Episode 23 | Nai'vasha on the Art of Self-Belief & Self-Love
THE BEAUTY EDITION
I was introduced to Nai’vasha by the lovely actress Melanie Liburd about 2 years ago (2019). Of course, I knew of Nai’vasha’s work beforehand, I mean, she is the visionary behind the intricate red carpet hairstyles of some of our fave muses. Think Alicia Keys, Yara Shahidi, Tracee Ellis Ross, Storm Reid etc.
It wasn’t until we connected together on this episode that I realized we have so much in common. Introverts, music industry background, beauty industry aficionados, candle burners, to name but a few.
Nai’vasha was incredibly vulnerable in this episode and I am truly honored that she felt comfortable enough to expose her inner-most fears, insecurities and thoughts with me, and with you. Listen in closely as she spills her honest feelings about Black Twitter’s reaction to her first US Vogue cover (August 2020 issue) with Simone Biles, the role of mentorship and peer-to-peer feedback in her career to date.
I invite you to access this episode through the links below. But first, grab your beverage of choice and a notebook - especially if you are a creative who may be introverted and finds it challenging to network within the industry to get your word out there. Nai’vasha will walk you through what work and didn’t work for her.
Enjoy!
SHOW NOTES
Nai’vasha on…
(04:10) - her fear of public speaking and being in front of the camera.
(05:39) - being an introvert and never having been to a club, ever.
(07:00) - her body image and her anxiety around it.
(09:40) - the meaning behind her name. A name with Kenyan roots.
(13:28) - how COVID has impacted her positively and what she has learned about herself during quarantine.
(15:00) - motherhood and getting closer to her children. Watching them develop into their own identities.
(20:06) - rituals growing up. Her mother never blow-dried her hair. Airdry for the win!
(24:32) - her main confidence killer that she is still adjusting to. Her body figure and how she uses her hair to make her feel safe.
(28:19) - the defining moment when she knew she was good at what she does.
(32:19) - navigating from finance to working with the likes of Alicia Keys.
(37:40) - the fruits of peer-to-peer mentorship and how it scored Nai’vasha her first celebrity clients: Ciara, Naomie Harris and Wanda Sykes.
(40:00) - how she looked overseas for inspiration to help develop her skillset as a creative hairstylist & using her clients and HBCU students to hone her talent.
(42:00) - the feedback culture and how it can be a blessing and a curse. Example: Black Twitter’s reaction to the Annie Leibovitz cover shot of Simone Biles (Aug 2020) that Nai’vasha styled.
(56:30) - advice to stylists on how to approach established stylists for mentorship.
(59:13) - what she wished she knew before starting her career in beauty.
(1:07:33) - the last time she pat herself on the back and why.
(1:08:45) - on exposing her grey hairs for the first time (at Allure magazine shoot).
(1:10:27) - rituals that keeps her grounded: candles, prayer, facials & laser treatments, will supporting black-owned female business.
(1:13:53) - the black business she loves and supports: Fe Noel, Brother Vellies and Aliette.
(1:17:30) - her final messages to you, “Practice loving on yourself. It’s a daily ritual”; and where you can find her @naivashaintl.