Welcome to Friends in Beauty – the #1 community & podcast for beauty pros! Hosted by Award-Winning Makeup Artist & Beauty Educator, and Your Best Friend in Beauty Akua Robinson, this is where beauty conversations feel like catching up with a friend — real stories and expert tea with the voices that shape the beauty industry without the fluff...Whether you're a makeup artist, hairstylist, esthetician, nail tech, or educator—Friends in Beauty is your go-to for insight, strategy & support. New…
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In this episode of the Friends in Beauty Podcast , I’m having a very honest conversation about burnout and why I’ve made the difficult decision to step away and take a break. Over the last several months, life has truly been lifing, and I’ve been feeling something that many creatives and entrepreneurs experience but don’t always talk about openly — burnout. After attending a powerful mental health…
In this episode of the Friends in Beauty Podcast , I’m so excited to sit down with Laverne Amara, founder of NVLX Labs , an eco-lux clean haircare brand created specifically for the loc community. Laverne is a certified loctician and trichology analyst whose work focuses on scalp health, buildup prevention, and education in the natural hair space. In our conversation, she shares how her journey…
On this week’s episode of the Friends in Beauty Podcast, I’m diving into the new Reality Check documentary and unpacking everything it brought up for me about America’s Next Top Model . As someone who grew up watching the show, I’m reflecting on how it shaped our understanding of beauty, success, and even humiliation in the name of entertainment. I talk about the outrageous photo shoots, the…
If you’re a beauty professional, creative, or small business owner looking for grants you can apply for right now, this episode is for you. In this video, I’m breaking down rolling grants—funding opportunities that are open year-round or monthly, so you don’t have to wait for a once-a-year deadline to access money for your business.These grants are especially great if you’re:-A beauty pro or…
In this special birthday episode of the Friends in Beauty Podcast , I’m taking a moment to slow down, reflect, and share a birthday pep talk straight from the heart. I talk about how my relationship with birthdays has changed over the years and why I now find more joy in simplicity than big celebrations. I also open up about a recent emotional season—caring for my cat, Kash, during a health…
In this episode of the Friends in Beauty Podcast, I’m breaking down a realistic and strategic way beauty pros can potentially get into Ulta Beauty World without purchasing a ticket. After the chaos surrounding Ulta Beauty World ticket sales, I wanted to share another perspective and an alternative path that many people may not be thinking about. While this is not guaranteed, I walk you through…
In this episode of the Friends in Beauty Podcast , I’m taking you down memory lane as I reflect on where I was in 2016 and how saying yes, staying consistent, and not quitting changed everything. With a viral social media trend reminding us that 2016 was ten years ago, I found myself stopping in my tracks and thinking about the version of me who was only three years into my makeup artistry…
In this episode of the Friends in Beauty Podcast , I am diving into one of the biggest beauty industry conversations happening right now and what it really means for makeup artists, beauty pros, and brand owners like us. With the recent news of Pat McGrath Labs putting its assets up for sale , I felt called to come talk to my Friends in Beauty about virality, velocity, and whether every viral…
In this episode of the Friends in Beauty Podcast , I am sharing the simple but powerful decision that completely changed the type of clients I attract and the way I experience my beauty business. As I kick off the first episode of 2026, I reflect on what truly shifted my career. It was not more content, more hustle, or more trends. It was the decision to stop talking to everyone and get clear on…
In this episode of the Friends in Beauty Podcast , I am taking you with me into a heartfelt year in review as we close out 2025 and prepare to step into 2026. I reflect on the wins, the lessons, and the beautiful moments that shaped my journey this year, both personally and professionally I walk you through the milestones that meant the most to me, from returning to teaching at Bennett Career…
