Rising comedian and creative Janaye Henry (Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa) is a hilarious one to watch. She recently curated and MC’d the first ever all-wāhine Māori stand-up comedy lineup, and in November she is set to bring her first solo comedy show Literally Obsessed to Tāmaki Makaurau’s Basement Theatre.
“This is an hour of jokes, stories and as always biting the hand that feeds me,” Henry teased in an Instagram post. “Get ready for something a little bit dramatic, a little bit political and a little bit flirty.”
Like her comedy, Henry adopts an all or nothing approach to beauty, regardless of whether she is on or off the stage.
Her makeup bag is filled with too many products, as is her bathroom counter, but despite her “more is more” motto, there's only a handful of products she actually uses and is literally obsessed with. From her curly girl approved conditioner to the lip gloss that holds up to her motormouth tendencies, Henry puts it all on the table…
"Starting at the top, I use a face serum to keep my skin looking hydrated, glowy, and gorgeous. I use the Two Birds Bio-Retinol Serum. I will acknowledge that I originally got sent this for free and honestly it was a great marketing ploy because now I’m forced to rebuy because I know how good this is. I’m a big skeptic and have tried many other serums seeing if I can get this serum quality for a lower price - I can’t. This is the one.
I’m a gal on the go, my work means I’m often travelling and I don’t want to lug around 15 eyeshadow palettes. Lately my go to has been Colourpop's Malibu Barbie palette. It’s the perfect mix of bright and bold but also has the option to do a nude shade if I’m feeling *shy.* The palette does get a bit messy with fall out but guess what babe, life is messy get into it.
I like lipstick but when I’m talking HEAPS (both in my real life and shows), I feel like lipstick makes it harder to talk at speed. I put Fenty Beauty’s Gloss Bomb in the shade Fenty Glow over every lipstick I wear ever. Looks cute on its own as well and keeps me talking at a million miles per hour because famously life is so short and there’s so much to say.
Have you noticed I have stunning curly hair? I absolutely ja door it, however it is a nightmare to wash and maintain. I do a hair routine loosely inspired by the curly girl method and the biggest game changer has been Chemist Warehouse’s Goat Conditioner. I’m not a scientist but it either has no chemicals or the right chemicals for curly hair - you need heaps and heaps of conditioner to keep those curls hydrated. Pick any flavour conditioner, they all work the same and then scrunch the curls with a gel. I won’t be recommending a gel because I’m yet to find one that is always right.
I bravely decided to get really dry skin this winter in a haunting way. The serum usually is enough for my skin but this winter I was drier than the bran I eat every morning with no milk (choking my food down in the morning helps me wake up). The only cure to my dryness has been Aotea Made’s Harakeke Seed Oil Night Cream. It’s thick, luxurious and hydrates the skin. On top of all that it’s a Māori business so I trust it with my Māori skin; rest assured Todd, the bravely Pākehā producer of Literally Obsessed, tells me it works just as good for him too. If you have skin, you need this.
Something about me is that I love to be in a bath. Post show season I will be in a bath for three hours and that is not a hyperbole. I get out when the water is literally cold. Naturally what I’m after is a Lush Bath Bomb, my favourite is Twilight. I emerge a wrinkled raisin who smells like Lavender with the softest skin - raisin heaven."
