Rafaela Gonzalez: Bringing Inclusivity and Empowerment to the Clean Beauty Industry
Growing up, Rafaela Gonzalez was faced with European standards of beauty, leaving her feeling self-conscious about her textured hair and darker skin. These experiences eventually led her to create Gloryscent, a pro-melanin skin-care brand, which primarily serves underrepresented women of color in the beauty industry.
Gloryscent’s mission is to provide women with safe and clean beauty products that cater to their skin type. During the process, Gonzalez discovered that most products that target women of color contain toxic ingredients that are harmful, especially for their skin. Her brand’s mission expanded, and now her focus is on inclusivity in clean beauty, providing women of color with access to effective health and wellness products that are safe to use.
The Gloryscent Collection
Gloryscent’s products are formulated with natural additives that help soothe sun-damaged skin, promote exfoliation, and soften fine lines. The collection relies heavily on Gonzalez’s Caribbean roots, with many of the ingredients sourced from her ancestral home, the Dominican Republic.
One of the best-known and well-loved products is the Behold Brightening Balm, which contains neem oil, derived from trees that Gonzalez grew up seeing on the island. The beauty is not only in the effectiveness of the product but also in the memories and history associated with it.
To provide a complete wellness routine, not only offering one or two products, Gonzalez expanded the collection to include other products like the Soothing Enzyme Cleansing Gel, Total Body Serum, Urbana Elixir, and Manketti Oil Serum, all made with natural elements.
The Challenges of Being a Self-Taught Formulator
As someone who didn’t have formal formulation training, Gonzalez learned a great deal about sourcing her own ingredients and the formulation process through an online school. She admits that the process was initially challenging, but it was necessary to bring women the effective care Gloryscent now provides. And it shows, as her products are loved and trusted by many women of color.
Inclusivity in Clean Beauty
As a brand that centers women of color, Gloryscent’s mission is to provide safer, healthier alternatives to the harsh and potentially harmful active ingredients in mainstream products. The brand wants to uplift these women as they are and empower them to embrace the best version of themselves.
“I’m working towards bringing awareness to healthier options for self-care, building up and encouraging women to love themselves,” Gonzalez says. “I’m hoping to provide education and empowerment for them to make the best choices for their wellness.”
Successes, Achievements, and Future Plans
When asked about her biggest achievement, Gonzalez mentions having Gloryscent available in JCPenney stores, done through the Thirteen Lune ecommerce site that boosts the visibility of POC-owned brands. She deems this a “huge” accomplishment, but she is also proud of hosting a speaking series about inclusivity in clean beauty.
The series, titled “Let’s Talk Inclusion in Clean Beauty,” features interviews with various founders and organizations that highlight the importance of raising awareness about the toxic ingredients used in self-care products marketed to Latinx women and other women of color. There are currently five episodes available, and more are set to come in the late spring.
Conclusion
Rafaela Gonzalez’s journey has been about self-love and acceptance, culminating in the creation of Gloryscent, a brand that is committed to providing clean, effective, and safe products for women of color. Additionally, the brand is about promoting inclusivity and empowering women through education and better skincare choices. The strides that Gonzalez has made in the beauty industry are substantial and groundbreaking, making her someone to watch out for in the future.
