Naked Beauty Podcast: Nia Hill on How To Rediscover Yourself

Host: Brooke DeVard
Guest: Nia Renee Hill
Release Date: January 19, 2026

Episode Overview

Brooke DeVard welcomes Nia Renee Hill—acclaimed writer, actor, producer, and creator—to discuss transformation, visibility, and embracing the “second act” of womanhood. Nia shares her journey from behind-the-scenes media roles, through motherhood and personal reinvention, to building a recognizable brand and championing Black chefs with her food and lifestyle show, At the Table. The two delve deeply into beauty, self-care, evolving identity, and what it really takes to invest in yourself at every stage.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Early Beauty Influences and Self-Image

• Nia Didn’t Feel Traditionally “Beautiful” Growing Up

  • Split home between Atlanta and LA/Boston.
  • Focused more on being “smart” and “funny” (04:01).
  • “I was never, you know, that girl that got told by adults like, 'Oh my God, you’re so pretty.'...I think it was more like, 'Oh, I’m smart, I’m funny...But it was never, like, oh, I’m this beautiful person.'” (Nia, 04:01)

• Parental Influence & Experimentation

  • Mom was strict about makeup; dad was relaxed (07:20).
  • Catholic school uniforms in Atlanta vs. much more style freedom in LA.

• Developing Her Style

  • Harlem in the early 2000s: “I obsessed with that era and learning all about it...I spent a lot of time in Harlem” (09:06).
  • Getting her hair braided was a formative beauty ritual (10:23).

2. Career Evolution and the “Second Wind”

• Finding the Second Act

  • “You have this growth period...then you sort of rediscover this other part of yourself.” (Nia, 11:28)
  • Transitioned from media roles (Comedy Central, MTV) to acting, then motherhood, then creator.

• Motherhood and Self-Rediscovery

  • “That really was my life for, you know, all of it, all those years...But I knew that I had, like, desires outside of the home.” (Nia, 14:16)
  • Big transformation began in 2022 with an opportunity from the Michelin Guide (15:43).

3. Reinventing Visibility and Style

• Deliberate Shift to Personal Branding

  • Started investing in content with her lash tech turned content producer, Cecily (16:13).
  • Focus was initially just to “look cooler”…grew into becoming a visible creator.
  • “I wasn’t even thinking about visibility...I just wanted my Instagram to look better, to look cooler, to look flyer.” (Nia, 17:56)

• Physical & Stylistic Transformation

  • Giving herself two years postpartum: “2022 rolls around, I was like, okay, this is the year I am dedicating to myself.” (20:02)
  • Hired stylist Lauren Preston; learned to develop a personal style that was “comfy, sophisticated, and sexy” (24:35).
  • “Who do you want to be at this event? ...That helps me because especially as a Gemini, like, I love talking about who I'm going to be, because it's going to be different every time.” (Nia, 24:10)

• Tailoring and Elevating Everyday Life

  • Emphasis on tailoring clothes and elevating “mommy looks”—even at kids’ birthday parties (23:26).
  • Encourages listeners to ask “Who do I want to be?” each day or for each event.

4. Investing in Yourself

• On Reluctance to Invest

  • “I would say to start small, honestly...if it is something like, you know what? I am gonna get my nails done every two weeks...I think things like that beget the change that you want.” (Nia, 34:27)

• Best Investment: Content Producer

  • “When we started, I had like 66,000 followers...Now we have like 224,000, and it's all organically grown...because I elevated my content…” (Nia, 32:26)

5. Entering the Food World & Centering Black Chefs

• How Michelin Changed Everything
  • Opportunity to host a Michelin Guide event sparked her next career move (15:43, 35:31).
  • Developed At the Table to highlight Black chefs: “I was like...let me find something that’s really niche and specific and different and that I have not seen.” (37:02)

6. Food & LA Restaurant Lightning Round (38:14–43:10)

• Best Cookie: Florasil in West Adams (38:40)
• Girls Night Out: Hideaway (Beverly Hills), Lucia (39:13)
• Date Night: Saffy’s (East Hollywood), Camp 4 (Downtown LA) (39:37)
• Best Soul Food: Alta Adams (West Adams) (40:41)
• Overrated: Craig’s (41:33)
• Chef to Watch: Chef John Harris at Linden (41:58)
• Favorite Creators: Nya Moore (“Table for One”), Alex Hill (“Just Add Hot Sauce”) (43:10)

7. Dealing with Imposter Syndrome

• Learning to Own Her Space
  • “I certainly don't feel like I know everything...I always want to be like a student.” (Nia, 43:30)

8. Empowerment, Mindset, & Advice

• On Feeling Stuck

  • “Look for inspirations in ways that are familiar and unfamiliar...Just getting your brain going is so important.” (Nia, 44:53)

• Motherhood & Modeling Fulfillment

  • “I have to fulfill myself in order to really be there for my kids, but also to model what that's like...[To] see your mom go for it and live her dreams, I think is very important to children.” (Nia, 46:02)

• Letting Go of Perfectionism

  • Nia aims to “let go of that actually going into 2026 and just be out there and do the thing and take chances and try it.” (Nia, 52:56)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “You can be a Nepo baby all day, but if you’re not gonna do shit with it, then who cares?” (Nia, 06:31)
• “If I decide to do something, I want to be the best at it. I do have a tendency to have a bit of perfectionist tendencies. I would like to let go of that.” (Nia, 52:56)
• “I feel the most beautiful when I'm out of the shower and I've done all my skin care and I'm all glowy before everything dries down.” (Nia, 54:51)
• "I’m going to have another era and another one and another one...That to me is very exciting. To sort of continue to grow and evolve and change feels really good." (Nia, 56:03)

Beauty Favorites Lightning Round (48:30–52:42)

• Holy Grail Makeup: Ami Cole Lip Oils (48:34)
• Foundation: Makeup Forever Hydro Glow (49:03)
• Current Lip Combo: MAC Chestnut Lip Liner & Eadem Boba Bounce (49:44)
• Skincare Game-Changer: Hyalogy Essence Lotion (Japanese brand) (50:04)
• Inexpensive Favorite: Vaseline Golden Hour Glow (50:51)
• Splurge-Worthy: Biologique Recherche Masque Vivant (51:31)
• Signature Scent: Prada Infusion d’Iris (52:11)

Closing Reflections

Both Brooke and Nia reflect on the power of simply beginning:

• “People ask me how to become a podcaster...I just did it. So now I'm a podcaster...” (Brooke, 44:44)

Nia’s journey is about not being afraid to evolve, invest in yourself bit by bit, and unapologetically pursue the life—and the style—you dream of, modeling that boldness and fulfillment for the next generation.

Useful Timestamps

• Nia’s “second act” explained: 11:28
• Motherhood and daydreams of reinvention: 14:59
• The push to invest in self and hire help: 16:13, 32:26
• Building and refining personal style: 24:10–25:32
• Entering the food world and At the Table show: 35:31–37:02
• Food and restaurants Lightning Round: 38:14–43:10
• Beauty favorites Lightning Round: 48:30–52:42

This episode is a must-listen for women at any stage who find themselves craving transformation, confidence, and a new sense of self—both inside and out.