During the Essence Black Women in Hollywood event, I spoke with the indomitable Bozoma Saint John live. Bozoma grew up between Ghana, Kenya, Washington DC, and Colorado Springs, a childhood of constant reinvention that taught her to read rooms fast and never apologize for taking up space. At 14, she wasn't crying because she didn't feel beautiful. She was crying because her classmates didn't recognize her beauty. That clarity and fierce, unshakable self-knowing have followed her everywhere. Her confidence carried her into boardrooms where she was the only Black woman, onto the cover of the New York Times with her cornrows, and through the grief of losing her husband, Peter.  Later, it carried her into the unexpected joy of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, which led directly to On Brand with Jimmy Fallon. And, eventually, into the decision to sell her corporate stock from every company she'd ever worked for to self-fund her brand, Eve by Boz — on her own terms, by her own rules.

Bozoma has no peers. And she will tell you that herself, in this special episode of Naked Beauty. 

Tune in as we discuss:

(2:34) Growing Up Across Ghana, Kenya, DC & Colorado

(5:43) Why She Never Doubted She Was Beautiful — Even at 14

(10:05) Immigrant Parents, Pre-Med Dreams & Landing at Spike Lee's Ad Agency By Accident

(13:36) The Emotional Cost of Being the First and Only Black Woman in Every C-Suite

(16:24) Why Personal Brand Building Means Saying "I" Out Loud

(21:40) The Hollywood Pivot: What Made RHOBH a Yes

(23:57) Moving to LA Four Months After Her Husband's Death

(29:01) What Season 14 of RHOBH Taught Her Going Into Season 15

(30:30) Showing Fibroid Surgery & Her Fertility Journey On Camera

(33:46) Her Go-To Glam Routine & The African Sapo Net Gospel

(37:18) Self-Funding Eve by Boz With Her Own Corporate Stock

(40:24) What Raising Her Daughter Lil Has Taught Her That The Boardroom Never Could

(43:20) Engagement With Keeley Watson: Love After Loss & True Partnership

(46:52) How To Know When It's Time To Walk Away

(51:41) Bozoma's Advice For Anyone Who Feels Stuck

Today’s episode was made possible by smartwater 

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Follow Bozoma @bozomastjohn

Products Mentioned:

Lancôme Foundation

MAC Blush

Oil of Olay Moisturizer

Eucerin Lotion & Heavy Cream

African Sapo Net (exfoliating sponge)

Eve by Boz Haircare

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Erica Chidi is an author, founder,  culinary school graduate, and one of the most genuinely knowledgeable people in the wellness space — and today, she's sitting down with me for an honest, friend-to-friend conversation about one of the most relatable struggles out there: how to actually feed yourself well when your calendar is back-to-back all week. I open up about my own journey navigating nutrition since being diagnosed with Graves' Disease, sharing the shifts I’ve already made, like cutting out sugar and processed foods, adding protein powder, and keeping a rotisserie chicken on hand. 

Erica brings her signature clarity and warmth to the conversation, introducing a concept she calls "nutritional redundancy,"  the liberating idea that being comfortable eating the same nourishing meals on repeat is a feature, not a bug. She breaks down exactly why protein is non-negotiable for women's health, how to build a breakfast that stabilizes your blood sugar and changes the entire trajectory of your day, and why women should stop taking nutritional cues from gym bros on the internet. We get into the tinned fish renaissance, the right way to think about supplementing, the nuances of GLP-1 medications, and why getting regular bloodwork is one of the most powerful things you can do to shift your relationship with your body from superficial to substantive. This episode is packed with practical, actionable wisdom.

Tune in as we discuss

• ( 00:00) Intro & Brooke's Graves' Disease diagnosis
• (02:00) Dietary changes that reduced inflammation
• (08:00) Guest intro: Erica Chidi on eating well while busy
• (09:00) "Nutritional redundancy" — the habit that makes healthy eating easier
• (11:00) How morning protein stabilizes blood sugar & reduces cravings
• (13:30) Erica's high-protein breakfast rotation
• (17:00) What to eat if you're not hungry in the morning
• (20:00) Easy high-protein lunch ideas for busy women
• (21:30) Why tinned fish is the ultimate quick meal (+ the SMASH acronym)
• (25:30) Why women's nutrition needs are different from men's
• (27:00) The plate rule: protein + fat + fiber every meal
• (29:00)  Function Health app: how to track your labs & biological age
• (32:30) GLP-1 medications: benefits beyond weight loss
• (37:00) Lightning round: Erica's top pantry & fridge staples
• 
  

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Follow Erica: @ericachidi

Products Mentioned

• Brodo Bone Broth
• JEM Organics Cashew Cardamom Almond Butter
• MALK Unsweetened Almond Milk
• Fishwife Tinned Fish
• Shuk Shuka Ready-to-Eat Shakshuka 
• Eden Foods Organic Pumpkin Seeds
• Bari California Olive Oil
• Function Health 

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Grammy-award-winning artist and beauty entrepreneur Alicia Keys has arrived at Naked Beauty, and we couldn’t be more excited. With braids and makeup choices that have influenced beauty culture for decades (most recently the Super Bowl halftime show), we sit down with Alicia to talk about where her relationship with beauty all started.

Tune in as we dive deep into:

*Growing up biracial in Hell’s Kitchen and the musical that is inspired by her upbringing 

*How Alicia’s mother and grandmother’s lack of self-care inspired her to choose differently 

*Her love for solo travel 

*The birth of Keys Soulcare and the power of its affirmations 

*Learning to embrace what serves you best 

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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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Shop My Favorite Products & Pod Discounts on my ShopMyShelf

Stay in touch with me: @brookedevard

Follow Alicia: @aliciakeys

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Before Amy Liu built Tower28, the company that currently sells products every 10 seconds in Sephora, she was working in the beauty industry and struggling with sensitive skin. With encouragement and investments from close friends, Amy leveraged her 15+ years of experience to bet on herself and build Tower 28, a company that keeps sensitive skin at the core of its product development. During our conversation, Amy shared that she dealt with chronic eczema and sensitive skin her entire life. However, despite working in major roles at companies like Kate Sommerville and Josie Maran and having firsthand experience of how product efficacy could change her life, she still didn’t feel ready to leap. Shortly after turning 40, Amy was in conversation with a former business school classmate who asked what she was waiting for. This friend affirmed her skills and experience, and then offered to invest in her dream. She reached out to other friends and family, all of whom were excited to support her vision for Tower 28. In the seven years since launching, Tower 28 has blossomed into a brand beloved by everyone from essential workers to “gym rats,” to celebrities, and influencers like Hailey Bieber and their recent collaborator, Toni Bravo.

Amy offers us a glimpse into her life as CEO, mom, and lifelong advocate for clean beauty in this chat. She shared what it was like growing up in Los Angeles, in a predominantly white community, instead of a Chinese-American neighborhood. Amy details her parents' decision to move to America and why her dad, an entrepreneur, tried to dissuade her from starting a business.  It’s exactly this persistence that has allowed her to become a strong leader, despite having been exposed to some of the worst bosses you might imagine. Amy’s leadership skills are defined by not only what she has done but also by her commitment to educating others. In the summer of 2020, she decided to develop Clean Beauty Summer School, a professional-development program that gives BIPOC founders industry access and education that they might otherwise not have access to. Amy has built a brand that is 100% compliant with the National Eczema Association and regularly gives back to minority founders. Amy Liu’s story proves that a true commitment to inclusivity benefits every single one of us.

Tune in as we discuss:

(2:35) What Amy Learned In Her First Beauty Role At Smashbox

(4:15) Growing Up In Los Angeles Without Close Proximity To Other Chinese People

(6:00) Her Belief That The Beauty Industry Shapes Confidence

(7:05) Her Family’s Immigration Origin Story

(10:48) What She Learned From Her Worst Bosses

(15:00) Why Turning 40 Emboldened Her To Start Tower28

(17:30) How A Friend’s Investment Pushed Her To Take The Leap

(21:10) The Organic Marketing Initiative That Helped Them Thrive During COVID-19

(26:00) Why Eczema Affects 25% Children

(30:00) The True Cost Of Creating Products For Sensitive Skin 

(34:18) The Secret Behind The Tower 28 Swipe Serum Concealer

(37:22) Her Mission To Support BIPOC Clean Beauty Founders

(46:07) Amy’s Favorite Beauty And Wellness Products

(49:29) Her Advice To Anyone Wanting To Take A Professional Risk

(51:44) When She Feels The Most Beautiful 

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Join the Naked Beauty Community on IG: @nakedbeautyplanet 

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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Shop My Favorite Products & Pod Discounts on my ShopMyShelf

Stay in touch with me: @brookedevard

Follow Amy @amyliu_t28

Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray Hypochlorous Acid

Tower 28 Swipe Serum Concealer

Celluma Pro LED Light Therapy

Shani Darden Smooth & Glow Essentials

MARA Universal Hydrating Face Oil 

Sophie Pavitt Mandelic Clearing Serum

RŌZ Foundation Shampoo 

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Today's episode is all about what I've learned from doing the 75 Style Hard challenge, created by fashion TikToker Mandy Lee (Old Loser in Brooklyn). The rules are to get dressed intentionally every day for 75 days, buy nothing new, document outfits, and set personal style goals. For me, daily styling has revealed that fit issues were the main reason I avoided many items in my closet, so tailoring has been the key to success in this challenge. I've realized I wear durable fabrics most and I've leaned into using hair, makeup, and accessories to refresh outfits. Tune in as I discuss the novelty effect, impulse buying, and the importance of “domesticating” clothes into a signature style, because ultimately, style is a relationship with what you already own.

Check out my hack for boho braids with clip ins

Shop Bellami Clip-ins

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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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Stay in touch with me: @brookedevard

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In this special encore episode of Naked Beauty, you'll hear three generations of women in my family talk all things beauty! I interview my Mom and Grandma on their perspective about beauty & style. My Grandma preaches on the necessity of Spanx, how growing up in the 1940s has informed her standards of beauty, and the importance of having a space to feel beautiful at home. My Mom explains natural hair is nothing new, and encourages me to embrace my youth & wear those short & tight dresses while I still can!

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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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Molly Sims is a true Renaissance woman. From gracing the covers of French Vogue to acting to founding the YSE beauty brand, she’s done it all in the beauty and entertainment industries. After years of hearing that she should model, she accepted an opportunity to take a semester off from Vanderbilt to give it a try in Europe. Her career ramped up quickly, and she soon found herself building a new and unexpected career overseas. Molly is very transparent about that time in her life, and how modeling quickly changed her relationship to her body. Her time in fashion enabled her to build a robust portfolio, which she leveraged into an on-screen career on MTV’s House of Style, Las Vegas, and more. She’s also worked behind the scenes as a producer on multiple shows and has built strong communities across nearly every major social media platform.

No stranger to pivoting, Molly realized that she no longer wanted to be the face of a brand; she wanted to build something of her own. This realization was coupled with serious bouts of melasma and hyperpigmentation that may have been caused by ageing and or pregnancy. None of her usual treatments and products were working for her, but like always, she accepted this as a personal challenge to solve. She quickly realized that the skincare market for women over 35 was missing affordable products with scientifically backed results. Women with similar skincare needs were not being marketed to, and Molly knew just how to fill that gap: enter YSE Beauty. Built on years of professional experience working with makeup artists and skincare professionals, Molly built a brand that is now in hundreds of Sephora doors. During our conversation, Molly shared other examples of how she has faced challenges head-on and refused to accept any subpar answers. We talk openly about our health challenges and how we’ve had to advocate for ourselves when we know that something in our bodies is not quite right. Molly also talks about why she is called the Barrier Queen, her favorite beauty treatments, and why you should never ever settle. 

Tune in as we discuss:

(18:45) Did She Feel Beautiful Growing Up In Kentucky

(24:15) Being Thrown Into The Heroin Chic Era

(25:15) On Thinness Being Mandatory

(27:07) How Modeling Changed Her Relationship To Her Body

(32:52) Why Create YSE Beauty

(33:35) How Motherhood Shaped Her Professional Choices

(40:41) YSE Is Clinical And Regulatory Focused

(44:50) Marketing Without Anti-Aging Language

(46:00) Lessons On Using Retinol

(50:42) Cutting Over Filling or Surgery Vs. Filler 

(52:45) Peptide Injections Are The Next Big Thing In Beauty 

(53:20) The Importance Of GLP-1 And NAD Wellness Transparency

(1:00:35) When She Feels The Most Beautiful

(1:03:05) Reminder To Never Settle

Naked Beauty Listeners get a discount on YSE beauty with code NAKED15

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Join the Naked Beauty Community on IG: @nakedbeautyplanet 

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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Shop My Favorite Products & Pod Discounts on my ShopMyShelf

Stay in touch with me: @brookedevard

Follow Molly @mollybsims

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In today's episode of Naked Beauty, we're discussing a trend I'm sure you've seen across your timelines: The Morning Shed. This trend might seem like a harmless way to optimize your beauty routines, but I wanted to examine it more closely, especially as extreme beauty interventions become more and more common. In this mini episode, Charlotte Palermino joins me to explore what this trend says about our endless search for perfectionism through beauty.

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Join the Naked Beauty Community on IG: @nakedbeautyplanet 

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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Stay in touch with me: @brookedevard

Follow Charlotte: @charlotteparler

Products Mentioned:

Naked Beauty Rollers

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Coree Moreno is a renowned hair artist who regularly works on editorial and red-carpet events, including the MET Gala. Some of his impressive celebrity roster includes Zendaya, Queen Latifah, Natasha Lyonne, Lil Nas X, and more. But how did someone who began doing hair at 13 in PG County come to sculpt hair for Hollywood’s A-List? Coree grew up as a creative and inquisitive child who had a front-row seat to his mom’s hair rituals. Before graduating from high school, he was preparing to enroll in cosmetology school. Besides experimenting with colors and cuts on himself, he served prominent women from his community. Working with elite Black professionals in PG County provided Coree a foundation for working with chic women with very high standards, which he would build on in Hollywood. Coree’s expansion to L.A. was the result of a bold DM to the iconic Vernon François, stating his interest and availability to assist when the opportunity arises. The opportunity arose two weeks after he sent the DM, and he was assisting Vernon with Serena Williams’ hair on a W Magazine set.

​When Coree describes how supportive his family was about his decision to pursue hair full-time and when he came out, it’s clear why he’s so confidently chased his dreams around the globe. During our chat, Coree talks about developing his artistic point of view over the past 18 years. We also discussed current hairstyle culture, and what he thinks about new hair rules and the changing relationships between clients and stylists. I couldn’t miss an opportunity to get Coree’s professional opinion on Black Girl Haircare 101, like the best edge styling products, the steps to a great silk press, fixing breakage, and his protective style hot takes. We got personal and explored how yoga changed his life, his favorite escapist video games, and why working with Lil Nas X was one of his most iconic creative assignments. Unbelievably, this is Coree’s first podcast interview, but with his breadth of knowledge and desire to pour into the next generation of stylists, we know it is the first of many.

Tune in as we discuss:

(5:00) His Mom’s 90s Beauty Practices

(5:20) Why Hairstylists Are Losing Recipes

(10:45) How A Cold DM to Vernon François Led Him To Assisiting In LA

(13:40) What He’s Learned Working With Talent On Set

(17:15) What Working With Queen Latifah Is Like

(23:29) Products & Tools To Lay Edges By Texture

(25:45) How To Fortify Your Silk Press

(29:33) Achieving A Press With One Pass

(30:55) Tips For Fixing Breakage

(34:16) How To Blend Stubborn Leave Out

(35:30) Best Protective Style For Growth

(37:45) Most Damaging Protective Style

(39:00) How To Protect Your Scalp In Braids

(40:05) A Hair Steam Trick When Wearing Synthetic Hair

(47:35) Why Yoga Has Been So Transformative Personally & Professionally

(58:31) When Coree Feels The Most Beautiful

Rate, Subscribe & Review the Podcast on Apple 

Join the Naked Beauty Community on IG: @nakedbeautyplanet 

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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Shop My Favorite Products & Pod Discounts on my ShopMyShelf

Stay in touch with me: @brookedevard

Follow Coree @coree.moreno

Products Mentioned:

Bask & Lather Edge Control

Wooden Denman Brush

H2 Pro Diamond Plate

amika Soulfood

Cecred Scalp Line

Miriam Quevedo Sublime Gold Luminous Conditioner

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*Encore episode*

So often, what we define as “wellness” in today’s world can end up feeling like an expensive and unnecessary set of demands that leave us drained rather than fulfilled. Fortunately, health coach Daphne Javitch is here for real talk on how to feel more (as she puts it) “resourced”. After a long and painful journey with endometriosis, Daphne was inspired to better understand her body and how to thrive in hectic conditions that are far from ideal. Tune in to hear how she navigated and continues to navigate this journey, as well as her thoughts on: 

• - Self-care as a discipline and leadership skill 
• - The importance of physical and emotional elimination 
• - Health as a means of living with ease 
• - Addressing pain vs. masking it 
• - The belief that mood follows action 
• 
  

Products/ Resources Mentioned: 

Skincare: Marie Veronique (barrier restore serum,  barrier lipid complex), Furtuna Skin (Nightly Renewal Cream, Replenishing Balm) 

Supplements: Mary Ruth’s (Morning MultiVitamin, Nighttime Multi Mineral), Seed Probiotics, Wooden Spoon Magic Magnesium Spirulina Powder, Epsom Salt for Baths)  

Resources: Daphne Javitch’s Doing Well. Naked Beauty Listeners get a 1-week free trial with this link. 

Join the Naked Beauty Community on IG: @nakedbeautyplanet 

Check out nakedbeautypodcast.com for all previous episodes & search episodes by topic

Shop My Favorite Products & Pod Discounts on my ShopMyShelf

Stay in touch with me: @brookedevard

Follow Daphne: @doingwell

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Nia Reneé Hill is an accomplished actress, entertainment executive, producer, and master of reinvention. Like many of us, her earliest attempts at reinvention happened after she started a new school in LA. She was immediately introduced to a new set of beauty and style expectations that were different from what was allowed at her prim and mandatory-uniform Catholic School. Growing up traveling between parents and cities, Los Angeles and Atlanta, provided her with the foundation to assess and adapt to new surroundings quickly. While her mother was stricter in how she allowed Nia to self-express, her father, a well-known comedy agent, was more lenient. Her early exposure to the entertainment business, coupled with music video inspiration on BET, Nia quickly carved out her own path personally and professionally.

During our conversation, Nia shared that while she studied acting in college, her father dissuaded her from pursuing a career in acting. The Harlem Renaissance inspired her to move to New York during the early 2000s. After interning at the famous Apollo Theater, she embarked on a career as an executive and landed roles at Comedy Central, The Chappelle Show, and even MTV. Despite a successful career and blossoming relationship with her now-husband, Bill Burr, she was unfulfilled. She transitioned to a full-time stay-at-home mother, but still felt called towards creative work. Nia decided to invest fully in herself and her interests, only to find that she was the career of her dreams. Her current role, as a purveyor of the best in Black fine dining, is created in her image; truly original, funny, and endlessly entertaining. 

Tune in as we discuss:

(5:40) Why Nia Isn't Pursuing A Professional Comedy Career

(6:30) Why She Didn’t Feel Beautiful Growing Up

(8:45) Growing Up Between Atlanta & LA

(9:08) Her Nepo Baby Experience

(10:30) How Summer School In LA Helped Reshape Her Identity 

(11:15) Finding Style Inspo On BET

(11:45) Her Experience In Y2K Harlem 

(12:10) How The Harlem Renaissance Inspired Her Move

(12:40) A Mild Diddy Run-In

(13:05) What Early 2000s Braid Shops Were Like

(14:10) Defining Her Second Wind Career

(15:00) From Acting & To Media Exec

(16:16) Recovering From Corporate Unhappiness

(17:50) Why She Felt Unfulfilled As A SAHM

(19:08) The True Cost Of Investing In Herself

(21:00) Why Vanity Inspired Her Public Rebrand

(25:08) Building Her Team With Personal Connections

(26:28) The Day-To-Day Stylist Rundown

(31:45) How People Responded To Her Evolution

(38:52) Invest In Yourself, Even If It’s Small

(39:59) Beginning Her Fine Dining Journey

(44:40) Why She Chooses To Highlight Black Chefs

(47:55) LA Food Lightning Round

(54:41) Nia's Advice For People Who Feel Stuck

Rate, Subscribe & Review the Podcast on Apple 

Join the Naked Beauty Community on IG: @nakedbeautyplanet 

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

Check out nakedbeautypodcast.com for all previous episodes & search episodes by topic

Shop My Favorite Products & Pod Discounts on my ShopMyShelf

Stay in touch with me: @brookedevard

Follow Nia @niasalterego

Products Mentioned:

Ami Cole Lip Oil

Makeup Forever Hydra Glow

MAC Chestnut Lip Pencil

EADEM Le Chouchou Exfoliating + Softening Peptide Lip Balm

Forlle'd Hyalogy P-effect Refining Lotion

Aquaphor Healing Ointment

Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Lotion

Biologique Recherche Masque Vivant

Purple Rain Prada Beauty

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