Kim Baker on Survival and Reinvention In The Beauty Industry

Summary

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Naked Beauty Podcast: Kim Baker on Survival and Reinvention In The Beauty Industry

Host: Brooke DeVard │ Guest: Kim Baker (with Natasha, Kim's daughter)
Release Date: November 24, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this vibrant, candid episode, Brooke DeVard sits down with legendary makeup artist, model, and Glamazon Beauty founder Kim Baker. They delve into Kim’s extraordinary journey—her modeling career from the size 4 runways of the '90s to pioneering plus-size modeling, surviving personal and professional setbacks, and ultimately reinventing herself as an entrepreneur. The conversation explores race, beauty, resilience, motherhood, and the power of representation, with memorable stories from the golden age of fashion, invaluable beauty tips, and a moving discussion on faith and perseverance.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Early Life and Self-Esteem (00:37–03:13)

• Kim’s New Jersey upbringing: Raised with high self-esteem thanks to a mother who instilled pride in Black history and beauty beyond slavery.
• On beauty representation: Early idols were Lola Falana, Diahann Carroll, and Diana Ross—profound examples for young Black girls.
  • "My mom was my first image of real beauty... she forced me to learn the history of black people outside of slavery." — Kim Baker (01:44)

2. Modeling Beginnings and Harsh Realities (03:41–07:03)

• Starting young: First photo shoot at 13, exposed to adult situations far too early in an unsupervised industry.
• Encountering racism & abuse: Early experiences included both affirmation and instances of sexual assault by photographers.
  • "One guy tried to fondle my breast. The photographer." — Kim Baker (04:46)
• Industry mentorship: Bethann Hardison played a pivotal role, steering Kim out of harm’s way until she matured.

3. The Glamour (and Grit) of ’90s Fashion (07:19–10:29)

• Insider stories: Regular at Studio 54, socializing with figures like Andy Warhol, Grace Jones, Basquiat.
  • "I was 14 years old at Studio 54... I would get to talk to Andy Warhol. Yes, the Andy Warhol." — Kim Baker (07:31)
• Memorable anecdote: Went into labor on the dance floor at a Grace Jones party (09:37).
• Era context: Celebrates a time when modeling was more about art than today’s digital “IG modeling.”

4. Personal Setbacks and Reinvention (10:29–19:01)

• Relationship challenges: Dated/married a much older man involved in illicit activities; was indicted but ultimately exonerated with 800 hours of community service.
  • "I almost got sentenced to 65 years to life... The judge... said that I was one of the best decisions that he's ever made for a second chance." — Kim Baker (15:39)
• Impact: Felt shame for her mother, but it motivated her to reclaim pride and success.
• Turning point: Uplifting message about self-reliance and manifesting a new life.

5. Plus-Size Modeling Pioneer (19:10–22:13)

• Industry trailblazer: Helped define “plus size” modeling before it was recognized by mainstream fashion.
• Body image struggles: Experienced and witnessed disordered eating, and industry pressure to conform.
  • "I was sent there [a fat farm] as a size four. To get to a two." — Kim Baker (20:29)
• Changing standards: Reflects on how representation has evolved for curvy women.

6. Makeup, Representation, and Entrepreneurship (22:13–31:14)

• Transition to makeup artistry: Frustrated by lack of expertise in Black beauty needs, she did her own makeup—earning Bobbi Brown’s respect and eventually working with her brand for 14 years.
  • "I didn't want to take a chance on the makeup artist who was going to be there not knowing how to do my makeup. I got tired of being gray." — Kim Baker (24:51)
• Founding Glamazon Beauty (2016): Created her own brand to serve underrepresented women; packaging, marketing, and authenticity became central after exposure on Good Morning America led to a major Sephora opportunity.
• Notable gig: Breakthrough doing grooming for Tom Cruise (29:03), opening further industry doors.

7. Survival, Faith, and Mindset During Dark Times (31:14–36:49)

• Perspective on adversity: Faith and adaptability as tools to move through challenging seasons; practical stories of eviction, community support, and resilience.
  • "You have to have faith... You either swim or you sink. So you got to figure it out." — Kim Baker (31:37)
• Community connections: Importance of kindness, resourcefulness, and not giving in to bitterness despite setbacks.

8. Skincare and Beauty Rituals (37:41–42:45)

• Skin secrets: Cleanliness, affordable products, and innovative tools (like facial massage with a vibrator!) for circulation and glow.
  • "I'll buy, like, I have a dildo... I put it all over my face... makes the blood circulate through your face." — Kim Baker (39:44)
• Holistic approach: Vitamin C, dandelion tea, and the reminder that beauty is from within.

9. Glamazon’s Hero Products & Pro Makeup Tips (41:20–43:32)

• Top products: Opulent duo primer & foundation stick, talc-free powders, lip & cheek multipurpose tint.
  • "Don't put five things on my face. My skin has to breathe. The body's largest organ." — Kim Baker (41:39)
• Technique: Less is more; skepticism about lash extensions; natural glam.

10. Wellness, Self-Care, & Family (44:02–49:13)

• Me-time: Intentionally unwinds at home with movies and bonding with daughter.
• Daughter’s perspective: Natasha shares memories of a non-traditional, dynamic upbringing filled with creative energy and relentless drive.
  • "The queen bee is always bigger than a worker bee. That was the slogan." — Natasha (48:08)

11. Final Reflections on Inner Beauty (49:14–50:25)

• When Kim feels most beautiful: Tied to her humanitarian nature, generosity, and the dignity she radiates—not just external features.
  • "A lot of people don't realize the most beautiful part of me is my heart. I'm really a humanitarian at heart." — Kim Baker (49:26)

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Memorable Quotes

• “My mom was my first image of real beauty… she forced me to learn the history of black people outside of slavery. You can’t help but walk around with your head held high.” — Kim Baker (01:44)
• "I was 14 years old at Studio 54… I would get to talk to Andy Warhol. Yes, the Andy Warhol." — Kim Baker (07:31)
• “I almost got sentenced to 65 years to life… the judge said that I was one of the best decisions that he’s ever made for a second chance.” — Kim Baker (15:39)
• “I was sent there [a fat farm] as a size four. To get to a two.” — Kim Baker (20:29)
• “I didn’t want to take a chance on the makeup artist… not knowing how to do my makeup. I got tired of being gray.” — Kim Baker (24:51)
• "You have to have faith... You either swim or you sink. So you got to figure it out." — Kim Baker (31:37)
• "I'll buy, like, I have a dildo... I put it all over my face... makes the blood circulate." — Kim Baker (39:44)
• "A lot of people don't realize the most beautiful part of me is my heart. I'm really a humanitarian at heart." — Kim Baker (49:26)

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Timestamps for Notable Segments

• 00:37 — Kim’s reflections on beauty and upbringing
• 04:46 — Early modeling & industry abuse
• 07:31 — Studio 54, Andy Warhol, NYC nightlife in the '90s
• 09:37 — Going into labor at Grace Jones’s party
• 15:39 — Facing 65 years in prison & judge’s life-changing decision
• 20:29 — Pressures and extremes of body image in modeling
• 24:51 — Doing her own makeup, work with Bobbi Brown
• 29:03 — How a chance styling for Tom Cruise changed her trajectory
• 31:37 — Faith and survival during hard times
• 39:44 — Iconic skincare tip: facial massage with a vibrator
• 41:39 — Emphasis on minimal, breathable makeup
• 49:26 — Kim’s definition of beauty: heart over appearance

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Episode Tone and Takeaways

Lively, unfiltered, and deeply empowering, this episode is packed with wisdom for beauty-industry insiders and anyone inspired by stories of perseverance. Kim Baker is both disarmingly candid about her struggles and fiercely proud of her Blackness, resilience, and entrepreneurial vision. The episode is as much about inner strength and reinvention as it is about makeup and style. Both Kim and Natasha exude warmth, humor, and authenticity, offering rare, firsthand insight into how beauty is lived—not just worn.

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Transcript

[Kim Baker]

I seen it all and now it's time for me to pass on this knowledge to you.

[Brooke Devard]

Hello, hello, this is Brooke Devard and you're listening to the Naked Beauty Podcast. And if you're with us here on YouTube, you are watching the Naked Beauty Podcast. You all are in for such a treat for today's guest, Kim Baker. Let me give you a little bit about Kim's incredible background. Kim Baker is a New York based commercial makeup artist and former Wilhelmina model. She who specializes in working with celebrities and models. For 20 years, Kim was in front of the camera beginning as a size 4 model and then in the early 90s as a pioneer in the plus size industry. Kim learned early the power of great makeup as a model, which led her to pursue her career as a makeup artist. In 2006, Kim received her big break working for Hollywood a lister Tom Cruise for the Mission Impossible movie press junket. Since then, she's done the makeup of some of the biggest names out there. Toni Braxton, John Legend, friend of the podcast we've had John on Naked Beauty and Dakota Fanning to name a few. In 2016, Kim launched her own brand, Glamazon, to help everyday women highlight the features that make them uniquely beautiful. I also had the pleasure of being on a panel with Kim in New York around Fashion Week where we talked about beauty and what we learned from our mothers. And Kim had the entire room electrified. We were her supporting actors on the this panel. She was the main star. So I said I have to have Kim on Naked Beauty. So Kim, welcome. I'm so excited.

[Kim Baker]

Thank you so much for having me. I'm a fan of the show, so.

[Brooke Devard]

Oh my gosh. Well, you have such a dynamic life and there's so much to get to. We have to start at the beginning. You grew up in New Jersey.

[Kim Baker]

I did.

[Brooke Devard]

What was life like growing up and did you feel beautiful growing up? I'm assuming because you were a model, you were always beautiful.

[Kim Baker]

Thank you so much. You know, I have always felt beautiful because my mother always empowered me to feel beautiful. You know, I'm not that dark skinned girl with the sad, you know, oh, you know, I'm dark, I'm dark and I'm a queen and I've always thought that way. And that's because my mom was my first image of real beauty. And, you know, she forced me to learn the history of black people outside of slavery. You know, we've done so many great things. And so when you're raised with that type of, you know, imagery in your Head. You can't help but walk around with your head held high and like, I'm the queen and, you know, that's what I want for all the little black girls.

[Brooke Devard]

Yes. And I'm so curious, who were your early beauty idols? Like, who did you look up to growing up and think, gosh, they're so beautiful?

[Kim Baker]

Lola Falana.

[Brooke Devard]

Yes.

[Kim Baker]

My mother. I don't know if y' all know who Lola Falana is.

[Brooke Devard]

Yes.

[Kim Baker]

Check her out, girl. Lola Falana, who was a dark skinned woman who I saw prancing around on stage. And I was like, ooh, I could be just like that. And, you know, representation is so important. And so seeing her and Diane Carroll and Diana Ross with the big hair and. Yeah. So I've always had, you know, positive images of black women. You know, never that whole downtrodden, you know. No, honey. Hello.

[Brooke Devard]

Before you started modeling, growing up in your household, you said your mom gave you a really great sense of self worth, self esteem. Were there any beauty rituals that she taught you growing up?

[Kim Baker]

Oh, yeah, I used to. I mean, even to this day, Ambi, back in the day, Ambie, everywhere I went, people would always say, oh, your skin is so even. And I really attribute that to Ambi campaign. But no, I really, I really contribute that to Ambi because it really just helped make our. Our skin glow. And even. So that was a regimen, and believe it or not, Grandma had one. I think we talked about this. Vaseline. Good old Vaseline.

[Brooke Devard]

Yes. Now, your mother organized a photo shoot for you at 13 years old.

[Kim Baker]

13.

[Brooke Devard]

And. And so begins your chapter as a model. I'm curious. That's a pretty young age. Thirteen.

[Kim Baker]

Yeah.

[Brooke Devard]

But I also, I. I modeled in New York. I was with Ford Models. I think I started when I was 13 as well. Oh, thank you. But, yeah, you start at this very young age. What did kind of entering this world of modeling, what did that change about your perception of beauty?

[Kim Baker]

The.

[Brooke Devard]

Did you feel like you understood it at a young age?

[Kim Baker]

You know, I realized for that was the first time in my life that I could say I ever, you know, experienced some form of racism. My whole life, I was always told I was a beautiful girl from. I mean, I say this humbly, but, you know, from even different ethnic groups because I have, you know, unique features or whatever. And so when I would walk into certain castings, I would hear things like Bethann, who was my agent, would send me on a casting.

[Brooke Devard]

Bethann Hardison was your agent?

[Kim Baker]

Yes, when I was 17. And I think I gave you a little Bit of insight as to why. I started at 13, but then grown men were hitting on me at 13 and 14. And I would tell my mother, one guy tried to fondle my breast. The photographer.

[Brooke Devard]

On a photo shoot.

[Kim Baker]

On a photo shoot. My mom. My mom trusted, you know, me to go and do this shoot by myself. And, yeah, the guy tried to fondle my. My breast.

[Brooke Devard]

The photographer.

[Kim Baker]

The photographer.

[Brooke Devard]

And how did you react to that? Were there any other adults on set?

[Kim Baker]

Of course there were other. But they didn't know because he did it, and that has happened to me multiple times. He did it in the dressing room, and I was, like, 14 years old, so.

[Brooke Devard]

And as a mother, like, doesn't that just make you so upset to even just think about it?

[Kim Baker]

Girl, let me tell you, I'm a whole nother animal for my mother. Let somebody try to find. I promise you, we'll make Page Six. So. But, yeah, and I told my mother. My mother went and told Mario Van Peebles, who was a mentor of mine. Oh, wow. And Mario was like, listen. Okay, Kim, we need to talk. I don't want you modeling till you're 17. He was like, once you're 17, I will take you to Bethann. At the time, Bethann was at Click Model Management.

[Brooke Devard]

Yes. And, like, I feel like I need to have Bethann on the show. But Beth Ann is like the og, Like, Model Whisperer. Naomi Campbell, Tyson Beckford. The whole face of black models in the industry would not be what it is today without Bethann.

[Kim Baker]

Without Bethann.

[Brooke Devard]

Yeah. So Bethann takes you under her wing.

[Kim Baker]

Absolutely. And you, Bethan, would send me around to, like, all the. I went to go see Francesco Scrovulo. I went to go see Richard Avedon. I went to go see Arthur Elgart. I mean, I went. Bill King. All of these people who were the legends, young heads, researched these people's work.

[Brooke Devard]

I know. I think Richard Avedon's son is a photographer now, so some people kind of know who he is. But Arthur Elgort. Yeah, people need to know these names.

[Kim Baker]

They need to know these names. These are legends. And I'm talking about so meticulous in their artwork. You could literally look at an image and tell whose work was whose, what work was being. Bill King, he was known for doing the multiples.

[Brooke Devard]

Yeah.

[Kim Baker]

Like, one shot, and then you see multiples of it. Arthur Elgot, he had the storytelling ability of on the street, girl. You know, that was. That was when modeling was modeling. I don't know what's going on today, but, you know, they say IG modeling. I say nope.

[Brooke Devard]

But it's an art form. It really is an art form.

[Kim Baker]

Yes.

[Brooke Devard]

So you're with Wilhelmina. You're in these early days. You're going. You're seeing all of the legends. What was the culture like for modeling back then? Were you living in a model apartment? Were you going to parties? Were you getting sent things? Were you being courted? Like, give us. Give us the glamour. Because I have an idea in my head of what it was like, and.

[Kim Baker]

That'S what it was. Girl. Girl. I was on people's yachts at that time. Yeah. It was magnificent. Like, I laugh and it's not being shady. Like, what you was doing with your husband over in. Where were you?

[Brooke Devard]

Ibiza.

[Kim Baker]

Ibiza. That's what I was doing. Okay. Carrying on on yachts, hanging out with Jay Cashman, who's a billionaire. Hanging out with Peter Beard, who discovered iman. Yeah. Like, I mean, it was just an amazing time hanging out with people like Pat Cleveland, Billy Blair. I was 14 years old at Studio 54. Mario would invite me to, like, birthday parties and things like that. And I had have, like, you know, like, my mom had to be there. My mom would sit off to the side, and I would get to talk to Andy Warhol. Yes, the Andy Warhol. I would sit and talk with Andy Warhol, and they were. He was going to order me a drink, and I'm thinking, he's going to really order me a drink. And he orders me a Shirley Temple.

[Brooke Devard]

Oh, that's sweet.

[Kim Baker]

Yes. And I. I got to know Pete, Keith Haring. I got to know Peter, who owned the Palladium. So I was really connected. And you were out here. I was indiscreet.

[Brooke Devard]

Yes. Now, okay, wait. Did you ever meet Grace Jones or Basquiat?

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

Of course.

[Kim Baker]

I met Basquiat through Andy Warhol and Grace Jones many times. When I went into labor on the dance floor at Grace Jones party, I was pregnant at 19. Yes.

[Brooke Devard]

If I've ever interviewed someone that needs their own podcast, it is you, because it sounds like you have stories for days. Okay. We need to go deeper, dive deeper into the Basquiat. What was he like in terms of just his personality? Because I feel like he's such a legend. Quiet, reserved. Right?

[Kim Baker]

Quiet and reserved. He actually sat at the table with me. Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Peter. You know, I have stories. I actually got to meet Jacqueline Kennedy before she died, hanging out with Peter Beard. Like, I have these amazing stories that I want to be able to share because it was such a fabulous Time. Like, I look at these kids today, and I'm like, y' all think y' all having a party. I know what a party is now.

[Brooke Devard]

Now your daughter is here in the room. I'm so curious.

[Kim Baker]

She knows.

[Brooke Devard]

She knows. She knows. She knows the story about you going into labor on the dance floor. We need to hear that quickly, before I move on.

[Kim Baker]

So Grace Jones was having a party. I'm nine months pregnant, and my fiance is, like, way older than me. But I'm at a party. We had an argument. I decide Greystone's having a party.

[Brooke Devard]

I'm not gonna miss it.

[Kim Baker]

I'm not gonna miss it. I'm dancing, dancing, dancing. And next thing you know, boop, thinking I'm peeing. And I'm like, why am I peeing on myself? And then somebody says to me, you're not peeing. Your water broke. And so, literally, I waited a couple of hours, and in the morning, I went to Mount Sinai, and that's why I gave birth to my daughter.

[Brooke Devard]

Wow. Wow. That. I mean, that's a pretty fabulous story.

[Kim Baker]

So I tell my daughter all the time, you know. You were at Grace Jones's party? Yeah, that's literally how I went into labor.

[Brooke Devard]

Wow. Now, I know that your career was very impacted by a drug charge. Can you share more about that story?

[Kim Baker]

Absolutely. So, you know, being out here in east street, girl, you know, but I was young, believe it or not. And I'm gonna say this. I was young, and I was out into a lot of things, but I was a virgin up until I was about 18 years old. And I know that's kind of old and, you know, in the fashion world, but I'm just. Yeah, I was. I fell in love with a man who I actually saw for the first time when I was 14. He paid me no attention. He was a friend of a friend's father. And so when I was young, so.

[Brooke Devard]

He was much older.

[Kim Baker]

He was much older.

[Brooke Devard]

Is this. Is this your fiance?

[Kim Baker]

He was back then.

[Brooke Devard]

Okay, okay, okay.

[Kim Baker]

I'm following.

[Brooke Devard]

Okay.

[Kim Baker]

So, I mean, he paid me no attention, and I was just intrigued because he had the look, you know, he had the Versace shirt, the, you know, the loafers. And he was just like. You know, I grew up in. In the urban area, so I used to read. My mom would encourage me to read on the weekends. I chose to read about rich people. Yeah, I read about the Donald Trump's, the Ivana Trumps, the, you know, the.

[Brooke Devard]

Up and coming lifestyles of the rich and the famous.

[Kim Baker]

That was a hot show back then. And so it just. And I wanted more. And so when I'm seeing this guy and I'm seeing, you know, this image of success, and he was very handsome, and I developed a crush on him. But of course, he didn't notice me because I was kind of at that awkward looking stage, like 14, 15.

[Brooke Devard]

It would also be very problematic if he did notice you at that.

[Kim Baker]

Oh, yeah. And if he did, that would have been a problem. But, you know, when you. You know how when you young and you.

[Brooke Devard]

Yeah.

[Kim Baker]

You get a little crush on somebody. But then, girl, let me tell you what happened then. I turned 18 and everything blossomed. And I. I mean, I was stopping traffic, and I say this humbly, but I was stopping traffic. And then I said to myself, if all these guys are responding to me, maybe that guy, when he sees me, will notice me this time. So I knew where he, you know, would be. And I went walking past there with, like, the most cute little mini dress on on my way to the library. And of course he noticed me.

[Brooke Devard]

Okay, so. So he. So you get his attention. You start dating.

[Kim Baker]

Yep. We said we started. Not right, right away, because I wasn't 18 yet. I was 17. And he was like, when you turn 18, you're gonna be my wife. And one day I'm coming from. Go sees from Bethann, and it's raining, and I'm standing at the bus stop in Newark, and he pulls up in a silver Mercedes waiting at the red light, and I knock on his window and wave. And he was like, let me give you a ride home. And he took me to get something to eat, and we were together every day from that point.

[Brooke Devard]

Oh, wow.

[Kim Baker]

Yeah, it was crazy. A whirlwind. My daughter doesn't like to hear it, but, you know.

[Brooke Devard]

So when does this charge come into effect?

[Kim Baker]

So it. We're into our relationship maybe three years. We had a very luxurious life. So, you know, he was also a fight promoter.

[Brooke Devard]

Okay.

[Kim Baker]

And he. He did. He was a big concert promoter in the New Jersey, New York area. And so. And not to mention, you know, he used to hang out with, like, Butch Lewis and Don King. So, you know, all of these people that he knew. So I'm assuming he, you know, everything's on the up and up because of this lifestyle he has and the people he knows, you know, and we're together for a few years, and then we decide to buy a house in the sanctuary in Boca Raton, which is like the cheapest house is like $4 million. So, you know, I'm Thinking it's just from our lifestyle. But then something happened during that relationship where, you know, he became under investigation and charged as a kingpin. And I was also indicted because I speak Spanish fluently. And they automatically assumed that if he was able to do business with the Colombians, somehow I must have been involved. But not knowing he spoke Spanish as well. So I do. I speak Spanish fluently.

[Brooke Devard]

So you. So, so at this point, you're probably very young. You're brought into investigation. Are you just terrified?

[Kim Baker]

Well, initially, I wasn't brought up on charges. When he was arrested, they came after me two weeks later. And I think what they were trying to do is just really, you know, put the nail in the coffin. And they figured it, you know, if they arrest me, he would either break or I would break. But there was really nothing to break because I was in no way associated. I had my own career.

[Brooke Devard]

Right.

[Kim Baker]

You know, I was in no way associated. But they assumed that because I spoke Spanish that. That I had to be involved. And then later they learned that he also was well spoken in Spanish.

[Brooke Devard]

Okay, and so. And at this point, your daughter's been born.

[Kim Baker]

My oldest daughter, Nathan.

[Brooke Devard]

Okay, okay. Now you. So, so, so you end up doing community service, right?

[Kim Baker]

800. I know about that.

[Brooke Devard]

Listen, we do our research.

[Kim Baker]

Yeah. 800 hours of community service. I was sentenced to. I almost got sentenced to 65 years to life. That's what. That's what I was indicted on.

[Brooke Devard]

Wow.

[Kim Baker]

And the judge, Judge John J. Bissell, who I just. I never stopped thinking, said, listen, you know, I'm looking through your portfolio, and I see you have all the potential in the world. He was like, what would it benefit for me to send you away for 65 years when you know you have the potential to be so much more? And recently, when he retired, he knows what I'm doing. He knows I own Glamazon. He knows I'm out here. He said that I was one of the best decisions that he's ever made for a second chance. Yeah. Yeah.

[Brooke Devard]

But it's also just such a lesson in terms of you can be caught up with someone that's not doing the right thing, and that can impact the entire course of your life.

[Kim Baker]

Girl. Say it again. Absolutely. Yeah. Because I could have lost my life, you know, But I'm actually working on a project because I really want to really help other young people, and especially women, to know that you don't have to rely on anyone else. Everything you need to have the life you want, you. You have within yourself. Because now I'VE manifested the life that I want, you know, on my own. You know, even though I did, I lived a different type of life back then where it was more, you know, I would say a Lux life. Now I'm just. I feel blessed and, you know, completed.

[Brooke Devard]

That's beautiful. So you are a single mother at this point, you're doing community service. It's such a big pivot from the life you were living before at the parties at Studio 54. What was the mental impact of that?

[Kim Baker]

The mental impact for me was shaming my mom and hearing my mom say that to me. You know, I went from being the pride and joy of my mom. You know, my mom always told me, oh, you're so beautiful, you're so smart. And then to do that to her and have people in the community looking at her, that was the part that really affected me most, is I knew that I wanted to do something to win back my mom's love and admiration. And today all I hear is, oh, I'm so proud. Oh, I love seeing this love. See, so, you know, it took me a minute to do it, but it, it's there.

[Brooke Devard]

Yes. Was your mom supportive of the relationship?

[Kim Baker]

Not. What, are you kidding me?

[Brooke Devard]

No, she wasn't. Okay.

[Kim Baker]

Not at all.

[Brooke Devard]

So it wasn't like she. So from the beginning she was like, I don't like this guy for you.

[Kim Baker]

Well, you know, and how.

[Brooke Devard]

What, what was the age gap, if you don't mind me asking?

[Kim Baker]

Oh, 21 years.

[Brooke Devard]

Oh, yeah. That's a huge age gap.

[Kim Baker]

Yeah. Yeah. I was 18.

[Brooke Devard]

Okay.

[Kim Baker]

I think.

[Brooke Devard]

Yeah.

[Kim Baker]

38.

[Brooke Devard]

Okay.

[Kim Baker]

Yeah. Yeah. My mom wasn't feeling it at first. Yeah. And, you know, I think she's only recently gotten over it. I already have a child with him and, you know, he's done so much to change his life. You know, today he's. He just came home last year after doing 36 years. He came home and he started a nonprofit called the Akbar Preach foundation for Change. And he's out here, you know, help mentoring, you know, young people, not to go the route he went. So, you know, I think my mom kind of admires the way he's done that 360, you know, turn.

[Brooke Devard]

Yes.

[Kim Baker]

But, you know. Yeah.

[Brooke Devard]

And I'm sure you make her very proud now.

[Kim Baker]

Thank you. I think so.

[Brooke Devard]

Yes. Yes.

[Kim Baker]

I think so.

[Brooke Devard]

So after having your child, you become a plus size model and the whole curve industry. You were really a pioneer in that space. What was it like being amongst this kind of like, first frontier of plus models in the 90s?

[Kim Baker]

People thought I was crazy. I would go around to people like Sherry Crump at Glamour and all these other people and that say, listen, I'm back modeling. And they see that I'm a size 12. And they'd be like, kim, you're bigger. Before I was a 4, and I was like, yeah, but I'm a plus model now. And they'd say, what's a plus model? I used to hear that everywhere. What's a plus? Really? What's a plus size model? And so now to see how it went from no one knowing to what it. What it was, to everyone knowing and seeing how the industry. Because back then, when I was a model child, all we saw was moo, Moo. It was just crazy. And now to see all the. The beautiful styles out. Yeah.

[Brooke Devard]

Yes.

[Kim Baker]

Yeah.

[Brooke Devard]

And. And it seems it makes so much sense to have models that have a diversity of body type, because when you look at the average woman, they are not the, like, size zero. The other thing is being a model for so long, you saw all the eating disorders up close and personal.

[Kim Baker]

I had one.

[Brooke Devard]

Okay.

[Kim Baker]

Yeah. I used to. So I wanted to stay waif. So Bethann would send me to. And she meant well. Bethann would send me to these fat farms up in pa. And I was skinny. So when I would get there, the people who would be there were obese. And when I would walk in there, they became so offended that I was there. It was crazy.

[Brooke Devard]

You were sent there to lose weight?

[Kim Baker]

I was sent this as a size four. As a size four. To get to a two.

[Brooke Devard]

Oh, my goodness.

[Kim Baker]

And. And the people. And when I would sit down to dinner with the people to have dinner, everybody would be looking at me with, like, daggers in their eyes like, you little skinny bitch, what are you doing here?

[Brooke Devard]

Oh, my gosh.

[Kim Baker]

Yeah.

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

But.

[Brooke Devard]

But did you find that you booked more jobs once you lost the weight? Like, was. Was it. Was it what?

[Kim Baker]

Fashion.

[Brooke Devard]

You did more fashion? So it was positively reinforced. This. This disordered eating was reinforced in your success.

[Kim Baker]

Absolutely. And, you know, it was so crazy. Even after I did that, I went to go. Bethann sent me to Stephen Meiselle. Okay. Yeah. But then Steven Meisel looked at my boobs and told me I looked like a porn star.

[Brooke Devard]

No, he did not. Shame on Steven Meisel.

[Kim Baker]

Steven Meisel told me I look like. He said, you have a face that can make you a star, but you have the body of a porn star. Because I had double Ds as a size. Like.

[Brooke Devard]

And fashion does not like any hint that you are a woman. Right. It's just like, be a hanger, be straight up and down, and don't do anything more than that.

[Kim Baker]

So I considered taking off my breasts. I went to go get the.

[Brooke Devard]

Thank God you did not.

[Kim Baker]

Yes.

[Brooke Devard]

Go through with that.

[Kim Baker]

Yes. I. Yeah, I say it all the time. I was going to have my best breast removed so that I could look more wavy. I would have killed myself.

[Brooke Devard]

I mean, it's just. It's. It's. I can understand how you got there, given everything and.

[Kim Baker]

Yeah, but I wanted the fashion body. I didn't. I had the fashion face, but not the body. The body. I had double D breasts. And then I had. I was really small, so I had this little tiny waist.

[Brooke Devard]

And I mean, that's the body that everyone dreams of.

[Kim Baker]

Yeah. The full chest and the body. I wish I had back.

[Brooke Devard]

You look amazing.

[Kim Baker]

Thank you.

[Brooke Devard]

Now you transition into doing makeup and also being a black model, knowing that, like, you have. Even with a Steven Meisel, even at the top. These makeup artists don't know how to do your makeup. They don't have your shades. They're mixing together 12 different things and still not getting it right. So I'm sure you saw. Had a lot of frustrations on set with makeup.

[Kim Baker]

Absolutely. That's what started me into doing makeup is I was fine as long as I was shooting for essence. Then I had the Reggie Wells and I had the Roxanna Floyd's and Fran Cooper's back then. But then when I started to, you know, do more commercial work, where, like, back then we had what was called catalog houses. And those catalog houses encompass, like, Cal Doors. I don't even know if you remember all of these names. No, Cal Doors, Bradley's. Lord have mercy, she's aging me.

[Brooke Devard]

But no, but I'm so fascinated.

[Kim Baker]

Yes. But it was catalog houses, so it was department stores, and they had the circulars. You know, the circulars. I would shoot for those. Girl, we made money back then. Money.

[Brooke Devard]

No, I mean, catalog work, commercial work is the best. Like being in Vogue, it's like you don't get paid anything.

[Kim Baker]

Nothing. It's editorial.

[Brooke Devard]

Right.

[Kim Baker]

So I would. I did a Sears campaign one time, actually, a couple of times. But the first time I did a Sears campaign, they paid me 7,500. And then they wanted to do another extension of it and use it a little circular, and paid me, like, another $2,500.

[Brooke Devard]

Wow.

[Kim Baker]

And that's. So that's one gig.

[Brooke Devard]

Right.

[Kim Baker]

That's why, you know, it's so sad to see the models today and the Makeup artists today cheapen themselves down, like their pricing, because if you just stand firm on what your pricing is, you'll get it. Cause I know I was.

[Brooke Devard]

Yes, yes. So how did you transition into becoming a makeup artist? What made you think, this is what I can do next?

[Kim Baker]

Oh, because what happened was I came one time to a shoot with my makeup done, and the makeup artist who was on set there was Bobby Brown. And it was before she started Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. And when I came in there, she was like, yeah, makeup's done already. And I was like, I did it myself. She was like, you did the makeup? And I was like, yeah. And. And that's when she told me about her starting Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. I started with Bobbi Brown Cosmetics from day one.

[Brooke Devard]

Wow. Wow.

[Kim Baker]

I mean, one. The inception of her brand.

[Brooke Devard]

That is very high praise. So. So she's like, your makeup's already done. You were just doing it as someone who just knew how to do their own makeup.

[Kim Baker]

And I. And I didn't want to take a chance on the makeup artist who was going to be there not knowing how to do my makeup. I got tired of being gray.

[Brooke Devard]

Right.

[Kim Baker]

I just was like, I'm going to do my own thing. And I did it. And she invited me to come and work with her. I joined Bobby Brown. I stayed there for 14 years.

[Brooke Devard]

Wow.

[Kim Baker]

But what made me decide to do my own brand is when I would stand there and do women's makeup, and I would see black women and Indian women stand off to the side and watch me do makeup. And then I would tell them to come over, and they'd be like, oh, I don't think you have anything for me. And what that made me realize is they don't see representation, because while Bobby may have had some black shades, it wasn't showing in her marketing. So she felt. They felt like, you're not speaking to me now today, since everybody knows what the power of the black dollar, Right. Today you see, you know, more brands, you know, putting our faces up there. But it's not because they're like, oh, let's do it for everyone. They know the power of our dollar. And that's what it is.

[Brooke Devard]

Absolutely right. That's absolutely right. There is such a craft to makeup artistry, and it's so interesting to me that you learned the art of modeling, and then you just seems like you just seamlessly fell into the art of makeup, and you got beauty so good at it that even Bobby Brown was like, you're great at it. Let's work Together from day one. Absolutely.

[Kim Baker]

I actually, you know. Well, I'm not gonna say I actually taught her a lot of things, but there was one time.

[Brooke Devard]

I'm sure you did.

[Kim Baker]

Yeah. She didn't know that you could put hot pink on a black woman. And she saw me putting hot pink, and she was like, kim, I would have never thought to do that. So, you know, it just shows that, you know, you. We can be whatever we are, but doesn't mean, you know, everything. Absolutely, you know.

[Brooke Devard]

So you launched glamazon beauty in 2016. What were those early days of building the brand like?

[Kim Baker]

It was quite different because we had a different look. I don't know if you ever got to see there was a different look to Glamazon back then.

[Brooke Devard]

And what was the look back then?

[Kim Baker]

It was black with purple flowers on it, and it was black for the woman, purple for her, the royalty and the flowers for her femininity. That's what I encompassed in my head when I came to, you know, came up with that. But then what happened was, is in 2020, I went on Good Morning America because Tori Johnson tried my product after Robin Roberts had told her about how much she loved the foundation stick. And then Tori Johnson tried it and was like, oh, my God. Would you like to come on Good Morning America? And I did, and that changed everything. So Sephora, the people at Sephora saw me on there, and I guess the president was like, let me see what this Glamazon is about. And they got my product somehow. The president got my product, tried it. Sephora called me.

[Brooke Devard]

Wow.

[Kim Baker]

Yes. Sephora called me. We thought it was a joke at first. We thought. My daughter and I thought it was a joke, and it was really the Sephora, you know, merchandising team.

[Brooke Devard]

And.

[Kim Baker]

And they said, listen, our VP and our president tried your product. Love the product. And they hated the packaging. And. And I appreciated that. And I literally changed my packaging. And now my packaging is beautiful.

[Brooke Devard]

So I love that. What year did Fenty launch Fenty Beauty?

[Kim Baker]

17.

[Brooke Devard]

Okay, so. So. So they came to you. So it seems like they had this awareness that they needed to. To do better with inclusive shade ranges if they were coming to you in 2016.

[Kim Baker]

No, they came to me. Not. Not 2016. 2020. They saw me on. Oh, it was March 5, 2020. You know, that meant a lot to me. When I remember the date. It was March 5, 2020. I was on Good Morning America. They had a businesswoman's segment, and they saw me on there.

[Brooke Devard]

Okay, I do. I do want to talk about this break you had with Tom Cruise, because how did that even happen?

[Kim Baker]

So ironically, I was working with Laurence Fishburne Love. And I. I was booked because there was a woman named Sonia who had booked me. And when I went there that day, there was a. A blonde woman there on set, and she was his publicist, Nancy Bannister, who happens to be a really good friend of mine today. And I was doing Lawrence, and she's on the phone and she's saying to somebody, well, yeah, I wanted to go to the mission impossible press junket tonight, but I look a mess, my hair's a mess, my brows aren't done. So when you hear this and you got your curling ir, browsing your makeup, what you gonna do?

[Brooke Devard]

Right?

[Kim Baker]

Okay. So I told her, have a seat. While she was sitting on the phone, sit down. And I told her to move the phone to the other side. I started messing with her hair, putting curls in, and she looking and. And she didn't say anything. And then I finished and I did her makeup, and her makeup looked flawless. And she said to me, I look amazing. I'm going. She said, but let me ask you a question. What are you doing next week? Are you available to do grooming for Tom and Lawrence and ving Rhames? And I said, absolutely. And they paid me. When I say they paid me down. They paid me. Yes, down.

[Brooke Devard]

What was Tom Cruise like?

[Kim Baker]

Oh, amazing.

[Brooke Devard]

Really?

[Kim Baker]

Yeah. He is short, but he's so adorable. Just such a gentleman. And when I. He had just had Suri, his daughter, and. And I had just had my first granddaughter, Brianna, and I had told him that my daughter Nadula had had Brianna. And he came in the next day and what impressed me about him. Now, you heard me say my daughter's name is Nadula, right? Have you ever heard that name before?

[Brooke Devard]

I haven't. A very unique name.

[Kim Baker]

Well, when I came in, he was like, how's Nadula and Brianna? And I was like, oh, love you. And I told him, if anybody ever talk about you again, I've got your back. Big problems.

[Brooke Devard]

Yeah, I've got your back, Tom.

[Kim Baker]

And that is how I got to work with him. And then they called me again and again. And I worked with Lawrence again. And it was just amazing. And to this day, Nancy Bannister and I are still so close. We talk on the phone all the time. She became a high ranking executive at Netflix. She did the movie Bird box.

[Brooke Devard]

Oh, wow.

[Kim Baker]

And now she and I are talking about starting a production company together.

[Brooke Devard]

Wow. Yeah. It just really goes to show how you have to always treat people well and lead with your best foot forward, and that can turn into any opportunity.

[Kim Baker]

Absolutely.

[Brooke Devard]

And you were ready. You're like, I've got my curling iron. Let's go. You even do hair.

[Kim Baker]

You're like. I even asked her. You sit down. You know, our mom, she tell, sit your butt down.

[Brooke Devard]

Right, right.

[Kim Baker]

Yeah. That's what I told her. I did her hair, makeup, brows, everything. And when she finished, she looked amazing. She was like, I'm going. Let me call my friend back. And she made sure she put me on.

[Brooke Devard]

Wow.

[Kim Baker]

And let me tell you, that money got me right, too.

[Brooke Devard]

So I love that story. Now, it feels like you had a very successful pivot, but I want to speak to people watching this or listening to this that feel like they're in a dark period of their career, or they feel like their career is over, or they're at this, like, inflection point. They're kind of between things, and they don't know what's going to be next. How did you have faith that something new would work out?

[Kim Baker]

You have to have faith. You know, I'm a devout believer in God. You know, I'm laughing because there was an article written about me in Refinery 29 before you. Yes. And it was about the praying makeup artist, me. Because my faith is what has gotten me here. I don't. You know, as a mother and as a single mother, I don't have time to. You know, you either swim or you sink. So you got to figure it out. And that is where all of that came from is just, you know, having to naturally pivot and, you know, just being a black woman because, you know, we. Honey, we. The baby on the hip, the cooking, the answering the phone with your foot. I mean, you know how we are. We just. We figure it out. And you have to believe that God did not send you here to fill you. Already. Your life is already. Ma. Our life is already mapped out. We just have to take the necessary steps. It's all to teach us and stretch us to becoming who we are, you know, and who we're meant to be. Because I look at my journey now, and I would have never thought some of the stuff that has happened to me. Right. I mean, I had. There's been times, girl, where I was evicted and literally putting my stuff out on the street without knowing where I'm going. And while I'm standing there and my neighbor walks up to me and says, where are you moving to? And I'm like, I'm not Moving. And she's like, well, what are you doing? And I'm like, well, it was my daughter's grandmother on her father's side. I said, my daughter's grandmother. My daughter's grandmother had evicted me, and I don't know where I'm going, so I'm gonna put my stuff in storage and just figure it out. And my neighbor was like, oh, no, you won't. She Puerto Rican. I speak Spanish. I was the only neighbor that would talk to her in the community because she was the only Puerto Rican person in the black neighborhood. And she was like, no, you're not. She was like, I got a. A vacant apartment upstairs. You're gonna. I'm gonna have my sons and my husband come down. Take care. So she's let me go talk to my husband. And they took my stuff, put it in their basement. And I'll never forget that moment where. Cause I was embarrassed in front of my daughter. She was a baby. Natasha, my old. My oldest daughter was a little bit older, and I was so embarrassed in front of my kids. But just to know that God loved me so much, to make sure that even with my stuff on the street, he figured it out for me within a matter of seconds. I didn't know where I was going. I thought I was going to be living in the Y with my two children.

[Brooke Devard]

Right. She was like your angel in that moment.

[Kim Baker]

Lelia. Yes. She moved to Puerto Rico since, but. Yes.

[Brooke Devard]

I love that you still keep in touch with her.

[Kim Baker]

Absolutely. We haven't talked in a minute, but I keep in touch with her kids. But I am going to surprise her. My dream eventually is I just want to go. And I was. I wanted to buy her a car, but I just want to give her money. You know, just say, this is, you know, a token of my appreciation for what you did for me and my. My children.

[Brooke Devard]

You know, the other thing that stands out to me is you talk to people and you connect to people. And now everyone's behind their screens, and they don't want to talk to people in person. And everyone's kind of awkward and so weird. Probably for you, because it seems like you naturally are drawn to people. People naturally like you. You can connect with all types of people, all races. No language barrier. But that's a really important skill to cultivate because that's how you build the quality of your life. That's how you build your community, by talking to people, making friends.

[Kim Baker]

Right. And I know one thing, you know, God speaks to us, and God lives within all of us. And one of the promises that I've had to make is that I'm going to tell people the. The goodness of God. I'm. I'm not an overly religious person, but if you can't look at my life right, girl, I've been evicted maybe like three times. I was facing 65 years to life in prison. I was sexually assaulted as a child. My father abandoned me. To this day, I've never once had a happy birth.

[Brooke Devard]

My.

[Kim Baker]

My father was married to my mother. When my mother divorced my father, my father divorced me. I have had so many. Oh, yeah. My ex husband was an immigrant from, you know, Africa. When I went to go help him and try to help facilitate his life, he divorced me, went to go marry some Spanish lady who is doing God knows what or nothing. And, and, and I'm not being shady, but he had a woman that had his back. So I've dealt with so much hurt. And at one point, I used to think God hated me, but what I realized now is God was showing me, look how strong you are. You get. You went. You push through all of these things. I still smile. I still hug people. I still believe in the goodness of humanity, despite what we see in today and who we got in office. But, you know, I just. I'm unbreakable.

[Brooke Devard]

Yes.

[Kim Baker]

Yeah. And that's what I love. And that's the black. That's another thing that is just. And I'm not saying that other races are not like this, but black women, right? Bad mama Jamas, honey. Bad.

[Brooke Devard]

It's. It's ancestral, right. It's just generations and generations of strength and overcoming, and we don't always have to be strong. That's another stereotype we have to break. But I do think that.

[Kim Baker]

Especially us.

[Brooke Devard]

Right? Right. Because we do want to try to do everything, to be everything to everyone.

[Kim Baker]

Everybody.

[Brooke Devard]

But I do think there is just this, like, generational strength that we have.

[Kim Baker]

Oh, my God. And when I tell you, I don't think there's anything in this world I admire more than black women. I mean, I'm talking about. I have seen black women make things happen that you. That leave your mind, like, blown, like.

[Brooke Devard]

Yes.

[Kim Baker]

How does she do this? You know, your skin.

[Brooke Devard]

I've just. I've just been admiring your skin this entire conversation.

[Kim Baker]

And this ain't no spring chicken skin, honey.

[Brooke Devard]

No, your skin is gorgeous. It's really giving, like.

[Kim Baker]

So is yours.

[Brooke Devard]

Thank you so much. But just talk to me about the skincare routine. What are we doing?

[Kim Baker]

What we're doing is making sure we don't sleep in makeup. We talked about that before. We're making sure we don't sleep in makeup. Making sure you wash your face, use. You don't have to use expensive products, just use good products. What do you use? So right now I'm using this. It's called Everyday Routine. It's a K brand, it's a Korean brand. Yes. The soap that I'm using is a black soap, but it's like a powder form and it's just an amazing product and everything. It's not, you know, it's kind of clean and you don't have to do a lot, you know, you don't have to do a lot. You just make sure you, you know, don't put harsh chemicals on your skin. And if your skin ever looks uneven, you make sure you take your vitamin C. Because I don't care what nobody say, beauty comes from inside. Take your vitamin C. Also drink some dandelion tea root to help, you know, just keep your blood purified. And. Yeah, because this ain't no 20 year old skin over here.

[Brooke Devard]

But you look and, and do you do, like, laser treatments, injections?

[Kim Baker]

I don't do. Are we black? We don't gotta do all of that. Like, when I hear black women saying, I'm like, come on.

[Brooke Devard]

Okay, But I will tell you, I've been doing this podcast for a little bit, and more and more black women are talking about doing Botox and filler.

[Kim Baker]

And trying to be trending. And I'm not trying to be funny, but that's a fact, child. Y' all better leave that stuff alone. Y' all be out here looking like the Lion King because that stuff really gets in your face and it just blows it up.

[Brooke Devard]

I know. And to be fair, you do have the features that people do all that stuff to get. You have the natural, like these cheekbones. People put so much filler in their face to get these cheekbones. And you've got the full. You've got it all. So, like, of course you wouldn't do it. But for other people that aren't as genetically blessed, they may feel like, okay, I want a little bit of lip filler.

[Kim Baker]

Yeah, Black women, we don't need that. I'm not trying to be funny. All you got to do is massage it. So there's a funny little thing that I'm known for is, you know, I'll buy, like, I have a dildo, and the dildo is not for sexual adventures. I put it all over my face and I just rub it. And what it does is that makes the blood circulate through your face. And my girlfriends, when I say that's all I used it for, they'd be like, but I. But I really do just use it on my face. And the blood. It just.

[Brooke Devard]

No, that actually makes sense to me because there are all of these tools now that are, you know, they. They just basically stimulate. Yeah. The blood vessels and bring oxygen and blood flow to the face.

[Kim Baker]

I was laughing because when I just recently purchased my new one, I was in Walmart, and I purchased it in Walmart. And I'm standing next, the lady is ringing it and looking at me, and I'm like, this is for my face. And the lady's looking at me like. And I'm like, it really is. She's like, yeah, okay, let me get your car. But it really is. I've used it on my face. And I'm telling you, you see the difference. It just lets the blood circulate through your skin. And it just, you know, okay, maybe.

[Brooke Devard]

Maybe I'm gonna try this. I'll report that.

[Kim Baker]

Beautiful. But I'm telling you, you will call me and be like, kim, you know what? You. You were telling the truth. Because Tyra Banks asked me, what time, one time, what am I doing for my skin? And I told her about the dildo, and she, like, did this thing where she, like, kind of fell out the chair. And I'm like, listen, that's the truth. That's what it is.

[Brooke Devard]

That's definitely the best beauty tip I've ever heard. 350 episodes into Naked beauty.

[Kim Baker]

It works. Try it.

[Brooke Devard]

Okay, I'm going to. Now makeup. I want to hear the glamazon products that, like, we all need to buy. And just, like, any makeup tips you have, because the makeup is flawless.

[Kim Baker]

My opulent duo, it sells like crazy. It's my primer. You. I think you have it.

[Brooke Devard]

Yes. I need to try it. I haven't gotten into it yet.

[Kim Baker]

The primer and the foundation stick. Listen, I'm not one of those people, and I know, you know, people got to do what they got to do for social. But don't put five things on my face. My skin has to breathe. The body's largest organ. My primer. The stick blends it out. If you want, you could put powder. And let me tell you what's so special about my powder. No tout. My grandmother died from Hodgkin's lymphoma. And I made a promise to her that when I. She thought I was joking when I said I was Gonna have a makeup brand when I was nine, but not joking. But you know people. Oh, bless your heart, baby. You know, but yeah, that's what I had told my grandmother. I had the talc removed out of my powders. They set beautifully as I'm wearing it still.

[Brooke Devard]

Oh, my God. It doesn't look like you have powder on.

[Kim Baker]

Yes, I have powder on. And this. That beauty, Felicia Benson. I don't know if you know who she is, but she's always talking about our powder, and Vinnie Vasquez is always talking about our powder. It sets without making your skin look cakey.

[Brooke Devard]

Oh, wow. I need to try.

[Kim Baker]

Oh, yeah.

[Brooke Devard]

So excited.

[Kim Baker]

We're gonna have to send you the powder because I didn't realize that, you know, you would probably want to try the powder, but I'll send it to you.

[Brooke Devard]

And I love your blush and eyeshadow. Can you give us some tips for this glow?

[Kim Baker]

Oh. So this is my trophy cheek and lip. You can wear it on your cheeks or your lips. And so you can take a little bit of the residue and you also can put it on your. Above your eye on. But it's. I have on the shade trophy. And. And what else? My lip gloss center. Beautiful lip gloss.

[Brooke Devard]

Can I tell you also, I'm looking at your makeup now. I love that you aren't wearing lash lashes. Lash extensions.

[Kim Baker]

I don't do them.

[Brooke Devard]

Okay. I feel like there's something very, like, just chic about the not wearing the lashes all day. I fell into the eyelash addiction cycle. I pulled myself out because I'm like, we just. I just don't need this day to day, every day.

[Kim Baker]

You know what? I started seeing people with mites, and I was like, oh, that won't be me. I saw a girl one time, she had a bad eye infection, and she told me it came from the individual lashes and that it had. I don't know how long she had them on there for that to happen, but she had developed an eye infection, like, right under the top. And I was like, no, no, ma'. Am. So I wear my strips when I'm going out, but if I'm just doing something during the day, no, no lashes.

[Brooke Devard]

Okay. Okay. Now, as a busy, busy woman, how do you pour into yourself? How do you relax?

[Kim Baker]

Have I done that in a long time? How? My daughter and I, we spend a lot of time together. We work a lot together, but we also watch movies a lot. And downtime for me has been lately a lot with her where we'll. We'll, you know, watch movies. I'm a family person. I love being home. And so that is really how I, I wind down is just being home and not doing anything. Like, I know how to break. Like my daughter. She'll keep on going.

[Brooke Devard]

Yeah.

[Kim Baker]

I know how to separate my work hours from my, you know, personal.

[Brooke Devard]

Now your daughter is here, so I would be remiss if I didn't invite her to join us on the couch for a moment because I, I have questions for you if you're open to it. If you're open to it.

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

She knows me as a behind the scenes type of girl.

[Brooke Devard]

You're, you're merely, you know, 40ft away.

[Kim Baker]

Yeah, I saw your mom showing your mom, but everybody who knows me knows Natasha.

[Brooke Devard]

Yeah. Oh, my gosh.

[Kim Baker]

Should I swap with her?

[Brooke Devard]

No, no, no. I guess the mics, though, I bet they can share a mic, right? Okay. You can get in close.

[Kim Baker]

Yeah.

[Brooke Devard]

So, Natasha, Hey. Also beautiful skin.

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

Thank you.

[Brooke Devard]

Introduce yourself.

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

Hi, I'm Natasha. Unfortunately, I'm Kim's daughter, but I'm also the brand manager for Glamazon Beauty.

[Brooke Devard]

Now, your mom's story is kind of like once in a lifetime, right? I'm sure it's very different from your life experience.

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

100%.

[Kim Baker]

Yeah.

[Brooke Devard]

How have you, how, how have you, as you've gotten older, like, learned more about your mom's story and how do you kind of take it in, you.

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

Know, what with her, nothing ever surprises me. Earlier on, I learned she's not your, like, conventional mom. Right.

[Brooke Devard]

So, like, how old were you when you realized that?

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

Dag, that's a good question. Maybe, like I want to say, not to be dramatic, but like preschool, like really when other kids, moms were, you know, going to their 9 to 5, my mom was on set and I grew up on set a lot of times. So like even like James Weber, who's a really known photographer, well known photographer in New York, I always call him Uncle J because I spent my entire childhood pretty much in his studio. So it was kind of like, yeah, I know something's different here, but this is my world and, you know, I'm just living in it at this point.

[Brooke Devard]

Yes. And what did your mom teach you about beauty growing up?

[Kim Baker]

That's a good question. Definitely your skin.

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Skin, 100% is important. 110%. I don't know, I feel like I kind of blocked her out after a certain point. You know, she had this phase where she was. I'm going to call you out. She had this phase where she was so vain. Like she Had a picture of herself on the toilet.

[Brooke Devard]

Okay, but. Okay, but that's self love.

[Kim Baker]

That's delusional. That is not vain.

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

She had. I think at one point you had more pictures of yourself as a model than your kids. Like, that's how bad she was when it came to being a.

[Brooke Devard]

But can I be honest? I love that because I think so many moms just put their kids first and it's like, don't think about me. And like, I'm just here in the background. And there's something so fabulous about seeing still honoring your own beauty and your own personhood after becoming a mom. Do you have kids yet?

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

No.

[Brooke Devard]

Okay, listen, when you. When you have children, you're gonna. You're gonna reframe that whole thing.

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

You know what? My sisters have kids. So one has twins and the other has, what, three or four? She has four.

[Kim Baker]

Four.

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

So I could see that now. I understand that perspective. I'm very much Team F those kids. Like, I always say that to my sisters. Like, take care of yourself first.

[Kim Baker]

So.

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

Yeah, now I agree with that 100%. But growing up, it was kind of like, you know, something's not right here.

[Brooke Devard]

Now you're also very tall. Beautiful. How did your mom teach you how to walk into a room and kind of own your height and your beauty?

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

Yeah, growing up, I've been tall my entire life.

[Brooke Devard]

It was never like, how tall are you? Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're six two. Gorgeous.

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

So it was never like, I just.

[Kim Baker]

Hit a growth spur.

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

It was always. I was always a tallest kid in my class. And naturally it was just always like, the queen bee is always bigger than a worker bee. That was the slogan. So she has, like this. No shade, but she has this friend who's really tiny, and she always, like, makes comments about being tall. And you know, her daughter, the friend's daughter is tall. And I'm always telling her, like, no, girl, when you walk in a room, it's like a walking Mona Lisa, right? You're a walking piece of art. When you're tall, you don't have to command attention. You don't have to say anything. I don't have to do too much. I'm just being myself. Yes, I get your attention.

[Kim Baker]

And I'm.

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

I'm a Leo Moon. So.

[Kim Baker]

Hey.

[Brooke Devard]

Okay. Yes, I get it. I see it.

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

You see that?

[Kim Baker]

Yeah.

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

So, yeah, it's just always been normal for me. And I don't think I would want to be short like, you paid me for it. I wouldn't want to.

[Brooke Devard]

Of course.

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

Yeah, it Just looks more graceful. No shade to the short people, but it looks more graceful. It looks more, you know, I don't know. I just.

[Kim Baker]

I love. He definitely commands presence. I mean, I watch you a lot of times when we walk in places and people always like, because she's so tall, you know, she's not just tall, but she's very statues.

[Brooke Devard]

Yes. And beautiful. A real Amazon.

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

Yeah.

[Paige from Giggly Squad]

You know.

[Brooke Devard]

Yes, yes. Now, my final question for you. I could. I could really talk to you all day. Truly. Truly. But when do you feel most beautiful?

[Kim Baker]

When I feel most beautiful is, uh, I. I gotta say, I feel beautiful all the time. And it's simply because. Has nothing to do with my features, but just who I am as a person. A lot of people don't realize the most beautiful part of me is my heart. I'm really a humanitarian at heart. Uh, I've let strangers. My daughter will tell you this. I've taken strangers into my home from the train station and let them live in my. In my house. Yes. I even got to tell this story to Oprah because Reggie Wells had told Oprah how I had, you know, took a lady out of a train station and cleaned her up, got help her get a job and. And now she's doing well. You know, it was just. God had spoken to me. Yeah.

[Brooke Devard]

Beautiful.

[Kim Baker]

Yeah.

[Brooke Devard]

You have an amazing heart, an amazing story.

[Kim Baker]

Thank you.

[Brooke Devard]

And I'm just so excited to see all of the great things that are next for you. It's been such a pleasure talking to you on Naked Beauty.

[Kim Baker]

Pleasure being girl. I came all the way to LA for you.

[Brooke Devard]

Oh, my gosh. You're too sweet. No, this was amazing.

[Kim Baker]

Truly. Thank you. I'm so happy to be here.

[Brooke Devard]

Yeah.

[Kim Baker]

And somebody finally got Natasha on camera. Never do this.

[Brooke Devard]

Amazing.

[Natasha (Kim's daughter)]

Yeah.

[Brooke Devard]

You did great. All right, thank you so much.

[Kim Baker]

Thank you.

[Brooke Devard]

You can't hold a good woman down. Knock knock. Ooh, who's there?

[Kim Baker]

A Boost mobile expert here to deliver and set up your all new iPhone 17 Pro, designed to be the most powerful iPhone ever.

[Brooke Devard]

You called that a knock knock joke.

[Kim Baker]

This isn't a joke. Boost mobile really sends experts to deliver and set up your phone at home or work. Okay.

[Brooke Devard]

It's just that when people say knock knock, there's usually a joke to go with it.

[Kim Baker]

Like I said, this isn't a joke.

[Brooke Devard]

So the knock knock was just you knocking?

[Kim Baker]

Yeah, that's how doors work.

[Brooke Devard]

Get the new iPhone 17 Pro delivered and set up by an expert wherever you are. Delivery available for select devices [e-mail] terms apply.

[Paige from Giggly Squad]

Hey guys, it's Paige from Giggly Squad. And if you're anything like me, holiday shopping has officially started. And you know where I'm going. Ulta Beauty. They have the cutest gift sets right now like the Sol de Janeiro, Shea Rosa and cheer perfume, Ms. Trio. And it smells so good. I've been misting it everywhere. On me, on the street, on my pillow. It's a whole vibe. I'm obsessed with the Tarte Kindness Cafe collector set. It's packed with everyday makeup must haves and it's honestly too cute to wrap. And if you need a cozy little self care moment, the Moroccan Oil Hand Care Essentials kit is luxe, hydrating and smells delicious. Don't worry if you can't decide right now. An Ulta Beauty gift card is the perfect gift for everyone. So whether you're gifting your bestie or yourself, make the season yours and head to Ulta Beauty today. Ulta Beauty gifting happens here.

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