Gloryscent: A Pro-Melanin Skin-Care Brand that Empowers Women of Color
If you are a woman of color, finding beauty products that cater to your unique skin type and complexion can be a challenge. Fortunately, Rafaela Gonzalez, founder of Gloryscent, recognized this issue and decided to do something about it. In this article, we will take an in-depth look at Gloryscent, its products, and its mission to empower women of color through effective and safe skin care.
A Personal Journey of Self-Love and Acceptance
Like many women of color, Gonzalez struggled with self-esteem issues growing up. European standards of beauty often left her feeling self-conscious about her textured hair and darker skin. But instead of letting these feelings of insecurity hold her back, she used them as inspiration to create her own line of skin care products that would empower women who looked like her.
Gloryscent: More Than Just Safe and Clean Beauty Products
Gloryscent aims to solve two problems that women of color face in the beauty industry: providing safe and clean beauty products that cater to their specific skin type and complexion, and empowering them to embrace their beauty without conforming to European standards of beauty. The brand’s mission has expanded and evolved to stand for inclusivity in clean beauty, providing women of color with access to health and wellness products that are safe and effective.
Inspired by Her Ancestral Home
Born in the Dominican Republic, Gonzalez took inspiration from her Caribbean roots to serve as the basis for many of her products. By highlighting ingredients from her ancestral home, Gonzalez hoped to honor her “beautiful island.” Her Behold Brightening Balm, for example, is made with neem oil, derived from trees that Gonzalez grew up seeing on the island. Gonzalez also features other salient ingredients like arnica flower extract, willow bark, and organic ginseng, which soothe sun-damaged skin, promote exfoliation, and help soften fine lines.
Soothing Enzyme Cleansing Gel to Manketti Oil Serum
Gloryscent offers a suite of healthy, nutrient-packed products that come together in a skin routine that users can follow to achieve their desired look. The Soothing Enzyme Cleansing Gel gently cleanses the skin, removing makeup and dirt while leaving it feeling clean and refreshed. The Total Body Serum deeply hydrates and nourishes the skin, promoting a more youthful appearance. The Urbana Elixir protects the skin from environmental damage and pollution, while the Manketti Oil Serum improves skin texture and reduces the appearance of fine lines.
Education and Empowerment
Gonzalez’s biggest achievement last year was having Gloryscent in JCPenney stores, which was done through the Thirteen Lune e-commerce site, which helps boost the visibility of POC-owned brands. This year, Gonzalez is particularly proud to be hosting a speaking series regarding inclusivity in clean beauty. The series, titled “Let’s Talk Inclusion in Clean Beauty,” will be composed of interviews featuring various founders and organizations who will highlight the importance of raising awareness about the toxic ingredients in self-care products marketed to Latinx women and other women of color. By educating and empowering women of color, Gonzalez hopes to provide them with healthier options for self-care, building them up and encouraging them to love themselves.
Conclusion
In an industry that often exploits women of color and sidelines their beauty needs, Gloryscent’s mission of effective care is to provide them with healthier, tailored alternatives to the harsh and often damaging active ingredients in mainstream products while also uplifting these women as they are. By highlighting ingredients from her ancestral home, focusing on providing women with safe and clean beauty products, and hosting a speaking series regarding inclusivity in clean beauty, Gonzalez has shown that Gloryscent is more than just skin care products; it’s a movement for change. Embrace your beauty and give Gloryscent a try today.
