When Tayo Aina sat down with beauty mogul and digital pioneer Jackie Aina, the conversation quickly became more than a house tour or a YouTube interview. It became a masterclass in resilience, self-belief, and what it truly means to build success as a Black woman on your own terms.
In the candid interview, Jackie opened her doors and her life sharing the moments that shaped her journey from instability and self-doubt to becoming one of the most influential beauty creators and entrepreneurs in the world.
“I Am the Living Embodiment of What Wasn’t Supposed to Work”
Jackie Aina does not shy away from her past. In fact, she owns it.
She spoke openly about growing up in domestic violence shelters, moving from place to place with her family, and the emotional toll of instability at a young age. At one point, her schooling was so disrupted that she nearly didn’t graduate high school. Against the odds, she completed multiple school years at once and graduated with honours.
“I am the living embodiment of what is supposed to be impossible,” Jackie shared.
Those early experiences forged the grit that would later define her career.
Dropping Out, Starting Over, and Choosing Survival
Jackie also revealed that she dropped out of college during a period of deep emotional turmoil following her parents’ divorce. With no clear path forward and survival as her priority, she joined the military as a reservist—an unexpected but life-saving decision.
Her role in military logistics sharpened skills she still uses today: organisation, discipline, and structure. Long before the brand deals and boardrooms, Jackie was learning how systems work—and how to lead within them.
YouTube Wasn’t the Plan—Survival Was
Jackie started YouTube in 2009, during one of the hardest seasons of her life. She was unemployed, newly married but unhappy, and struggling with her confidence. At the time, she worked as a professional makeup artist at MAC Cosmetics and had no intention of becoming a content creator.
It was a friend who encouraged her to share her bold, colourful makeup looks online looks that weren’t being created for darker skin tones.
What followed wasn’t instant success. Jackie uploaded inconsistently, without strategy, and often edited out her personality in favour of being “professional.”
Until one moment changed everything.
The Turning Point: Choosing Authenticity Over Perfection
After a conversation with a roommate who pointed out that popular creators weren’t just talented—they were likeable—Jackie made a bold decision.
She stopped editing out her personality.
“What if everything I cut out… became the video?”
That single shift changed her trajectory. The video went viral, hitting one million views within days and attracting global media attention. From that moment, Jackie committed to showing up fully as herself—unfiltered, honest, and unapologetic.
“There was no turning back. I had to be myself for real.”
Breaking Barriers as a Dark-Skinned Beauty Creator
Jackie’s rise wasn’t without resistance. As a dark-skinned Black woman in the beauty industry, she faced constant doubt.
“What can you even show us about makeup?” people asked.
But in 2017, Jackie shattered a major ceiling becoming the first dark-skinned beauty creator to reach one million subscribers on YouTube. Her success opened doors not just for herself, but for an entire generation of creators who finally saw representation that looked like them.
“That’s when I knew what I was here for.”
From Creator to Founder: Building FORVR Mood
During the global uncertainty of 2020, Jackie co-founded FORVR Mood, a luxury candle brand created alongside her partner. What started as a passion project quickly became a powerhouse.
The brand has since:
- Recorded over 100,000 orders
- Sold more than 500,000 candles
- Remained fully self-funded
- Positioned Black women at the centre of its storytelling
FORVR Mood was built on intention encouraging rest, self-care, and softness for Black women at a time when the world rarely gave them permission to pause.
Love, Partnership, and Shared Leadership
Jackie credits much of her growth to partnership not just romantically, but professionally. Running a business with her fiancé has taught her how to delegate, trust, and focus on her strengths.
“I make everything look good and smell good,” she joked. “He connects the dots.”
For Jackie, leadership isn’t about doing everything alone it’s about building systems and people around you.
Audacity, Delusion, and the Courage to Try
Asked about her secret to success, Jackie didn’t hesitate.
“A little audacity. A little delusion.”
Her philosophy is simple: try. Even if you fail, the regret of not trying is far heavier.
She encourages women to build communities, ask for help, outsource when possible, and stop romanticising burnout.
“No one builds anything alone.”
Final Word: Dream Bigger Than Your Circumstances
Jackie Aina’s story is not just about beauty, YouTube, or entrepreneurship. It’s about survival turning into strategy—and pain transforming into purpose.
Her advice to women everywhere?
“Dream a little. Be delusional if you have to. Think outside culture, expectations, and fear. If you want it just do it.”
Just4WomenAfrica celebrates women like Jackie Aina women who rise not because the odds were kind, but because they refused to quit.
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