Shalom Nchom (aka Shalom Blac) is a beauty vlogger, a makeup artist, a public figure, a burn survivor, and an all-around inspirational woman. Over the past year, she has been steadily gaining attention to the point where her story has now gone viral.

At the time of this post’s creation, Shalom has 287k dedicated Youtube subscribers, and 349k adoring Instagram followers. So what is it about her that has attracted so much wide-spread attention?

1. Her story

At the age of 9, Shalom and her younger sister were burned in a hot oil accident in her mother’s shop in Nigeria. Suffering from severe burns on her face and upper body, she had spent four months in the hospital. When she was discharged, she was exposed to a new life with new struggles.

Shalom now battled with bullying; people called her a “monster”, among other names. When she moved to the United States for reconstructive surgery, she had hoped it would be better. The bullying continued, and she was driven to a point where she contemplated suicide.

Story time: getting burned!

2. Her makeup artistry skills

Shalom has undeniable talent as a makeup artist. At the age of 13, she got into makeup as a means to shield herself from bullying, and from there, her skills flourished. Now, she is not only known for her story but is widely recognized for her cosmetic skills.

On her Youtube channel Shalom Blac, Shalom has stunning “Transformation” videos. Through her beauty videos, she shows her audience how to cover up acne & burn scars, how she creates an everyday look, and how she just slays all around.

Watch me transform

3. Her inspirational outlook

After years of self-work, Shalom now sees her beauty, and even more, she sees how she has inspired other people and can continue to do so in the future.

She has said that: “At this point in my life I don’t regret what happened to me. I feel like this was my calling. If I had a choice, to take it back, I definitely wouldn’t because it’s helping other people.”

The quote that you will see across all of her platforms is “Be your own kind of beautiful”, and you don’t have to look far to see how this message has resonated with people all around the world.

While the comment section of Youtube is notorious for anonymous negativity, the comment section beneath Shalom’s videos is a beautiful place. Men and women of all ethnic backgrounds are praising her for her courage and her beauty, and often share their own story of struggle and self-acceptance.

Shalom Blac shows us that despite the cards we have been dealt, we need to see and appreciate the beauty within ourselves. Sometimes it may take work, sometimes it takes time, but we are all beautiful, and we need to recognize that.