2010s baddie: Ms. Aaliyah Jay
Joy Aaliyah Curry aka Aaliyah Jay
June 23, 1994 (29 years); sun in Cancer.
Humble Beginnings.
Aaliyah Jay is originally from Boston, MA and moved to New York when she was 5 years old. She is the youngest of her siblings. She dealt with a lot of bullying and cyberbullying when she was in middle and high school. She had been into makeup since she was little and mastered it quickly.
Aaliyah Jay had people in school she was cool with, however, she did her own thing most of the time. She felt like women were catty and fake due to the excessive bullying.
She found out makeup was her passion during the makeup guru wave. Aaliyah used to record her videos on her iPhone 4 without being paid to do it for fun.
Believe it or not, it wasn’t always this natural for her. She genuinely felt like it was hard for her to start due to openly being judged due to her being bullied nonstop.
In 2015, she finally got over that hump and she was asked “what makes you confident” and the answer she gave was that SHE made herself confident, which is true. You quite literally have to be your own inspo.
What we can learn: Your intrinsic value is the best way to build confidence. You have to find it within.
Viral Tutorials and Storytimes
Aaliyah Jay began to carve out her lane in the beauty scene. The most viewed video on her channel is “Soft Glam Makeup”.
The second most viewed video is one of the first videos I watched from her was “HOW TO: APPLY LASHES PROPERLY & QUICKLY (INFORMATIVE).”
As you can see, Aaliyah Jay is very detailed, precise, and she takes her time when it comes to her craft. She is considered an OG in the makeup game for this reason. She was doing techniques ahead of its time, and you can literally wear her looks now. She was known for showing black women how to highlight, contour, and beat their faces on a budget.
While making a name for herself in the beauty guru lane, she also started to be known for her wild ass storytimes and her dating life. She has been open about her mental health journey, weight loss journey, trauma with abortion, and plastic surgery.
Fame & Celebrities.
Aaliyah Jay collaborated with huge brands such as Sephora, Anastasia Beverly Hills and was featured in large publications such as Cosmo and Teen Vogue. She went from doing novice videos to seminars. She also began doing hair extension reviews and collaborating with celebrities.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Aaliyah’s dedication to being a Barb.
Makeup by Aaliyah Jay!
Barbie Dreams Music Video.
You can see the Nicki influence in her makeup and one of my favorite videos of Aaliyah Jay is her rapping. It’s giving sisters and I love that for her.
Signatures.
Colored Contacts & Bold Liner.
Aaliyah’s most notable signature would be those contacts, LOL. I don’t care what people say, it’s so camp!
She is like Kenya Moore from Real Housewives of ATL in the sense that she loves some colored contacts DOWN.
She’s also known for her bold cat eyeliner and a lined waterline. It makes her eyes pop. Eyes are one of her favorite makeup features.
Flawless Contour & Shimmer.
I love a good 2010s beat, I’m sorry. To this day she is amazing at that 2015-2016 beat. She’s gone more towards the 2020s soft glam but somehow she pulls off a mixture of both and it’s really satisfying to me.
The topic of “full face” is very polarizing because people hate to do makeup and hate "Cakey" looks since the LA "clean girl" shit is in BUT HEAR ME OUT! To get into this 2010s Baddie shit, you HAVE to go against the grain.
Jet Black Hair.
Aaliyah is one of the few girlies left that still wears her hair in a classic jet black look. She switches it up every now and then but she keeps that 2010s natural hair color aesthetic that I love DOWN. I think a huge tenet of the 2010s baddie is the BLACK HAIR! WITH BODYYYYY! GET INTO IT!
Classic Fall/Winter Lookz.
One thing about Aaliyah Jay is she is going to wear some FURS and LAYER! The girlies have forgotten the art of true fall looks. Reference below!
What we can learn?:
Find your signature and stick to it: Aaliyah Jay has stuck to her roots and while it’s normal to experiment, she knows what works for her face. Learn your features! Do you have more almond/narrow eyes? Is your face rounder? Reference this below.
Build a self-concept: People have a lot to say about how Aaliyah views herself. Her Twitter is titled “ItGIRL” because she knows her influence. Regardless of the scrutiny, she has maintained a strong self-concept. She knew who she was before she was even officially known as an MUA.
Whether it’s beauty tutorials, lifestyle vlogs, or behind-the-scenes moments, Aaliyah has always kept it real and delivered content that aligns with her values. She didn’t chase trends for the sake of clout. Instead, she stayed true to what made her special, which built trust with her audience.
Remember: Quality and consistency will always win.
