Shades & Layers
Shades and Layers is a storytelling platform celebrating Black women and women of colour who are building something of their own — on the African continent and across the diaspora.
The podcast launched in 2020 and is now more than 100 episodes strong. In 2025, the show was nominated for Best Long-Time Podcast at the Black Podcasting Awards.
In each conversation, host Kutloano Skosana sits down with founders to explore business ownership, representation, and what sustainability and success really mean in a complex, interconnected world. The conversations are wide-ranging — part masterclass in entrepreneurship, part wisdom for living well — and always a space for women to be fully human: to share the quirks, the doubts, and the vulnerabilities behind the highlight reel.
These days, Shades and Layers is two things woven together. Alongside the podcast, Kutloano — now exploring a new chapter of her own in Italy — sends Life Notes: honest monthly letters on identity, motherhood, reinvention, and the business of building a life.
Shades and Layers’ founding philosophy is: a story well told can change your life, you don't need big accolades for your entrepreneurial journey to matter.
The guests span beauty, fashion, and wellness, North and South: Dr. Theo Mothoa-Frendo on building a science-based African skincare range with USO; Taryn Gill of The Perfect Hair on supply chains and brand-building; Katonya Breux of Unsun Cosmetics on melanin and sunscreen for every skin tone; Abiola Akanni of IYA Well on non-performance in yoga; and designers like the late Maria McCloy of her eponymous fashion label, Nkuli Mlangeni-Berg of The Ninevites, and Candace Lawrence of Modern Gesture, championing handmade, custom, and circular production.
Whether you're here to listen, to read, or to build something of your own — welcome to the circle.
Shades & Layers
Eve Milan New York with Eden Gilliam (S4, E2)
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
EVE MILAN NY
Today’s guest on Shades and Layers is Eden Gilliam, founder of the award-winning luxury skincare brand, Eve Milan New York.
Eden is an esthetician and went all the way to London to study skin nutrition during the past decade or so of her practice as a skincare professional.
There are two factors that contributed to the start of Eve Milan New York. First came the need to provide for a baby. Eden was 19 years old when she had her first daughter and like she says, this put a fire underneath her to make something of herself.
Second: while helping her clients to reach their skincare goals, she also wanted to offer them luxury products with no toxins or harmful ingredients. And when she heard her customer’s concerns, she coined the phrase, “ Wear Make Up because You Want To, Not because you have to.”™
In 2021, the sheet mask (first product she launched) won a Best In Beauty Award from ALLURE magazine and she’s been growing from strength to strength since then.
Our conversation centers around the work that she’s been doing to establish and grow her brand, we explore some industry trends and the importance of being realistic and patient while building a legacy.
I was so glad to finally connect with Eden after three failed attempts and I hope you enjoy our conversation.
NEWSLETTER, stay in the loop and subscribe to our newsletter
SUPPORT this work so that we can keep it free. Become a MONTHLY SUPPORTER
LISTEN ON Apple and Spotify
FOLLOW US ON Instagram and Facebook
