Naked Beauty Podcast
Episode: Three Generations of Black Women on Beauty and Style | Encore Episode
Host: Brooke DeVard Ozaydinli
Guests: Brooke’s mother Jerry, and her grandmother
Air Date: February 23, 2026

Episode Overview

Brooke brings together her mother and grandmother for a raw, loving, intergenerational conversation about beauty, aging, self-care, legacy, and style within a Black family. Through heartfelt anecdotes and humorous exchanges, the women reflect on evolving fashion, family traditions, wellness routines, and the joys of parenthood and grandparenthood. This episode serves as a living tribute to female lineage, resilience, and the real meaning behind timeless beauty.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fashion & Beauty Across Generations

• The Glamour of the 1950s

  • Grandma reflects on growing up glamorously in 1950s New York, recalling specific Easter outfits and the excitement of shopping with her mother.
  • [01:23] Grandma: “I can remember one outfit that took me, I guess, two months of my salary to pay for...a blue cashmere coat with a cape around the sleeves, and it had pearls and different embezzlement.”

• Developing a Sense of Style

  • Grandma credits her mother’s careful eye for dressing her children, matching socks and ribbons, and being inspired by window shopping and church fashion icons.
  • [02:46] Grandma: “My mother was very good at dressing us as children...I always had something in my head that matched my socks.”

• Mother-Daughter Style Evolution

  • Jerry (Brooke’s mom) admits she didn’t appreciate her mom’s style until college, where she herself became interested in fashion and embraced a natural, short afro.
  • [05:09] Jerry: “It was just so natural to me that I cut off all my hair and wore it short for years...I loved it because I thought it showcased who I was.”

• Passing on Inspiration

  • Brooke discovers her grandmother’s short natural hair was inspired by her own mother, underlining the chain of mutual influence.
  • [05:44] Grandma: “I follow Jerry. Once she cut her hair and it was so pretty, then I cut mine.”

2. Attitudes Toward Aging & Self-Acceptance

• Rejecting Fear of Aging

  • Grandma is unapologetic about her age, embracing life, fashion, and self-presentation regardless of societal expectations.
  • [07:10] Grandma: “I never had that fear. Friends call me an older teenager because I never think of going into the women’s department.”

• Beauty Standards and Media Pressure

  • Jerry addresses societal pressure to remain young:
  • [08:21] Jerry: “No one likes the signs of aging. It’s like gravity, you know, right—full force gravity...I think we’ve gone too far. If we can take anything from the natural hair care movement...it’s beautiful that at a certain age you look a certain way.”

• Beauty Through the Ages

  • Both Jerry and Grandma recount being told they don’t look their age, facing skepticism at airports and even at vaccine appointments.
  • [09:26] Grandma: “They never believe...I said, 86. The lady say, show me something. I said, well, you know, women don’t lie about the age putting it up. They might lie going down.”

3. Motherhood and Family Legacy

• The Joy (and Work) of Motherhood

  • The women express deep pride and affection in witnessing the next generations become mothers and grandmothers.
  • [12:02] Grandma: “Oh my goodness. It’s a thrill that I cannot describe...I was there the day you were born.”

• Sacrifice and Appreciation

  • Brooke shares how motherhood has given her new appreciation for her own mother’s dedication.
  • [13:23] Brooke: “It makes me appreciate so much more, you know, what you and dad have done for me—more so you.”

• The Cycle of Parenting Advice

  • Playful exchanges reveal the cyclical nature of advice and critique between mothers and daughters.
  • [15:11] Grandma: “When you tell her all these things to do, I laugh...Now she’s received it.”

• Resilience and Education

  • Jerry reflects on her mother’s extraordinary educational achievement as a single mother of two, inspiring her own drive.

  • [17:00] Jerry: “My mother’s life has inspired me...you can be whatever you set your mind to do, but do it well.”

  • Grandma explains her motivation to pursue higher education and balance family:

  • [18:09] Grandma: “I wanted more for my children...that was my inspiration, to do something that I could also raise my children and have a better life.”

4. Beauty Icons & Community Influence

• Role Models

  • Grandma found inspiration not in celebrities but in local teachers and stylish church women.
  • [20:25] Grandma: “I think it came from watching women at church...Everybody waited to see what they would wear every Sunday.”

• Iconic Encounters

  • Memorable story: meeting Muhammad Ali at a Harlem beauty parlor, being told to embrace her natural hair.
  • [20:53] Grandma: “He said to me, little girl, stop coming in here to get your hair straightened. You have beautiful hair. Don’t straighten it.”

• Era Reflections

  • Jerry discusses her disco-era style at Spelman, embracing bold fashion and heels—even at 5’10”.
  • [23:04] Jerry: “Oh, yeah. I never got that thing about, you know, only short women wore heels. No, I like them. And I wore them.”

5. Self-Confidence & Upbringing

• Roots of Confidence

  • Grandma attributes her self-belief to being surrounded by family love and support.
  • [23:34] Grandma: “My father always told us we were smart...my mother thought she had the smartest daughters ever.”

• Intergenerational Support

  • Jerry: “My mom, the person you’re talking to. That’s where it [confidence] came from.”
  • [24:25]

6. Wellness, Self-Care, and Beauty Secrets

• Skincare Simplicity

  • Grandma never wore makeup; she credits simple regimens (Vaseline, basic creams) and recently, Brooke’s skincare gifts (Tata Harper, Face Hero oil).
  • [06:10] Grandma: “I never wore makeup...the only thing I remember...Vaseline on my legs and arms and some kind of cream on my face.”

• Modern Routines

  • Jerry values hydration, balanced diet, walking, and de-emphasizes unnecessary cosmetic procedures:
  • [31:51] Jerry: “I drink a lot of water...I walk two times a week, about four and a half miles.”

• Beauty & Wellness Advice

  • Grandma: “Be careful in what you eat because what you eat is what you are.”
  • [30:41]

• On Sleep & Rest

  • “You have to get a lot of rest and just be careful what you eat.” —Grandma [31:36]
  • Jerry shares a unique beauty tip about sleeping on your back to prevent face wrinkles, learned from her friend Eula.
  • [33:20] Jerry: “The beauty secret that I learned...is sleep on your back.”

• Rest as Self-Care

  • Grandma has mastered doing nothing as an art, scheduling rest days guilt-free.

  • [26:09] Grandma: “I have learned how to chill...I have learned how to do that.”

  • Jerry is still learning, aspiring to master this art by her 80s.

  • [27:09] Jerry: “So when I’m 84, I’ll be...”

• Perspective After Illness

  • Grandma stays positive post-cancer, always keeping hopeful plans ahead.
  • [27:37] Grandma: “Stay positive and always have something planned that you’re doing.”

7. Travel and Broadened Horizons

• Global Experiences

  • Grandma’s love of travel brings appreciation for home and diversity, with favorites including South Africa and Bali. Next on her list: Argentina.
  • [29:11] Grandma: “I get to see other cultures, how other people live, and how fortunate I am...I’m really, truly blessed.”

• Fashion Capitals

  • Paris is cited as a pinnacle for food and fashion inspiration.
  • [30:21] Grandma: “I was very impressed with the food and with the fashion.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [01:18] Grandma: “Tomorrow is Easter, and I remember always marching in the Easter parade up or down Fifth Avenue...”
• [05:44] Grandma: “I follow Jerry. Once she cut her hair and it was so pretty, then I cut mine.”
• [07:10] Grandma: “I never had that fear [of aging]...I just look at clothes, and if I like it, I buy it and I wear it.”
• [13:53] Jerry: “It’s what moms do. That’s why moms are so revered. There’s nothing like a mom.”
• [17:00] Jerry: “My mother’s life has inspired me...It’s not like she sat me down and said, okay, this is how it’s going to be. People watch you, and you learn from their struggles and their perseverance.”
• [20:53] Grandma: “He [Muhammad Ali] said to me, little girl, stop coming in here to get your hair straightened. You have beautiful hair. Don’t straighten it.”
• [23:34] Grandma: “My father always told us we were smart...we were surrounded with love and attention.”
• [26:09] Grandma: “I have lived long enough to do absolutely nothing and do only what I want to do.”
• [27:37] Grandma: “Stay positive and always have something planned that you’re doing.”
• [31:36] Grandma: “You have to get a lot of rest...and just be careful what you eat.”
• [33:20] Jerry: “The beauty secret that I learned from my girlfriend Eula is sleep on your back.”
• [36:05] Jerry: “I feel most beautiful when I look beautiful. Hair done, nails done, everything did.”
• [36:07] Grandma: “I feel beautiful when I am beautiful, when I’m beautifully dressed. Dressed to the nine.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:39 – Grandma’s age and attitude about aging
• 01:20 – 1950s NYC glamour and Easter parade fashion
• 03:35 – Jerry’s childhood fashion awareness and transition to her own style
• 05:09 – The story of cutting hair short in college; mutual inspiration
• 06:02 – Skincare and makeup routines (or lack thereof)
• 07:10 – Fear (or lack) of aging; dressing for oneself
• 13:23 – Reflections on motherhood and gratitude across generations
• 15:11 – Cycle of parenting advice in families
• 17:00 – Grandma’s educational journey as a single mother
• 20:53 – Meeting Muhammad Ali and early messages of Black beauty
• 23:34 – Sources of confidence and family love
• 26:09 – Self-care routines, the art of doing nothing
• 27:37 – Life perspective after cancer
• 29:11 – On travel, favorite places, and why travel matters
• 31:36 – Dietary habits, sleep, and wellness
• 33:20 – Sleeping on your back for beauty; how to sleep well
• 36:05 – When do you feel most beautiful?

Episode Tone & Atmosphere

Warm, familial, candid, and loving—a blend of generational wisdom, playful teasing, real talk on beauty pressures, and heartfelt appreciation. There’s a mix of humor (“That was a finger popping read”), realism about aging, sincere admiration, and an ever-present theme of legacy and joy.

In Summary

This episode is a celebration of Black womanhood and family legacy, tracing how beauty, style, confidence, and care are passed, learned, and redefined through generations. With a mix of nostalgia, practical advice, and laughter, Brooke, her mother, and grandmother offer a master class in loving yourself, cherishing the women around you, and redefining beauty as something far deeper than age or fashion.