening – don’t forget to follow and subscribe and please do leave a 5-star review if you liked this episode! See you next time.
Links:
The Tragic Tale of Donyale Luna, by Ben Arogundade for the Telegraph: http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG9658276/The-tragic-tale-of-Donyale-Luna.html
Beauty’s Enigma; the story of Donyale Luna – The First Black Supermodel: https://sites.fastspring.com/arogundade/product/donyaleluna
Supreme Models series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObeHmWsyshM&t=268s
Remembering Donyale Luna, by her daughter Dream Cazzaniga: https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/donyale-luna-model-vogue
The Luna Year, Time magazine 1966: http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,840625-1,00.html

Oct 13, 2022 • 1h 2min
Ep. 144: Talking trends, talent, trolls and Tumblr with forecaster Mandy Lee AKA Oldloserinbrooklyn
Today’s guest is Brooklyn, New York-based writer, trend forecaster, analyst and content creator Mandy Lee. If you’re a regular TikTok user, then you’ll likely know her as @oldloserinbrooklyn. Since focusing on fashion content in February 2021, Mandy has built up a 400,000 following in a bid to bring real research and context to her trend critiques.
I really wanted to get her on the pod to basically be nosy about what life is like for a trend forecaster, so of course we're talking about her morning routine and skincare - turns out she's a major Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 fan. We also get into the murky world of plagiarism and Mandy shares her prediction for the next IT model. Clue: her mother is on one of the Real Housewives shows...
Please note: there are a couple of expletives in there, and we briefly mention eating disorders.
Thank you so much for listening. I would love to know what you think; do you think trends still matter? Did our chat get you thinking about whether you’re the cute girl, the hot girl or something entirely different? Be sure to check Mandy out on Instagram and TikTok @oldloserinbrooklyn and don’t forget there’s a beautyme newsletter too, you can sign up for free at beautymenotes.substack.com. See you next time.
Products mentioned:
Banilo Clean it Zero Cleansing Balm: https://banilausa.com/products/clean-it-zero-cleansing-balm-original#:~:text=What%20it%20is,impurities%20in%20just%20one%20step.
Biologique Recherche Lotion P50: https://biologiquerechercheuk.co.uk/skincare/face/lotions/lotion-p50

Oct 7, 2022 • 16min
Ep. 143: My Top 5 Mascaras
This episode is dedicated to mascara. It’s that one product that for me, makes my face feel finished. So I'm sharing my top reasons for deciding why a mascara deserves a place in my routine and I'm sharing my top 5 mascaras that I'm loving right now. It would be amazing to hear from you when it comes to your favourite mascara, as I'm always up for trying a new one! Let me know on Twitter or Instagram @beautymepodcast or email beautymepodcast@gmail.com. As always I really appreciate you for listening and if you enjoyed it, do feel free to leave a 5-star review over on Spotify or share your thoughts on Apple Podcasts. See you next time.
Links:
My friend Nush, the makeup artist, on BeautyMe: https://open.spotify.com/episode/07kr9MresMX23A8OOnrz3X?si=5ec3c805b85e442a and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nush.mu/
Maybelline Great Lash Lengthening Mascara: https://www.maybelline.co.uk/eyes/mascara/great-lash-mascara
DIOR Diorshow Mascara: https://www.boots.com/dior-diorshow-mascara-10316395
Milk Makeup Kush Mascara: https://milkmakeup.com/products/kush-mascara
Isamaya Beauty Rubberlash Latex Lift Mascara: https://isamaya.co.uk/products/rubberlash
L’Oréal Paris Volume Million Lashes Mascara: https://www.superdrug.com/make-up/eye-makeup/mascara/loreal-paris-volume-million-lashes-mascara-black-9ml/p/207102
L’Oréal Paris Lash Architect 4D: https://www.loreal-paris.co.uk/false-lash/lash-architect-4d-mascara-black
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Push-Up Lashes! Mascara: https://www.charlottetilbury.com/uk/product/pillow-talk-push-up-lashes-mascara
Ilia Fullest Volumizing Mascara: https://iliabeauty.com/products/fullest-volumizing-mascara
Huda Beauty Legit Lashes Double-Ended Volumizing and Lengthening Mascara: https://hudabeauty.com/us/en_US/mascara/legit-lashes-double-ended-volumizing-and-lengthening-mascara-HB00373M.html
BeautyMe Notes newsletter: https://beautymenotes.substack.com

Sep 30, 2022 • 29min
Ep. 142: Beauty Flashback: What beauty trends were we reading about in British Vogue in 2002?
This week I’m taking it back, all the way back to a 2002 copy of British Vogue, to look at how we used to talk about beauty.
I've always been a big magazine collector, especially when it comes to the international editions of Vogue, and lately I've been drawn to flicking through old issues for inspiration. What I found in this 2002 issue were adverts for Dior mascara (pre DiorShow) and Estee Lauder perfume; beauty reports and articles that looked back at the Past Masters of Makeup, as well as a piece written by Business of Fashion Editor at Large Tim Blanks, about the demise of the Supermodel.
Listen in as I flick through the pages, from the front cover onwards, and reflect on how trends always seem to come back; even the current 'sad girl' downturned eye trend was around 20 years ago apparently.
I’d love to know what you think so let me know if you enjoyed sitting down with me over a vintage copy of Vogue. You can DM me on Twitter or Instagram @beautymepodcast and you can also find a special TikTok in this episode over at @charissekenion. I'm also going to share the images from the magazine on my Instagram Stories so be sure to head there and take a look! As always, it would be amazing if you could leave a review over on Apple Podcasts or give BeautyMe a five-star rating over on Spotify. Don’t forget, there’s also the BeautyMe newsletter, which you can sign up for for free at beautymenotes.substack.com. See you next time!
BeautyMe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/beautyme-with-charisse-kenion/id1466941875
BeautyMe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A3yloKnIQ6wagUxLxBuaT?si=46ba629297eb40d8
Find me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charissekenion
BeautyMe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautymepodcast/
BeautyMe on Twitter: https://twitter.com/beautymepodcast

Sep 26, 2022 • 21min
Ep. 141: Ami Cole beauty finally arrives in the UK, new Byredo Liquid Lip Vinyls and the magnificence of makeup artist James Kaliardos
This week it’s a chatty, newsy kind of episode. I’m talking about Ami Cole products finally arriving in the UK (whoop!), thinking about buying the new Liquid Lipstick Vinyl range from Byredo and discussing the value of It Girl Lori Harvey’s makeup artist James Kaliardos.
James is the original multi-hyphenate, a major player in beauty, and for some reason, when Lori referred to him as simply her 'makeup artist', during her recent get ready with me for Vogue's YouTube, I got a tiny bit upset. So, I decided to create an episode - and a newsletter, and a TikTok - to shed some light on James' impact on the worlds of fashion, beauty and art.
You can sign up for that newsletter for free, here: beautymenotes.substack.com
I’d love to know your thoughts on this episode and by the way, I’m always open to your suggestions when it comes to content and guests for future episodes! You can reach me at beautymepodcast@gmail.com or say hi over in the DMs on Twitter or Instagram @beautymepodcast. I’m also sharing videos on TikTok @charissekenion I'd love if you could subscribe to the show over on Apple Podcasts or follow BeautyMe on Spotify - so you never miss an episode, and while you’re there, feel free to leave a 5-star review! Thanks so much for listening, see you next time.
Links:
Ami Cole: https://www.amicole.com
Ami Cole at Net-a-Porter: https://www.net-a-porter.com/en-gb/shop/designer/ami-cole
Byredo Liquid Lipstick Vinyl collection: https://www.byredo.com/uk_en/liquid-lipstick-vinyl-campaign
Lori Harvey gets ready for Vogue World: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1ReRYvZbXg
Lori Harvey ‘90s makeup: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MluwtOjBHwI&t=94s
James Kaliardos on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameskaliardos/
James Kaliardos on thekit.ca: https://thekit.ca/beauty/makeup-artist-james-kaliardos-on-nye-beauty-and-his-mac-collab/

Sep 23, 2022 • 46min
Ep. 140: Assessing your happiness levels and why pivoting can be a super power with Blogosphere founder and CEO Alice Audley
This week’s guest is Alice Audley, founder of Blogosphere, an online magazine and events agency that also has its own podcast: Serious Influence.
London-based Alice has a background in print journalism but decided to ditch her job to launch Blogosphere in 2013. Since then it's gained the respect of the influencer community and has become known as a media company that respects the craft of the blogger, the vlogger and the creator.
In this episode we dig into how content creation has changed and discuss the criticism that some creators attract once they decide to go full time. We talk about authenticity and personality, and I also try to get to the heart of why Alice is so hard-working.
Just a quick heads-up: there is a slight echo on my side for the first 10 minutes of this chat. I really do apologise but hope you can stick with it as the conversation truly is valuable.
Be sure to follow Blogosphere on Instagram at @blogosphere_magazine and check out series 5 of their podcast Serious Influence. Let me know what you think over in my DMs on Instagram or Twitter @beautymepodcast or follow charissekenion on TikTok to see my beauty breakdowns. See you next time!
BeautyMe on Twitter: https://twitter.com/beautymepodcast
BeautyMe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautymepodcast/
My TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charissekenion
My newsletter: beautymenotes.substack.com
Serious Influence Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/7jhzNiFXvbD1wP5dOUlJAW?si=dd12ad13959e439d


