Celebrity makeup artist, Michael Brown and skincare guru, Alisha Bhojwani have come together for an all-inclusive gender-neutral beauty project, in original Nova podcast, Skinfluence.
Representing the need for inclusivity in the beauty industry, Skinfluence breaks through beauty barriers that are still prevalent today.
An original concept developed by the Nova Podcast team, Skinfluence will tackle the latest trends and products, alongside the best beauty and skincare tips, to have you looking and feeling your best.
With their impressive resume of celebrity clients and Instagram followings, Michael and Alisha cater for the ever-so-diverse beauty landscape, highlighting the importance of inclusivity for all skin shades and gender expressions and more importantly having fun with beauty through makeup and skincare.
We caught up with the duo to get the lowdown on everything you need to know about their exciting new project.
Congratulations on the exciting news of your podcast launch! Can you tell us a bit about Skinfluence and where the idea came from?
MICHAEL: Thank you so much, I am SUPER excited for the Skinfluence podcast! Sharing beauty tips and techniques is what I love to do, as everyone deserves to look and more importantly, feel their best. With over 20 years in the industry, I have a few good secrets to share.
Nova, as well as Alisha and I saw a gap in the market. There are some great beauty podcasts out there but typically there’s a huge lack of diversity. We at Skinfluence want everyone to be included and involved in the beauty industry, as we all have such different needs and concerns, especially when it comes to our skin.
The skin is really where beauty starts – I myself as a celebrity makeup artist puts so much focus on skin prep, its serious business. Then the fun can start with makeup and hair, but without the skin knowledge and correct preparation, the fun gets lost and alters the focus with finished beauty looks.
ALISHA: Thank you! We're both so excited for the launch. Around the middle of last year, the producers at Nova reached out with a potential podcast idea in mind. From there, we did some test reads to find the right chemistry and talked about how we wanted the podcast to be different from anything else that was on the market.
We both have such different backgrounds and expertise, but we still love beauty. And that's the best part of the podcast. We're showing everyone that the beauty industry can be inclusive and that it's for everyone.
What can listeners expect from the show and how often will episodes be released?
MICHAEL: Listeners can expect LOTS of fun and educational beauty banter from Alisha and I…
We met on Zoom during lockdown last year and considering it wasn’t face to face, you could not stop us chatting about everything beauty!
We are both so passionate about the industry, but what makes it so fun is hearing different takes on how the skin and therefore products work for a variety of concerns and skin tones. As an artist, I have worked with every skin condition, skin type and colour possible, so it's interesting chat.
We go through the latest trends, product launches, makeup and skin tips, all with an open mind and coming from both of our completely different backgrounds.
ALISHA: You can expect LOTS of laughs! If there's one thing Michael and I love, it's chatting! But seriously, we'll be tackling various skin concerns, new product launches, beauty tips, answering listener questions along the way and maybe even bringing in some experts! Episodes will come out weekly, every Monday.
Can you speak to the importance of inclusivity and diversity in the Australian beauty space? How has your personal experience been?
MICHAEL: Inclusivity and diversity should be a given when it comes to beauty, no two faces are the same. Whether its skin colour, type, eye shapes and general skin conditions, all should be serviced by the industry.
I started my career in the year 2000, working in the Perth department stores and was the only male on the cosmetic floor. I did receive judgement from some customers, with some asking for a female makeup artist, not male…
I also felt bad that in my early career, there were no shades for a dark skin tone. I used to add liquid bronzers or crush powder bronzers into foundation to be able to match their skin tone, as I couldn’t bear say, we have no shades for you, this was a big issue for Alisha also and yes now, there are shades galore, but until you have experienced exclusivity, you then really appreciate everyone’s fight for inclusivity.
I love walking through beauty retailers today and seeing such a diverse workforce, especially guys feeling safe and comfortable wearing some (fierce!) beauty looks, something I could never have done in my early career.
ALISHA: Growing up as a WOC I had a lack of representation in the media, which meant that I shied away from beauty because I didn't think it was 'for me'. And when I did start to dabble in it, I found myself conforming to the beauty ideals that I saw in the media.
From bleached blonde hair to incorrect foundation shades and using skincare that didn't address my underlying melasma, I so desperately wanted to achieve what I saw in the glossy magazines I grew up with. But this was always going to be outside of my reach.
Thankfully, times have changed and we're seeing more inclusivity in what we consume. Having a variety of people who come from different backgrounds in the media is essential because it provides a sense of comfort and connection to see your skin tone represented.
What gap in the market does the offering fill?
MICHAEL: Skinfluence feels more like two friends chatting beauty. We are different genders, have different skin tones, skin types, skin concerns and very different industry backgrounds, but in the short time we have been chatting all things beauty, we have learnt so much from each other that we know we can educate so many listeners and make them feel part of the ever-so-fun and changing beauty industry - it really is for EVERYONE.
ALISHA: The one thing that's so great about Michael and I is that we come from completely different backgrounds. Genders and ethnicity aside, Michael's bread and butter is makeup and mine is skincare. We want the podcast to be a safe space for everyone to get involved, share their story and learn something new along the way.
How do you plan to work with brands? And how can brands get in touch for possible collaboration?
MICHAEL: Alisha and I are very lucky to be part of so many beauty product launches and attend events to educate ourselves on what’s new in the industry and then what we love, with the latest knowledge of new technologies and ingredients.
This will continue and we hope to learn more about new brands we don’t know so the listeners can join the beauty bus with us and go for a fun ride as all learn together.
We love hearing what each other use and love, as it can be quite different, and I am sure our listeners will share their loves with us too.
For any brand collaboration ideas contact: skinfluence@novapodcasts.com.au.
What do you love most about working in beauty?
ALISHA: It's the connection and sense of community that can be fostered.
MICHAEL: I really have done it all when it comes to the beauty industry, from retail, education, media, fashion, TV and lots of media opportunities, plus I also do hair and tanning, as well as skin and makeup artistry, so it has been an amazing ride!
I love the education side of things within the media space – give me a stage and a microphone and I’ll be in my element, so chatting beauty in the podcast space was a no brainer for me.
I have also worked on some simply beautiful faces, but what I learnt in my retail days, working on all ages and skin concerns really has made my career easier today, as I have so much knowledge about what works and what doesn't.
What excites you most about the future of the industry?
ALISHA: It's always changing! From a skincare perspective, I LOVE understanding the science behind ingredients and that's something that will always continue to grow and evolve thanks to technology. Our attitude to beauty is also constantly changing, evolving and growing and that's what makes it so exciting.
MICHAEL: The industry is the best it’s been with diversity and that inclusive feeling! So many people I have met over the years have been through so much in life personally, so makeup especially was their little escape to feel good and confident!! With the correct skincare knowledge, we can make these makeup moments even more powerful for people. All are and should be welcome.
I have been doing this for 20 years and I’m still learning. The minute you think you know it all, you won’t get very far in life in general.
When can we get listening to Skinfluence?
MICHAEL: Skinfluence launches Monday February 7, with weekly episodes dropping every Monday on the Nova Podcasts Player or wherever you listen to your fave pods.
ALISHA: Make sure you're subscribed to Spotify or Apple podcasts to get your weekly dose of Skinfluence.
Check out Skinfluence, here.
