Interview: Jay Pharasi talks Authenticy, Makeup & More


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As audiences become more discerning of overly scripted content and transactional partnerships, how important is creative freedom when collaborating with brands like NIVEA Micellar, and how does it impact the way you tell stories to your community?

Creative freedom is everything. My audience can immediately tell when something is overly scripted or transactional, and so can I. The reason people connect with my content is because it feels lived in, not rehearsed.

 

When a brand like NIVEA Micellar trusts me with creative control, it allows me to integrate the product into my real routine and real narrative. I am not just using it for the sake of a post. I am showing how it fits into my process as a male beauty creator, as someone who wears makeup, removes it, and prioritises skin health.

 

That freedom shifts the story from an advert to an experience. My community does not respond to ads. They respond to authenticity.

You have built a relationship of trust with your audience over time. How do you ensure that brand collaborations feel like a natural extension of your lived experience rather than a traditional advertisement?

 

Trust is built long before a brand deal is signed. I have been speaking about male beauty, skin, and self expression for years, even before it was widely accepted. So when I collaborate with a brand, I ask myself if I would genuinely use this if there was no campaign attached.

 

If the answer is yes, then the collaboration becomes seamless. I show it within my normal routine, my storytelling, and my perspective. I do not shift my tone. I do not suddenly become overly polished.

 

My audience knows how I speak. They know how I apply my products. So when a partnership mirrors my lived experience, from removing a bold look to talking about skincare as part of confidence, it does not feel like an interruption. It feels like alignment.

There is a clear shift happening in the creator economy where creators are seen as storytellers rather than distribution channels. What does being given the space to express your authentic voice mean to you, and how has this shaped your approach to partnerships such as NIVEA Micellar?

For a long time, creators were treated like billboards. Now we are recognised as storytellers, and that changes everything.

 

Being given space to express my authentic voice means I am not just delivering a message. I am shaping culture, especially within male beauty, where representation still matters deeply. When brands understand that I am not just a platform but a perspective, the partnership becomes collaborative rather than directive.

 

With NIVEA Micellar, it is not about pushing a product. It is about expanding the conversation around skincare for men, normalising makeup removal, and reinforcing that grooming and beauty are not gendered. They are personal.That is the power of authentic storytelling. It does not just sell. It shifts mindsets.

 

What is your favourite NIVEA Micellar Water and Why?

My favourite is the NIVEA Skin Glow Serum Infused Micellar Water Skin.As someone who wears makeup regularly, I am very intentional about how I cleanse my skin. I love that it does more than remove makeup. The 5% serum with Vitamins C and E leaves my skin looking radiant, even and refreshed while still being gentle.

 

For me, it is about maintaining healthy, glowing skin underneath the makeup, and this product does exactly that.

 

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