Cultivating self-confidence in the age of social media isn’t easy. Since the rise of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, social media has been linked to increased feelings of loneliness, envy, depression, and anxiety. And in a recent survey, 60% of people reported that social media has negatively impacted their self-esteem.

Despite these stats, Nabela Noor is using social media to inspire people to love themselves as they are. Since launching her YouTube channel back in 2013, she has amassed nearly 900k YouTube subscribers and a staggering 1.4M Instagram followers. 

But Noor is not your average beauty influencer. Since posting her first makeup tutorial to YouTube, she has used her platform to spark a self-love movement, advocate for inclusivity and diversity in the beauty industry, and push the culture forward.

Read on to learn more how she’s wielding her influence for good and dismantling cultural norms around body image and appearance, and her advice for women on cultivating confidence.

How did you make your first dollar and what did that job teach you that still applies today?

I made my first dollar plucking my father’s white hairs from his sideburns as a child. He would give me $.10 a hair and it was the funniest, silliest thing but I remember making sure he paid me at the end and wouldn’t finish until every single white hair was plucked on both sides. I guess you could say it taught me to always get the job done and see my mission through. 

Once I got older, I joined the family business and worked at our jewelry shop in the mall. I learned everything about entrepreneurship, hustle, grit, consistency and perseverance from my immigrant parents, who came to this country with nothing and worked their way to business ownership.

You are a champion for inclusivity in the beauty industry and you’ve inspired so many people to challenge their preconceived notions of what it means to be beautiful. What are some of the beliefs about beauty that you’ve had to unlearn along the way?

I had to unlearn that beauty comes in one shape or size. I had to unlearn that beauty can be something that can be bought in an aisle at the store. I had to unlearn the notion that I needed to change to be beautiful.

Last year, you launched Zeba, a self-love movement and size-inclusive clothing brand that doesn’t conform to numerical sizing charts. How did you introduce Zeba to an audience that was used to seeing you as a beauty influencer and what has the response been like?

I have always created an audience and community that is supportive. Audience is full of people wanting to and actively defining beauty for themselves. Launching Zeba was natural, on brand and something that’s needed in the world. Audience picked right up and joined the movement. 

While I’ve always been a beauty enthusiast, I’ve also always had a love for fashion. I’ve consistently advocated for size inclusivity and for dressing with confidence without rules or condition. So when I decided to create Zeba, it wasn’t a surprise to my audience given my continued advocacy for all bodies.

The response has been incredibly rewarding. I am always in awe of our community we’ve built online. People are ready for change and I am thankful for the opportunity and platform to be a part of it. 

How is Zeba making a difference and not only pushing the fashion industry forward but also dismantling our cultural norms around body image and appearance?

From Zeba’s very core, the entire foundation is rooted in dismantling traditional beauty standards. One of the ways we do this is through our sizing system, where we replace traditional size names with empowering words of affirmation. The traditional XS is “Passionate” in the world of Zeba leading up to our 5X, which is “Worthy.” 

Transforming our relationship with ourselves starts with transforming how we view and describe ourselves. We are more than a size, a measurement, label, or tag. We are all passionate, brave, inspiring, fearless, radiant, powerful, loved, independent and worthy. 

2020 presented everybody around the globe with new, unprecedented challenges. How did you #FindNewRoads + switch gears towards your new version of success?

When quarantine began, I felt so restless and anxious due to the uncertainty and chaos all around us. So I began to document my daily routine and posted bite-sized videos capturing the highlights of my day on TikTok. This launched my viral #QuarantineRoutine series, which eventually became my #PocketsofPeace series, where I continued to share the highlights and pockets of peace from my day—providing a bit of joy and warmth during a very uncertain, often dark time. 

What started as a series built to help me cope with my own anxiety transformed into a beautiful, affirming part of my business. 

Going after what you deserve in life takes confidence and guts. Does confidence come naturally to you or did you have to learn it? What advice can you share for women on cultivating confidence and going after their dreams? 

As an adult, confidence doesn’t come naturally to me but being committed to developing it has. I think when we’re younger, confidence comes more naturally to us. We naturally believe more in ourselves and have a sense of optimism about ourselves and the world around us. Unfortunately, as we grow older we are taught to doubt ourselves, are treated as less than, are taught beauty standards that we must uphold—and suddenly, it becomes easier and more natural to feel insecure than to feel confident. My advice to women would be: Be kind and gentle to yourself now as you would to the younger you. You still need the same love, kindness and compassion now as you did then. 

When you separate yourself from your job title and the bells and whistles of your business or career, who are you and what do you like to do?

I am a family girl through and through. I will always be a girl that lives to make her parents' sacrifices worth it. I love home designing, cooking Bengali food with my husband, going to Target and Home Goods on repeat, watching Law & Order: SVU, playing the Sims, cuddling with my three dogs and husband, doodling calligraphy at night and writing in my gratitude journal (two years strong!) 

It’s easy to celebrate the wins, but how do you handle failure or when something hasn’t worked out for you?

Failure is and never will be easy for me to digest, because I am already so hard on myself, even when I am winning. But just as I encourage others to be kind to themselves, I try to practice the same on my own as well. A lot of what I champion and advocate for are things I am still navigating through and I need the same reminders to stay on track in my own self-love journey. 

With success comes opportunity, but that also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?

I didn’t grow up seeing myself represented in the world around me. I didn’t see stories like mine. I didn’t feel seen or heard. So when things get overwhelming, I remind myself that I’m a part of changing that now. I can help cultivate a space where girls like me do feel seen, heard and represented. And that is the most fulfilling and motivating feeling. 

And naturally, as a first-generation Bangladeshi American, it is so important for me to make my immigrant parents proud. So I keep going for them, as a tribute and thank you for their tireless work in making this life possible. 

What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs? How can they achieve the same success you've experienced?

Create. Create. Create. 

Post. Post. Post. 

Don’t overthink it. 

Don’t wait until everything is perfect. 

Do it now. Go after it now. Believe in yourself now. 

You can do this. 

If you could go back to the beginning of your career journey—with the knowledge you have now— what advice would you give yourself? 

Stop trying to be like them. Be like you. The world will love you for you. 

Fill in the blanks:

When I feel fear, I…
Look for comfort.

The best career advice I always give is…
Strive for progress not perfection.

I turn bad days around by…
Finding my pockets of peace each day.

Three qualities that got me to where I am today are…
Persistence, faith and vulnerability.

The change I’d like to see in my industry is…
Genuine efforts in inclusivity and diversity that also focus on cost accessibility.