The Charisse Report

I first met Abi Oyepitan and Liha Okunniwa of LIHA Beauty around three years ago. At that time they’d been building their beauty business for almost three years and since then, I think I’d be correct in saying that their success has been that of a snowball effect. While Liha’s background is  arts and aromatherapy, Abi is a former Olympic athlete, and together they channel their strengths into creating an all natural brand that takes inspiration and ingredients from Nigeria. I sat down with Abi and Liha at their new workshop in Witney, Oxfordshire to talk about their teen inspirations - Lauryn Hill gets mentioned a LOT - as well as the challenges they've faced building a brand from the ground up, with their own savings. Products mentioned Abi Rose Oil: https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/miaroma-rose-blended-essential-oil-60060154 LIHA Beauty Gold Shea Butter: https://lihabeauty.com/collections/product-page/products/copy-of-gold-shea-butter-120ml LIHA Beauty Idan Oil: https://lihabeauty.com/collections/product-page/products/idan-oil-100ml Big Hair Leave-In Conditioner: https://bighair.co.uk/products/milk-leave-in-conditioner Boucleme Curl Conditioner: https://www.boucleme.co.uk/collections/all/products/curl-conditioner Liha LIHA Beauty Idan Oil: https://lihabeauty.com/collections/product-page/products/idan-oil-100ml YouTube Frequencies Jason Citrus Body Wash: https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/jason-citrus-body-wash-revitalizing-60036978 Dermalogica Charcoal Rescue Masque: https://www.dermalogica.co.uk/charcoal-rescue-masque/223,en_GB,pd.html Heritage Store Rosewater: https://amzn.to/2ZobToY Aloe Vera Gel: https://amzn.to/35uj2YG Weleda Wild Rose Smoothing Day Cream: https://amzn.to/32hQKi0 Avene Hydrance Light Hydrating Emulsion SPF30: https://amzn.to/2FnyBGP Episode artwork: by me I'd love to know what you think of this episode so feel free to say hi over @beautymepodcast! You'll also find full show notes over at charissekenion.co.

It's a different kind of episode this week, as I share four conversations with four very different women. My first guest, photographer Nadia Meli, appeared on BeautyMe a few episodes ago, and in this episode Nadia says losing weight was never a goal of hers; she simply wanted to move more and change how she ate as a self-employed person who often works long hours, from home.  She talks about the reaction she got to losing 30kg. Emma Tamsin Hill, also a former guest and YouTuber, explains how from an early age, she was aware of how different she looked, and how she didn’t feel that she fit in. She also discusses the misinformation around what is a ‘healthy’ weight and how pressuring people to lose weight could mean they end up with major mental health issues. Chloe Pierre, another former guest and the founder of @thy.self, an online wellness platform,  shares that accepting her body has been all about her mindset, while my last guest, Eleanor Nawal, or Ellie, talks about body neutrality, as a socially acceptable size 10. As an actress Ellie believes fat phobia permeates the image-led TV and film industry that she works in. I hope you enjoy listening to these four different stories. For centuries, society at large has created certain acceptable, even enviable body shapes that women are encouraged to aspire to and I wanted to try and talk to a variety of women; I also think this deserves a part 2, so let me know if you'd like to be involved. Just email beautymepodcast@gmail.com. Do like, subscribe and/or review and I'll see you next week!

Facetune’s been around since 2013 and is probably the most popular app when it comes to changing your looks and of course, Instagram has made it even easier for us to give our faces a little tweak here and there. But are we doing too much when it comes to filters? And could it be affecting our mental health longterm? If the face you’re putting out into the world is flaw-free and perfect, how do you really feel when you go to bed at night? When you’re in front of the mirror, washing the debris of the day away, it’s just you and that mirror. Are you talking to yourself with kindness and acceptance, or is your inner voice ridiculing you because you don’t look anything like that Instagram post you uploaded this morning? In this episode I discuss the pros and cons of filters and I also share why I'm so excited about the new beauty launches from Supreme and makeup queen Pat McGrath and Isamaya Ffrench and Byredo. Links Article on filters affecting our mental health on Women's Health Pat McGrath x Supreme Isamaya Ffrench x Byredo Colour As always thank you so much for listening; do please like, subscribe and review and feel free to let me know what you thought of this episode over on Instagram @beautymepodcast. For the complete show notes visit https://www.charissekenion.co/podcast. See you next week!

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/