Akua Robinson
Friends in Beauty Podcast
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 episodes every Wednesday! Let’s Connect! Follow us on social media: @friendsinbeauty @akuarobinson
Author
Akua Robinson
Category
Podcast website
Latest episode
Mar 4, 2026
Where to listen?
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Episodes
Ep. 212: How BLAQ Luxury Became A Multi-Million Dollar Hair Care Brand 03.04.2024 52:25
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Cherice Williams to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Blaq Luxury Hair Products is an esteemed beauty brand, owned and run by the talented Cherice Williams, a Jamaican native. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, BLAQ Luxury has a remarkable journey that stemmed from personal experiences, unwavering faith, fortunate opportunities, and calcu...
Ep. 211: Meet The Hair Department Head For The Book Of Clarence 27.03.2024 1:30:09
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Nakoya Yancey to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Nakoya is a Hair Designer, with over 30 years of professional experience. She is also a UK trained Wig Maker and Facial Hair Piece Maker. Watching the famous show The Wire on HBO peaked Nakoya’s curiosity in the Film and Television world of Hair Styling. In 2009 Nakoya got her first br...
Ep. 210: Meet The Makeup Department Head For The Book Of Clarence 20.03.2024 47:54
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Matiki Anoff to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Matiki Anoff, originally from Ghana, West Africa, and raised in the UK, currently resides in New York. As a highly accomplished head makeup designer for major motion pictures and a former Contracted CoverGirl Cosmetic Spokesperson, Matiki boasts an impressive career. A three-time Emmy nomi...
Ep. 209: Beyond The Chair With Editorial Hair Artist Melanee Williams 13.03.2024 45:39
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Melanee Williams to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Melanee is a professional Editorial Hairstylist/Artist with over 15 years of experience. As a passionate entrepreneur, Melanee has had the privilege of servicing renowned spiritual leaders, TV and radio personalities, professional athletes, major clothing designers, and a variety of ot...
Ep. 208: What It's Like Being A Full-Time RV'er & Working Makeup Artist - Bethany Townes 06.03.2024 1:37:53
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Bethany Townes to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Bethany's journey into the realm of makeup commenced in 2006 with a part-time position at a cosmetic counter, where her fascination with the intricacies of mascara and blush application was ignited. What began as a simple interest soon blossomed into her vocation and full-time profes...
Ep. 207: The Fabulous Life Of Makeup Artist + ULTA Beauty Makeup Expert Jaleesa Jaikaran 28.02.2024 1:02:08
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Jaleesa Jaikaran to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Jaleesa grew up in Trinidad, the small island where her life-long passion for makeup was birthed. Her involvement in a fashion show led her to purchase a foundation that became the spark that led her into the world of fashion and beauty. In 2011, while pursuing her business degree, she...
Ep. 206: Family, Business, and Beauty: Kat Aragon's Rise to Leadership in Beauty 21.02.2024 1:36:27
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Kat Aragon to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Kat, with over twenty years in the beauty industry, is celebrated for her dedication to enhancing client confidence, nurturing fellow salon professionals, and motivating artists. Self described as the "accidental makeup artist," her career took a serendipitous turn when her family...
Ep. 205: From Battlefields to Beauty: A Veteran Mom’s Secret To Flawless Skin 14.02.2024 1:02:09
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Kelyn Henry to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Kelyn is an army Veteran and devoted mom with a passion for skincare. Frustrated by the lack of effective solutions for acne and problematic skin, she used her esthetician expertise to create a unique skincare line. Her products cater to blemish-prone, sensitive, and dry skin, loaded with...
Ep. 204: From Fashion Shows To Functional Fashion: Protecting Your Hair with Grace & Company 07.02.2024 1:02:22
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Kimanee Mason to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Born and raised in Westmoreland Jamaica, Kimanee moved to New York City for college and was soon discovered by Elite Model Management, shooting Teen Vogue the very next day. Her modeling career spanned over 15 years from runways to commercial work with top designers like Oscar de la Renta...
Ep. 203: CapeTown DMV: Empowering Communities Through Beauty - Dimosha Smith 31.01.2024 1:27:25
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Dimosha Devon Smith Sr. to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Dimosha is a proud father before all. He is also the Founder of a non-profit organization called CapeTown (D)MV. CapeTown DMV is a network of hair and beauty professionals who come together to promote positive self-esteem by servicing underserved and underprivileged communities...
Ep. 202: Communicating Your Value & Unlocking Massive Opportunities - Crystal Wright 24.01.2024 1:48:31
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Crystal Wright to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Crystal Wright, the go-to powerhouse in the world of freelance beauty professionals, has been breaking down career barriers for over 25 years. Her journey into the agency scene kicked off with a gutsymove—ditching the corporate grind to champion photographers, makeup and hair artists, an...
Ep. 201: Emmy Award Winning Hair Stylist Greg Bazemore Talks Major Success While Being Introverted 17.01.2024 1:00:13
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Gregory Bazemore to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Greg is an Emmy Award winning Hair Stylist and industry veteran. His work has been featured on Pose, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, First Wives Club, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier to name a few. Greg believes that there are no boundaries that will impede him. He has also excell...
Ep. 200: Master Stylist Milan J’s Promise Kept To Her Clients After 3 Decades In The Industry 10.01.2024 1:17:18
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Milan Junchalearn to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Here are two truths: there are no hair stylists out there quite like Milan Junchalearn and there are very few salons that can compete with hers. She’s a self-taught stylist whose first booth was a bathroom stall at the Fashion Institute in NYC back in the ’90s. Now, she’s the owner of...
Ep. 199: Meet The Makeup Department Head For The Color Purple 03.01.2024 1:33:08
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Carol Rasheed to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. An Emmy Nominated Veteran Makeup Department Head in the TV and Film Industry. She credits her advances in the profession by always listening, always learning and forever being a collaborative partner! Carol has headed countless TV and Film projects with Warner Brothers, NBC, ABC, BET, A...
Ep. 198: Transforming Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion In The Beauty Industry 30.12.2023 32:34
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Maude Okrah Hunter to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Maude is an entrepreneur who is passionate about bringing solutions to underserved markets. She has over 12 years of experience working in strategy with startups and Fortune 500 companies. She is the Founder and CEO of BBR (Black Beauty Roster). Black Beauty Roster is a digital D...
Ep. 197: A Conversation With The Key Makeup Artist For The Color Purple 27.12.2023 49:00
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Ngozi Olandu Young to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Emmy nominated/ award winning makeup artist and entrepreneur, Ngozi, known to most as “Gozi”, radiates the world with her remarkable creativity and positive attitude. Through the influence of her rich Nigerian culture, the American raised artist fell in love with beauty and productio...
Ep. 196: Building A Resilient Glow-Worthy Skincare Brand 22.12.2023 1:11:18
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Laurencia Burt to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Brooklyn Sky Collection is one such brand. The founder Laurencia Burt struggled with homelessness as a child where her and her family sometimes slept in churches and even their car. This fueled her passion to become a social worker as an adult. She wanted to be the person she needed as a...
Ep. 195: Becoming A Doctor Of Professional Cosmetology 13.12.2023 1:16:10
"Heal the hair and touch the soul,” is the mantra that guides the hands of award-winning Doctor of Professional Cosmetology Dr. Adrin “Seven”. His stellar signature styles have found their way to the pages of Vogue, Vanity Fair, Essence, InStyle, Heart & Soul, Jet, Upscale, Ebony, Black Hair Sophisticates, and other leading beauty and fashion magazines. With remarkable talent, innovative skills, a...
Ep. 194: Innovative Sustainably Sourced Fashion 06.12.2023 1:31:56
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Rich Rocket to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Growing up with very humble beginnings, Rich learned at a very young age how to resourcefully make something from nothing. Expression was second nature to Rich, even though social normality and small town mentality kept his creativity at bay for most of his adolescence. After high school, R...
Ep. 193: The #1 App That Helps You Find Dope Barbers Anywhere 29.11.2023 1:00:15
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Obi Omile to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Obi is the CEO + Co-Founder of theCut App, the #1 barber discovery app. Obi was on the Forbes 30 Under 30 List and is a Techstars ‘18 alum. He brings experience across tech and financial services industries prior to launching theCut with his co-founder Kush Patel. Almost anyone who's been t...
Ep. 192: Inheriting A Hair Salon & Turning It Into A Beauty Empire 22.11.2023 1:48:49
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Derrenzo “Renz” Hines to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. After Renz inherited a beauty salon at the age of 19, when his father passed away, he took the business under his wing and turned it into a beauty empire. He is now the Owner of Salon Renz, Suites by Renz (2 locations), and Bundles by Renz, solidifying himself as a go to in the...
Ep. 191: How PsychoHairapy Uses Hair As An Entry Point For Mental Health Services 15.11.2023 58:10
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Dr. Afiya Mbilishaka to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Dr. Afiya is a therapist, educator, research-scientist, hair historian, and hairstylist. She is the owner of Ma'at Psychological Services, a private practice in Washington, DC focused on promoting balance and restoring order to the lives of her clients. She focuses on understandi...
Ep. 190: The Reality Of Being A Celebrity Makeup Artist - Andrea Samuels 08.11.2023 1:14:47
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Andrea C. Samuels to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Andrea is an award winning Celebrity Makeup Artist, Hair Stylist and Beauty Educator who excels in beauty, editorial and red carpet events nationwide and internationally. Between 2013 to today, Andrea has assisted some of the industry’s top Makeup Artists such as Ashunta Sheriff, S...
Ep. 189: Glam Chronicles: 30+ Years of Beauty Magic BEHIND THE SCENES With Viola Nicholson! 01.11.2023 1:44:01
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Makeup Artist & Co-Founder of Black Legends In Beauty, Viola Nicholson to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. With a career spanning 30+ years in the industry, Viola is no stranger to hard work, perseverance, and adding value to her community. Aside from operating her tool line, Brushes by Viola, she is known for coordinating the most tra...
Ep. 188: How Former Esthetician, Colleen Carey, Is Providing Luxurious Science-Driven Solutions To Skincare 25.10.2023 1:32:12
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Colleen Carey to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Former Esthetician turned beauty entrepreneur, Colleen discovered her love for beauty and skincare at a young age. After early careers as a makeup artist and aesthetician, she taught herself the importance of not only what we put in our bodies, but what we put on our bodies affects our...
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