Rafaela Gonzalez’s Mission to Create Healthier and Inclusive Beauty Products for Women of Color
Growing up, Rafaela Gonzalez faced the challenge of European beauty standards which often left her feeling self-conscious about her textured hair and darker skin. Her skin-care line, Gloryscent, is a culmination of her self-acceptance journey, born out of a desire to serve underrepresented women of color in a beauty industry that more often than not failed them.
Gloryscent, which labels itself as a “pro-melanin skin-care brand,” doesn’t solely aim to center women of color. The brand also focuses on providing women with safe and clean beauty products. During the creation process of Gloryscent, Gonzalez learned that the majority of products catered towards women of color contained toxic ingredients. One study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology found that the negative impact of such chemical exposure is disproportionately impacting these consumers in comparison to white women. Therefore, her brand’s mission 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.
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 honours her “beautiful island.” Her Behold Brightening Balm ($96), for example, is made with neem oil, derived from trees that Gonzalez 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 very memorable because being from el campo, our parents and grandparents are very serious about keeping the yard clean.”
“El campo” refers to the Dominican countryside, the setting for much of the natural beauty Gonzalez infuses throughout her several skin-care products. Other salient ingredients the brand features include arnica flower extract, willow bark, and organic ginseng. Natural additives such as these soothe sun-damaged skin, promote exfoliation, and help soften fine lines.
Gonzalez felt it was necessary to create and offer a skin routine rather than just one or two products. “If someone wants to transition to clean beauty, they should have the entire collection. That was my train of thought at the time.” While creating the healthy, nutrient-packed products that would define the Gloryscent collection, Gonzalez faced the challenge of figuring out the formulation for said skin-care items without formal training in the subject.
“Initially, I was completely unaware of the process of formulation, and there were no physical schools I could locate, and frankly not something I [was] able to do because I was already in college,” she says. Still, the lack of resources at her immediate disposal did not dissuade her; Gonzalez found an online school where she could work towards her diploma at her own pace.
This is where, Gonzalez says, she learned how to begin the process of sourcing her own ingredients. The initial hurdle of formulation proved challenging, but she maintains it was necessary to bring women the effective care Gloryscent now provides.
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,” Gonzalez says. “I’m hoping to provide education and empowerment to make the best choices for their wellness.”
Last year was a significant milestone for Gonzalez when Gloryscent was sold in JCPenney stores through the Thirteen Lune ecommerce site, which helps boost the visibility of POC-owned brands. She still deems this a “huge” achievement. This year, she’s particularly proud to be hosting a speaking series called “Let’s Talk Inclusion in Clean Beauty,” which 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.
“There is currently no set standard definition of ‘clean beauty.’ So, it can be difficult, especially for those of us in the lesser-known beauty space, to navigate,” she says. “This is with the intention to simply educate and not fear-monger. Knowledge is power.”
In conclusion, Rafaela Gonzalez has created a line of inclusive beauty products aimed at underrepresented women of color. Her brand’s important mission is to provide women of color with access to health and wellness products that are safe and effective while bringing awareness to healthier options of self-care. Gonzalez’s journey to formulate the nutrient-packed products in Gloryscent has been an uphill climb, but her dedication and perseverance have paid off. The beauty industry needs more brands like Gloryscent to flourish, promoting inclusivity and safer products for all women.
