As a young beauty mogul, Kay has collaborated with many top brands, including Maybelline and NIVEA. She was featured on Forbes Africa 30 under 30 class of 2023 and won the Social Media Influencer of the Year at the South African Social Media Awards.
Kay Yarms
Beauty mogul Kay Yarms is a beacon of empowerment for women of color.
Quick Facts
Name:
Khethokuhle Ngonyama
Born:
5 April 1994 (age 31 years old)
Place of birth:
Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Nationality:
South African
Education:
Accounting
Alma mater:
University of Witwatersrand
Occupation:
Internet personality beauty content creator entrepreneur
Partner:
Flacko (ex.) Nola Adetola
Siblings:
Thubelihle
Residence:
Cape Town
Early Life
Kay Yarms was bornKhethokuhle Ngonyama on 5 April 1994 in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. She comes from the small village of Ncakubana in Ixopo in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
Growing up, she was a farm girl, the only girl at home, and has a brother, Thubelihle. She started developing an interest in makeup, but her mother disagreed.
Her mother thought it was messing up her skin, but she explored her interest in a girls’ res in school.
Education
Kay Yarms attended and matriculated from Durban Girls’ High School. She enrolled to study accounting at the University of Witwatersrand (Wits).
However, she felt her studies did not align with her aspirations. She dropped out of school and returned to her home in Durban in 2016.
Career
Kay Yarms continued makeup at home in Durban after school. Her talent brought her clients, which led to her starting her brand.
To expand her reach, Yarms launched a vlog on YouTube in 2017. She also created an Instagram account where she does live videos to teach her followers. Brands started approaching her for collaboration.
The first brand she worked with was Maybelline, and she has also worked with Scarlet Hill. She continued to provide services and teachings on her online platforms. She stopped doing private makeup and focused more on teaching to do makeup online.
In 2020, Kay received “YouTube’s Silver Play Putton Award” for reaching 100,000 subscribers. She used her online platform to educate people.
In 2024, she joined the NIVEA family and tested the NIVEA Luminous630 Anti-Dark Marks Advanced Treatment Serum. She then traveled to Germany with the NIVEA team to learn more about the ingredients.
During the first phase of the South African lockdown, Kay started the #21beats4ka challenge. She asked followers to beat their faces and try out new makeup techniques for 21 days.
In 2023, Kay won the “Social Media Influencer of the Year” at the South African Social Media Awards.
Kay Yarms appeared on Forbes Africa 30 under 30 class of 2023. She launched the salon SAXX Beauty in Cape Town to expand her brand. She has worked with big brands such as TRES and has teamed up with FAIRLADY.
Nivea, Scarlet Hill, Red Bull, and Yardley are also among the brands she has collaborated. Kay vlogs about hair, makeup, and everyday life.
Personal Life
Kay Yarms was dating Flacko, though their relationship was “on and off”. In May 2023, she addressed rumors that her boyfriend might have infected her with HIV+. This comes after he was referred to as a serial cheater.
Kay Yarms rubbished the allegation and currently has a Nigerian boyfriend, Nola Adetola. She is based in Cape Town, a port city in South Africa.
She was quarantined during the lockdown because she has traveled abroad. She started a personal fitness journey, which she dubbed “Project ME”.
