BeautyMe with Charisse Kenion

Today’s guest is Jasmine Wicks-Stephens, founder of Brighton-based PR firm The Known Company and Faace, a cult-like vegan skincare brand focused on prescriptive masks, for now… Jasmine is very honest about her priorities; shaving her legs means she’s winning but otherwise the business comes first, then family, then Jasmine. Before the business and before her son Frank, was born, Jasmine says she was much more into her appearance and more into beauty. What I found so refreshing on meeting with Jasmine – my second face to face podcast since March/Covid – was how honest she was about the myth of ‘having it all’. For some reason, having it all is a regular focus point for women’s platforms, the constant argument being that YES, we can have it all, why shouldn’t we? Instead Jasmine says it’s healthier to accept that, when you’re giving something your all, you’re going to have to sacrifice something else. ‘As a woman, I don’t think you can have it all. Just know that you’re doing the best you can at that thing, at that time.’ Until next week, feel free to drop into the DMs and let me know who you’d like to hear from next and do please share this episode with a friend who needs it. Thanks for listening!

This week I wanted to focus on two things I've been dedicating a lot of thought to: periods and Beyonce's epic Black Is King, specifically the hair and makeup. Currently I’m looking for a period coach to come on as a guest on the podcast, but for now I wanted to share just how much I've been thinking about my period lately. I don’t know why, but it’s also been a highly discussed topic with my friends; we’re talking about the kind of impact that this monthly happening has on us. Like, we totally just accept it, right? We call it Aunt Flo or any other name you prefer, we accept it and we just get on with things. We keep going to work, we keep showing up to events, we keep producing ‘content’. But if men had periods, and the pain and the hormones that often accompany them, wouldn’t the world be a whole lot different? I've also been musing over Beyonce's Black Is King, a movie inspired by her The Lion King; The Gift album, which is in turn of course inspired by Disney's The Lion King. Here I'm totally focused on the hair and makeup looks, and although there's no way I could mention all of them, I share some of my absolute favourite moments.  To check out more of the Black Is King looks, check out Bey's hair team: @nealfarinah and @nakiarachon, plus makeup artists @sirjohn and @rokaelbeauty - of course there were many, many more hair and beauty pros involved - just check out the credits! Until next week, do subscribe, rate and review and you can find me @beautymepodcast over on Instagram,. Thanks so much for listening!

Born in Sicily, Italy raised in Germany and now living in Brighton in the UK, Nadia Meli is a portrait photographer that I found recently through Instagram. I was actually doing some research on what my favourite camera brands were doing in support of Black Lives Matter. Suffice to say, it wasn't much, but along the way I came across Nadia's work - she's a Nikon ambassador - and was struck by the beautiful tones within it. In this episode Nadia shares some big beauty moments, like being 8 years old and hearing her grandmother discuss her apparent lack of beauty in comparison to her cousins. She shares how, since lockdown began, she's become a runner and how freeing she finds it. Of course we talk skincare and daily routines, but Nadia also touches upon the reasons she decided to leave the religion she had been brought up with, as well as her marriage and career in destination wedding photography. It's a lot and I feel this will resonate with many of us. Nadia also has her own podcast, The Signature Boss - check it out at: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-signature-boss/id1444318338 Products mentioned: Evolve Moisturisers: https://www.evolvebeauty.co.uk/collections/organic-face-creams  Evolve Gentle Cleansing Melt: https://www.evolvebeauty.co.uk/collections/natural-cleansers/products/gentle-cleansing-melt-new-texture Evolve Bio Retinol Gold Mask: https://www.evolvebeauty.co.uk/collections/organic-face-mask/products/bio-retinol-gold-mask Kiehl’s Avocado Nourishing Hydration Mask: https://www.kiehls.co.uk/skin-care/category/facial-masks/avocado-nourishing-hydration-mask/WW0075KIE.html Follow Nadia on Instagram @thenadiameli and check out her work here. Thanks as always for the support and feel free to say hey over at @beautymepodcast

I first encountered Tiwa Ogunlesi at the Beauty Stack Summit a couple of months ago. Tiwa is the founder of Confident and Killing It, and she was hosting a workshop that day for Beauty Stack; her energy was palpable, even though we could only watch her through our laptop screens. Tiwa is passionate about helping women build the lives they want, but she's also unlike any other confidence or life coach I've ever seen before.  In this chat we talk everything from her daily routine, including her 'Tiwa Time', and how she discovered that her oily skin was actually dry. Tiwa shares how she learned to deal with self doubt and comparing herself to others when it came to her appearance and tells me what it's like to grow up in Nigeria, and then move to an English boarding school, that came with its own beauty standards. We also discuss the lengths that young Nigerian girls will go to in order to ensure  they don’t attract the male gaze. Products mentioned: The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth by John C. Maxwell: https://amzn.to/2ZClbOB Perricone MD: No Rinse Micellar Cleansing Treatment: https://www.perriconemd.co.uk/products/micellar-cleansing-treatment Follow Tiwa over on Instagram @tiwalowla/@confidentandkillingit and find me @beautymepodcast, and my personal account @charisse.kenion. Thanks for listening. See you next week!

Last week Nars Senior Makeup Artist for the UK and Ireland Clayton Reid sat down and discussed everything from Black Lives Matter to MAC Disney Villains. This week it's all about the questions that YOU sent in for Clay to answer. It's a short and sweet #BeautyBuzz focused on skin and foundation. And if you're a dark-skinned woman wondering if you really have to match your foundation to your neck, this one is for you! Check out Clay’s Sunday playlist on Spotify here or visit his Soundcloud here. Thanks so much for all the support – be sure to join the community over on Instagram @beautymepodcast or check out my personal account @charisse.kenion! Please do rate, subscribe and review where possible and finally, follow Clay on Instagram @clay_reid and check out his DJ alter ego @butch_queen!

I’m so excited to share today’s guest with you! Clayton Reid is the Senior Makeup Artist for Nars Cosmetics in the UK and Ireland, and also a DJ. Amongst many other things, we discuss what it’s like for Clay as a mixed-race man who’s able to pass and how that makes him feel when it comes to addressing his heritage, especially during a time when Black Lives Matter is finally being addressed and respected as a movement. We talk about experimenting with goth culture back home in Cardiff, Wales, Clay’s memories of queuing up to buy the MAC Disney Villains collection, and how his cinema job prepared him for leading a makeup team. We also discuss our mutual love of books and 1970s style, including icons such as Diana Ross, Pat Cleveland and Antonio Lopez. Check out Clay’s Sunday playlist on Spotify here or visit his Soundcloud here. Products: Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser: https://www.narscosmetics.co.uk/en/pure-radiant-tinted-moisturiser-spf-30-pa/999NACTINTED9.html Dr Paw Paw Everybody Hair and Body Wash: https://amzn.to/2NQ2G2w Dr Paw Paw Everybody Hair and Body and Conditioner: https://amzn.to/38kpscc Nars Skin Purifying Foam Cleanser: https://www.narscosmetics.co.uk/en/purifying-foam-cleanser/0607845048022.html Nars Skin Aqua Gel Luminous Oil-Free Moisturiser: https://www.narscosmetics.co.uk/en/aqua-gel-luminous-oil-free-moisturiser/0607845048077.html Nars Skin Multi-Action Hydrating Toner: https://www.narscosmetics.co.uk/en/multi-action-hydrating-toner/0607845048046.html Nars Makeup Your Mind: https://amzn.to/3ghmPLd Kevyn Aucoin Face Forward: https://amzn.to/3dT9erR Andy Warhol Polaroids: https://amzn.to/38kz7jb Antonio Lopez Sex Fashion and Disco: https://amzn.to/3dSKFv2 Disclosure documentary on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81284247 Thanks so much for all the support – be sure to join the community over on Instagram @beautymepodcast or check out my personal account @charisse.kenion! Please do rate, subscribe and review where possible and finally, follow Clay on Instagram @clay_reid and check out his DJ alter ego @butch_queen!

Today's guest is Ashade Cole, founder of Slash Beauty, a small chain of beauty businesses focused on lashes in Notting Hill and Hackney. London-based Ashade gets straight into her morning routine and really knocks me for six when she tells me she's a soap and water girl. Don't get me wrong, Ashade has amazing skin, but, I just had to find out why she keeps it so simple. Ashade also shares why she went from being the person doing the treatments to turning her business into a franchise model and says how easy it is to forget your own selfcare when you're taking care of others. We also discuss the first time Ashade shaved her legs; a truly traumatic time in many of our lives, especially if you don't use any shaving cream! We also go off-topic, discussing the biggest topics right now;  covid-19 and how it’s enabled the Black Lives Matter movement to have an even bigger platform, mainly because everyone's been sat at home constantly scrolling through social media.  Follow Ashade over on Instagram @ashnaic; @slashbeautyldn and find me @beautymepodcast, and my personal account @charisse.kenion. See you next week! SPECIAL OFFER FOR BEAUTYME LISTENERS FROM HEIGHTS Throughout June Heights is donating £10 for every new Heights customer, to BAATN (The Black, African, and Asian Therapy Network), the UK's largest community of counsellors and psychotherapists for those who have Black, African, South Asian and Caribbean heritage. BAATN aims to address the inequality of access to appropriate psychological services for Black people and its website hosts a huge directory of therapists across the UK as well as free resources and services for people of minority backgrounds who are seeking help. Also, Heights has created a special 50% discount for BeautyMe listeners off their first month. Use the code ‘beautyme’ at www.yourheights.com. Products mentioned: BAM Brows: https://www.bambrows.com Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade: https://www.cultbeauty.co.uk/anastasia-beverly-hills-dipbrow-pomade.html Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater: https://amzn.to/2B56WIW Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base: https://amzn.to/2Z6SZlA Ultrasun Face Anti-Ageing Sun Protection High SPF30: https://amzn.to/2B2Vaif Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Face Serum: https://www.cultbeauty.co.uk/fresh-rose-deep-hydration-face-serum.html Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Gel Touch Foundation SPF25 No.91 Caramel: https://www.chanel.com/en_GB/fragrance-beauty/makeup/p/complexion/foundations/les-beiges-healthy-glow-gel-touch-foundation-spf-25--pa--p184610.html#skuid-0184610 Arosci Hair Treatment: https://arosci.com/2020/

Before I introduce today’s guest, I want to say: I welcome all listeners here and this podcast is a safe space for you to express yourself. But I do want my white listeners to know; the black square created awareness. It is now up to you to create action to make this world a level playing field. So, today’s guest! Born in Hertfordshire, Charlotte Williams is the founder of London-based SevenSix, a social media and influencer marketing agency focused on diversity and inclusion. Charlotte started blogging back in 2010 and then moved into marketing in 2013 and she’s also the co-host of a brilliant podcast called Sustainably Influenced, which is honestly a breath of fresh air in its approach to how we can be more sustainable in our everyday lives. If you check out Charlotte’s Instagram feed you’ll see she’s blessed with glowing skin and a curly ‘fro, but in our chat she talks about being treated like a doll amongst her Mean Girls-esque friends group at school, being able to ‘pass’ as Portuguese while living and teaching in Portugal, hormonal breakouts and how she used YouTube to master her favourite makeup looks. She also talks about business, being addicted to social media and how the road to a sustainable future isn’t going to be easy. Definitely looking forward to having Charlotte on as a face to face guest for a second chat as we had to cut a chunk of audio that just wasn’t useable! SPECIAL OFFER FOR BEAUTYME LISTENERS Throughout June Heights is donating £10 for every new Heights customer, to BAATN (The Black, African, and Asian Therapy Network), the UK's largest community of counsellors and psychotherapists for those who have Black, African, South Asian and Caribbean heritage. BAATN aims to address the inequality of access to appropriate psychological services for Black people and its website hosts a huge directory of therapists across the UK as well as free resources and services for people of minority backgrounds who are seeking help. Also, Heights has created a special 50% discount for BeautyMe listeners off their first month. Use the code ‘beautyme’ at www.yourheights.com. Products/sites mentioned: CeraVe Foaming Cleanser: https://amzn.to/2UxTL9K Balance Me Radiance Facial Oil: https://amzn.to/30BCZdU Faace Period Faace Mask: https://www.wearefaace.com/product/period-faace-face-mask/ @skndoctor: https://www.instagram.com/skndoctor/ Typology: https://uk.typology.com Boucléme: https://www.boucleme.co.uk Haeckels: https://haeckels.co.uk Don’t forget, you can find me on YouTube and over on Instagram @beautymepodcast or check out my personal account @charisse.kenion to check out my video on sighing. Until next time, stay strong, stay safe and keep your foot on the gas.

This conversation took place two weeks before the UK went into Covid-19 lockdown. There’s also a video version on my YouTube channel and I’m actually glad I waited several months so long to share it. If you’re a regular listener you’ll know that for the past few weeks or so I’ve been fully focused on lockdown content that aims to inspire and let people around the world know that we’re all in this together. But today I felt the need to share something fun, and Joy is definitely that! Joy is many things; she’s what I would call a hair architect – completely self-taught –  constantly creating, playing with products, textures and fabrics. She’s also an amazing crochet enthusiast – I keep telling her she needs to launch her own line but she insists she’s too amateur. She’s not into sharing every single aspect of her day or work on social media, but when she does share something it’s truly a work of art. In this conversation London-based Joy elaborates on the many influences on her work, and how she interprets them into projects with the likes of Converse, as well as stunning collages that have been shown back home in Nigeria. Oh and she confesses to using my skincare products when she stayed over for this recording! Honestly, watch the YouTube after you listen. In the meantime, you can follow @beautymepodcast over on Instagram, or check out my personal account @charisse.kenion, and you'll find Joy @joydarlinginnit, as well as her project @blackgirlslovepink. Photography by me. Products/brands mentioned (I had to cull a few because I ran out of space): Glossier Stretch Concealer: https://www.glossier.com/products/stretch-concealer?search=stretch Glossier You: https://www.glossier.com/products/glossier-you Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser: https://www.glossier.com/products/milky-jelly-cleanser?search=milky%20jelly%20cleanser Glossier Priming Moisturizer: https://www.glossier.com/products/priming-moisturizer Glossier Priming Moisturizer Rich: https://www.glossier.com/products/priming-moisturizer Glossier Super Bounce: https://www.glossier.com/products/super-bounce Glossier Futuredew: https://www.glossier.com/products/futuredew?search=future Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel: https://amzn.to/36CrlA4 Sam Fine: Fine Beauty Book: https://amzn.to/2M3jUbN Peter Thomas Roth 24K Gold Pure Luxury Lift and Firm Mask: https://amzn.to/2X84hWR Bio Oil: https://amzn.to/3gu6a84 Caudalie Gentle Buffing Cream: https://amzn.to/2XDptmy Peter Zumthor: Atmospheres: Architectural Environments, Surrounding Objects: https://amzn.to/2XyOIqd Dior Diorshow Mascara: https://amzn.to/2TL2JA1 Dabur Amla Hair Oil: https://amzn.to/2XDxHer

This week’s lockdown guest is Alyx Carolus, a freelance writer and social media manager based in Cape Town and although we’ve never met, she’s been a constant source of inspiration and laughter during the time we've worked together for alltheprettybirds.com. In this episode Alyx talks about the things she’s really missing during lockdown and how she won’t take those things for granted again. Alyx tells me how her hair has broken many a comb and talks me through her lockdown hair routine and we both discuss the BS and pressure of having laid edges, as well as the concept of hair judgement: good vs bad. Alyx also shares how she’s found that adding variety to her hair and beauty routines is one of the few ways she’s able to fight that Groundhog Day feeling that comes up so often during these lockdown days. I hope you love this one and if you do, be sure to leave a review. Find out more about Alyx at https://heyalyx.com and you can find her on Instagram @heyalyx_ - by the way, in the intro when I share her Insta info, I missed off the underscore. You'll also find @beautymepodcast there, as well as my personal account @charisse.kenion. Until next time, stay safe, and sane. Products/brands mentioned: Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel: https://www.dermalogica.co.uk/special-cleansing-gel/3,en_GB,pd.html Eucerin Dermo Purifyer Toner: https://www.boots.com/eucerin-dermo-purifyer-toner-200ml-10237681 Garnish Micellar Water: https://www.boots.com/garnier-micellar-cleansing-water-400ml-10169115 Neutrogena City Shield Hydrating Lotion SPF25: https://www.neutrogena.co.uk/skin-care/hydro-boost-city-shield-hydrating-lotion-spf-25-50ml/11433781.html