GoodHeart | Afiya Birch-Gentles takes Beauty Beyond Brushes
Published:Saturday | February 7, 2026 | 12:07 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
For Afiya Birch-Gentles, confidence starts with the right foundation. Inspired by her reign in pageantry, this self-taught make-up artist has chosen to share her passion with the younger generation through a cause she holds close to her heart: Beauty Beyond Brushes.
“As someone who has always been involved in student leadership since high school, I constantly had opportunities to interact with and empower young women. However, I always wanted to do it in a different and more impactful way,” the reigning St Catherine Festival Queen explained to GoodHeart.
After starting her business at 17, she quickly realised that she could take a more individual approach to motivating women about true beauty in their daily lives. Pageantry then opened a new world of opportunities, allowing her to return to her roots and make an impact on youths.
“When I joined the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen competition last year, I knew it was the perfect platform to bring a real project to life, and that’s when Beauty Beyond Brushes ultimately became my reality,” the 2025 first runner-up revealed.
The programme is designed for young high school girls aged 12 to 19, aiming to provide a safe and inspiring space for creativity and mentorship.
“Through structured interactive sessions, those who sign up for the programme will be taught how to share their concepts of beauty, carry themselves, understand their worth, communicate, and imagine futures beyond societal limitations,” she shared.
Sessions will address insecurities, how they affect self-confidence, and what helps participants feel most confident. Group sessions will focus on fostering positivity and encouragement among attendees.
COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH
Similar to the JCDC Festival Queen competition, which provides a holistic developmental experience by nurturing poise, community involvement, cultural awareness, and talent expression, Beauty Beyond Brushes, she said, is designed to offer the same comprehensive approach at an earlier and formative stage.
Young women, according to Birch-Gentles, usually thrive when they’re developed in five layers: confidence, culture, character, creativity and skills.
“Confidence is not something you’re born with. It’s something you are taught and affirmed. And when that confidence is anchored in culture, it comes naturally. I will show our girls that their identity, culture, voice and background are not something to shrink or soften. It is something to honour,” she said.
Entrepreneurship will also take play because talents and skills without knowledge can easily be exploited. “We will talk about character because skill without integrity will only take you so far. We will talk about resilience because life will not always pass you. Sometimes, it will test you. They will learn how to confidently turn their skills into businesses to gain financial freedom. Confidence is also rooted in their heritage. Beauty Beyond Brushes is also about representation.”
Commemorating the project with a St Catherine school tour, the goal is to visit as many schools as possible in the parish, and eventually expand this outreach all across the island. “Although I am the St Catherine Festival Queen, I believe this project can benefit young women beyond the parish too,” she added.
Birch-Gentles is also looking to partner with other inspiring women to assist with nurture and encourage personal as well as professional development. “It truly takes a village,” she highlighted, adding, “I believe it is extremely important for other confident women who have conquered spaces in their own lives to be a part of this project. When young girls see women who look like them, talk like them, and who have faced similar challenges excel in their respective areas, it becomes a huge confidence boost and reminds them that they can do it too.”
On the day of her project launch, she was positively overwhelmed by the love she received from those within the business sector and pageant community. “To know that I have such a strong support system meant everything to me. Seeing the room filled with so many past and present festival queens was a powerful reminder that there are so many confident women who are willing to pour into this project. It reassured me that this initiative will be supported not just by me, but by a community of strong women.”
Being a MUA never felt like work for Birch-Gentles. Combining that love with her passion for leadership and helping others makes this project worthwhile. By June 2026, she hopes to see more confident young women stepping into spaces boldly, more women turning their passions into businesses, and more staying rooted and grounded in their culture.
With plans already under way to visit two schools per month, her advice to girls and young women looking to pursue their dreams is to start small. “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, because that’s how you learn. Nothing is wrong with imperfection, and you won’t always have the right answers, but never stop believing in yourself. No one is an island, and no one stands alone, so seek help where needed. Having trusted friends and family is crucial to your development.”