Rafaela Gonzalez is no stranger to the European standards of beauty that often leave women of color feeling self-conscious about their hair texture and skin tone. That’s why she created Gloryscent, a skin-care line that seeks to serve underrepresented women of color in the beauty industry. Gloryscent is not just another skin-care brand; it is a pro-melanin brand that seeks to bring inclusivity in clean beauty while providing safe and effective beauty products.
Many products marketed to women of color contained toxic ingredients that have an unhealthy impact on their skin. According to a study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the exposure to such chemical-containing products is higher in women of color than white women. As a result, Rafaela decided to expand and evolve the brand’s mission to stand for inclusivity in clean beauty.
Rafaela’s Caribbean roots serve as the basis for many of her products. Gloryscent is created with ingredients from her ancestral home, paying homage to her “beautiful island.” The Behold Brightening Balm, for example, is made with neem oil, derived from trees that Gonzalez grew up seeing on the island.
Her personal journey inspired her to create a brand in which women of color are the inspiration, and not the last thought. The brand’s focus is to provide women of color with access to health and wellness products that are safe and effective while centering them in the beauty industry.
It is necessary to create an entire skin routine, Gonzalez says. If someone wants to transition to clean beauty, they should have the entire collection, and that is her train of thought. A total body serum, Urbana Elixir, soothing enzyme cleansing gel, and Manketti oil serum are some of the natural skincare products that the brand offers.
Formulating these effective, nutrient-packed products was quite challenging when she had no formal training. There were no physical schools where she could learn, so Rafaela found an online school where she could get her diploma at her own pace. The lack of resources did not dissuade her, and she was determined to provide women of color with healthier, tailored alternatives to the harsh and damaging active ingredients in mainstream products.
The mission of providing effective care to women of color with healthier, tailored alternatives extends to bringing awareness to healthier options of self-care, educating, empowering women to love themselves, and making the best choices for their wellness.
In 2020, Rafaela accomplished the biggest milestone when she got Gloryscent in JCPenney stores, which was done through the Thirteen Lune e-commerce site, which boosts the visibility of POC-owned brands. This year, she is proud to host a speaking series on inclusivity in clean beauty, titled “Let’s Talk Inclusion in Clean Beauty,” where she interviews various founders and organizations. The series will highlight the importance of raising awareness of the toxic ingredients in self-care products and their effects on Latinx women and women of color.
Gloryscent is not just a business; it is a movement towards inclusivity in the beauty industry. Rafaela Gonzalez is a testament to the fact that you don’t have to be formally trained to achieve your dreams. It takes persistence, determination, and a willingness to learn new things to make your dreams come true.
