Gloryscent: The Brand Uplifting Women of Color in Clean Beauty
The beauty industry is a vast playground for self-expression, creativity, and self-care. The industry’s impact is far-reaching, touching people of all walks of life and cultures worldwide. In recent years, however, the industry has been called out for being exclusionary, catering mainly to a narrow definition of beauty that undermines the diverse nature of the world’s population.
Rafaela Gonzalez was one of those who felt self-conscious about her textured hair and darker skin growing up. However, instead of allowing such feelings to overshadow her, she took her self-love and acceptance journey to a whole new level by creating a brand that centers women of color.
Gloryscent, Rafaela Gonzalez’s skincare line, is a “pro-melanin skincare brand” that provides women with safe, clean, and effective beauty products. Gonzalez’s mission is to provide inclusivity in clean beauty, an area in which mainstream brands often fail women of color.
In creating the Gloryscent collection, Gonzalez drew inspiration from her Caribbean roots, highlighting the natural ingredients found in her ancestral home. The brand’s salient ingredients include neem oil, arnica flower extract, willow bark, and organic ginseng, among others. These natural additives soothe sun-damaged skin, promote exfoliation, and help soften fine lines.
Gloryscent offers a complete skincare routine with products like the Soothing Enzyme Cleansing Gel, Total Body Serum, Urbana Elixir, and Manketti Oil Serum. The brand also takes pride in being inclusive, uplifting, and empowering women of color.
“I felt it was necessary to create and offer a skin routine rather than just one or two products,” Gonzalez says. “If someone wants to transition to clean beauty, they should have the entire collection. That was my train of thought at the time.”
Creating the Gloryscent skincare line was not a walk in the park for Gonzalez, who had no formal training in skincare formulation. She had to go back to school to learn how to source and create her ingredients. Still, the grit and determination paid off, and she now provides women of color with effective care that promotes healthier options of self-care.
Last year, Gloryscent made significant strides by partnering with the Thirteen Lune ecommerce site and selling in JCPenney stores. This year, Gonzalez is proud to be hosting a speaking series titled “Let’s Talk Inclusion in Clean Beauty.” The series aims to raise awareness of the toxic ingredients found in self-care products marketed to Latino women and other women of color.
It is no secret that the beauty industry has a long way to go when it comes to inclusivity and empowerment. Nevertheless, brands like Gloryscent offer hope, uplifting and supporting a demographic that has been sidelined for too long.
Gonzalez’s mission is to empower and educate women of color, providing them with the tools they need to make the best choices for their wellness. As she aptly puts it, “knowledge is power,” and with brands like Gloryscent leading the way, the beauty industry is taking a step in the right direction.
