Gloryscent: Providing Safe and Clean Beauty Products for Women of Color
As women of color, we are often left to navigate the beauty industry without properly catered options. The beauty industry often fails to consider our needs and preferences, leaving us to resort to toxic and potentially harmful products. This is where Gloryscent comes in – a pro-melanin skin-care brand founded by Rafaela Gonzalez, which aims to provide safe and clean beauty products that are effective for women of color.
Gloryscent: The Beginning
Growing up in the Dominican Republic, Rafaela Gonzalez faced European standards of beauty that often left her feeling self-conscious about her textured hair and darker skin. This experience is all too familiar for many women of color. Out of this experience, Rafaela was inspired to create a brand that would center women of color and make them the inspiration, rather than the last thought.
Gloryscent was born out of Rafaela’s personal self-love and acceptance journey, and her desire to serve underrepresented women of color in the beauty industry. Initially, her brand focused on centering women of color, but it later expanded to stand for inclusivity in clean beauty. During the process of creating Gloryscent, Rafaela noticed that most products catered toward women of color contained toxic ingredients that were potentially harmful to their health. One study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology found that these chemical exposures had a negative impact that was disproportionately higher on women of color than white women.
It was this realization that pushed Rafaela to evolve the mission of her brand. Now, Gloryscent serves to provide women of color with access to health and wellness products that are safe and effective.
Gloryscent: The Products
Gloryscent’s products are made with natural, safe, and effective ingredients that cater to the needs of women of color. Rafaela takes inspiration from her Caribbean roots to serve as the basis for many of her products. By highlighting ingredients from her ancestral home, Rafaela hopes to honor her beautiful island.
One of Gloryscent’s products, the Behold Brightening Balm ($96), is made with neem oil, derived from trees that Rafaela grew up seeing on the island. “When I was a little girl, we had two large neem trees in my backyard. I remember my late grandmother swiping them up into piles when they ripened and fell to the ground,” she says. “It’s memorable because being from el campo, our parents and grandparents are very serious about keeping the yard clean.”
Other salient ingredients the brand features include arnica flower extract, willow bark, and organic ginseng, which soothe sun-damaged skin, promote exfoliation, and help soften fine lines. The Soothing Enzyme Cleansing Gel ($56), Total Body Serum ($63), Urbana Elixir ($54), and Manketti Oil Serum ($62) are all made using natural elements that effectively cater to women of color’s needs.
Gloryscent: A Complete Skin-Care Routine to Suit Your Needs
“I felt it was necessary to create and offer a skin routine rather than just one or two products,” says Rafaela. “If someone wants to transition to clean beauty, they should have the entire collection. That was my train of thought at the time.” The healthy, nutrient-packed products that define the Gloryscent collection are made to cater to a complete skin-care routine rather than just individual products.
Creating a comprehensive, effective skin-care regimen was no easy feat for Rafaela. Initially, she had no formal training in the subject of formulation, and there were no physical schools she could locate. But this did not deter her. Instead, Rafaela found an online school where she could work toward her diploma at her own pace.
Rafaela’s determination and hard work paid off. Gloryscent’s products have made it onto the shelves of JCPenney stores through the Thirteen Lune ecommerce site, which helps boost the visibility of POC-owned brands. This is a significant achievement, but this year, Rafaela is particularly proud to be hosting a speaking series titled “Let’s Talk Inclusion in Clean Beauty.” The series is composed of interviews featuring various founders and organizations that highlight the importance of raising awareness about the toxic ingredients in self-care products marketed to Latinx women and other women of color.
Gloryscent: A Brand That Uplifts and Empowers Women of Color
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. “I’m working towards bringing awareness to healthier options of self-care, building up and encouraging women to love themselves,” says Rafaela. “I’m hoping to provide education and empowerment in order for them to make the best choices for their wellness.”
Knowledge is power, and Rafaela is striving to bring that power to women of color. Through her brand, she provides safe and clean beauty products for women of color while also highlighting the importance of education and self-love. If you’re a woman looking to transition to clean beauty, Gloryscent has the entire collection that will cater to your skin-care routine.
In conclusion, Gloryscent is a brand that empowers and uplifts women of color. Rafaela’s deep passion and commitment to her brand’s mission have made her a force for change in the beauty industry. With Gloryscent’s safe and effective products, Rafaela is transforming the beauty industry and making it a more inclusive and empowering space for women of color.
