Today we’d like to introduce you to Jackie Johnson.
Jackie, before we jump into specific questions about your work, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in Dallas, doing beauty pageants and singing at local malls. I then went to film school in Austin, then headed to Los Angeles when I was 21. I started doing comedy and landed myself on the main stage at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. It became my comedy home. I was on various sketch and musical teams there for years and shaped my comedic voice and style. Then, one summer, I downloaded Snapchat. I started making rant videos about the various woes I was experiencing planning my wedding.
These rants became popular, and I was encouraged by some other comedians to start a podcast to expand on them. I wanted a niche idea, I didn’t want just another “two people having a random conversation” podcast. I decided on a beauty show- somewhere ladies can gab unapologetically about skincare, makeup, self-care rituals, and all of the mysteries surrounding these topics. I wanted the center message to be that we are all in charge of our own beauty and what that means to us. I wanted it to be a safe space and a celebration of female friendship. I also wanted to revisit quizzes from the late 90’s teen magazines with the wherewithal I now have as a woman in her 30’s. This is how Natch Beaut came to be! Now Natch Beaut is one of the biggest Beauty podcasts in the world.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Honey, the road has not been paved! It has definitely been a slow burn for me in many ways. I had a lot of growing up to do, a lot of rent to pay, and a lot of lessons to learn. I am grateful for all the side jobs I had because each one taught me gratitude, which is the currency of the universe. In terms of podcasting, the struggle for everyone who isn’t famous already is getting the word out about your show. It’s still a big problem in the business- how to market and find podcasts. I am so grateful to my growing and supportive audience for always being the true influencers- old school word-of-mouth marketing can change the world!
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I’m known for my loud, outspoken personality as well as my crass, yet a relatable sense of humor, on my podcast NatchBeaut, I gab with celebs, artists, and fellow funny folks about what beauty and self-care mean to them (as well as what’s in their bags.) Natch Beaut has been declared “Goop, but for Salt-Of-The Earth” in one of its thousands of 5-star reviews on iTunes (where it is a top podcast on the Beauty and Fashion chart weekly) and has been raved about on Vulture, Splitsider, Uproxx, Who What Wear, Vogue India, and by its very active, supportive, and engaged Facebook Community.
I am your best friend, your kooky Southern Auntie, and the person you’d call to bail you out of jail (if I wasn’t the person sitting next to you in the cell.)
I started Natch Beaut to take the seriousness and intimidation out of the robust and oftentimes misunderstood topic of beauty. But after 2.5 years and over 125 hours of convos, turns out, there is so much more to beauty than just eye cream and lip liner. I now preach that true beauty is pursuing happiness unapologetically and presenting exactly who you are with pride.
I am really proud of the topics and conversations I have had with my incredible and diverse guests, ranging from what’s the best self-tanner to what it’s like getting top surgery to combat gender dysphoria. My guests have included Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness, Crazy Ex Girlfriend’s Rachel Bloom, Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix, and Crazy Rich Asian’s Nico Santos to name a few.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I am so excited to watch the Natch Beaut audience grow and grow, and seeing all the changes and evolution that will bring. I am developing a kick-ass merch line right now that I cannot wait to debut, and hope to do more skincare products as well (I did a collab with Loli Beauty this year that was so incredible! My face oil is truly my favorite oil ever, and that is very powerful!)
Contact Info:
- Website: www.natchbeaut.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jackiemichelejohnson
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/natchbeautpod
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/jackie_michele
- Other: https://lolibeauty.com/collections/natch-beaut
Image Credit:
Edwin Monzon, Robyn Von Swank
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