Born to immigrant parents in Miami, Nikki Allure’s journey from flea market hairstylist to seven-figure CEO exemplifies the American dream. Starting at just 10 years old, she turned her early struggles with self-image into a thriving beauty empire, eventually catching the attention of celebrities like Cardi B. Now, as the founder of EVE Strategize Agency and host of “The Nikki Allure Show” launching on CW39 Houston, she’s transforming lives through business, beauty, health, and wellness. In this intimate conversation with Rolling Out’s Design and Dialogue, Allure shares raw insights about her path from makeup artist to media maven.
[Editor’s note: This is a truncated transcription of a longer video interview. Please see the video for the extended version. Some errors may occur.]
What comes to mind first when you think about a great experience?
Making sure that people feel great while they’re there, but when they leave, we leave an impressionable image in their mind of the place that they were at.
What’s Miami like for those who’ve never made it to the beach?
Miami is where I’m born and raised. My views are different from someone visiting, but imagine warm, tropical. If you’re into drinks, the best drinks in the world. If you’re into seeing beautiful people of all shapes and sizes and colors and races, that’s what Miami is. It’s like a melting pot of so many different things. There’s the rich, the lavish, the luxury – going to dinner on yachts, things you wouldn’t imagine happen there in Miami.
How did you know being a makeup artist was your calling, especially for those heading to magazines and major stadiums?
I kind of stumbled upon being a makeup artist. Growing up, I didn’t have any eyebrows, my eyebrows was always very thin. So I used to always try to draw them on. After learning and mastering it, I was also a flagette in the band, so I ended up doing everybody else’s makeup. Then I was like, holy, oh snap, I can make money from this. I wasn’t good at nine to five. I only had maybe one job at the census bureau – they fired me within a week. I realized makeup opened doors because you build different relationships and become kind of like a shrink. When people’s makeup is not done right, their whole attitude is not right. Hair and makeup is everything for women, especially.
How did you learn about opening your first Allure Glow Beauty bar?
I was working at the Gentleman’s Club for a lot of years, not as a dancer, but as a makeup artist. A lot of people don’t know, but the dancers get their makeup done and their hair done at the strip club, behind the scenes. Working there, I was like, I don’t really like doing this because it’s late night. By the time you’re so tired, you wake up, your day’s gone, and it’s like a vicious cycle. I ended up meeting someone that became a silent investor. My friends were doing hair, they could open up a suite, so I’m like, if they can do it, I can do it. Eventually I started using social media. Instagram was the biggest thing because I could showcase my work using hashtags. When people would come to Miami, I would put Miami makeup artists in hashtags, so they would find me that way. That’s how Cardi B found me, her team found me, and all the different celebrities started finding me through Instagram.
What principles should a young entrepreneur know when designing makeup for a superstar like Cardi B?
A lot of people don’t know to shut up. You got to be quiet. You need to be punctual, professional. Not only that, sometimes you don’t need to be one of those people that’s just there for makeup. If you see other things that need to be fixed, make yourself an asset. There’s a lot of times where I would book my own flights or pay for my own tickets because I know they need me there. The name of the game is building relationships because there’s always going to be somebody better than you. I wasn’t the best, but guess what? I was always available. It could be 3am, you need your makeup done for the right price, I’m coming. Don’t be so money hungry either. The money’s going to come – build the right relationships and they’re going to put you in the right positions.
What was it like curating the experience with Mielle Organics and seeing this brand explode while standing next to a billion-dollar woman?
For me, it was such a beautiful experience seeing Black people come together with someone who has done something that a lot of us have not yet achieved. Being behind the scene, I got to realize that what people don’t know that you really need is support. She had a really good strong support system that lifts. Her husband was there taking over the mic in moments where he knows her. They are one, and they understand each other. She had employees that were 100,000% for the brand. As long as your foundation is not rocky and you know who you are, anything is possible.
What was it like seeing the art piece Mielle donated to the museum as someone who lives in Miami?
The building was historical within itself. The painting was so nice because she had so many different artifacts within it. You would have to really look at it to see what everything meant. She had a braid on there, but the way it was positioned, you wouldn’t really be able to see it was a braid. I asked her about what everything meant – it took you back to ancient times, the beginning of Black hair and how it comes about religion. For the fact that it’s going to be there and people can go back and see the painting, I know it’s amazing. I’m just so proud to have been there to witness that moment.
When they talk about queens in the room, what’s it like having Mielle recognize you as a Black queen?
It means a lot because it’s not just coming from someone who doesn’t know what it takes. Running a kingdom or queendom or brand is something you wouldn’t be able to explain. Someone would have to be part of building something to understand the amount of fires you have to put out daily, the self-motivation you need. For her to come from being an RN, a nurse, to become an entrepreneur and scale that to a $100 million business, and still be humble, down to earth – for her to see everybody and the queen within them was very empowering.
Looking at your transformations and being on TV now, what’s that journey been like?
I just feel like there’s so much more to do. I’m not content with any of it, but I can say I’ve transitioned a lot. Being on Hustle and Soul taught me to be resilient. Just because you’re on TV now doesn’t mean people are going to remember you. You hear your story today, and you’re forgotten tomorrow. You have to have something you really stand for, and understand your mission in this entertainment industry. You can get lost in the stars so fast by connecting with the wrong person or being in the wrong place.
What would you tell young Black women entrepreneurs at Howard, Hampton, or Spelman about business?
Lean more into your relationship with God. There’s going to be times where your friends are going to betray you, the ones you least expect to cross you. When you’re building or growing, people will shed. Your mindset shifts, so things that were exciting before just aren’t exciting anymore. When those moments happen and you don’t know who you can talk to or who you can trust, you got to lean into God. I got my Bible right here. When I need answers, I turn to God because He makes the road plain and clear so I can know my next steps, know if this aligns with what God has for me.
Follow Nikki Allure:
Instagram: @NikkiAllure
Website: www.whatwowtv.com
Agency: www.evestrategizeagency.com
