Rafaela Gonzalez and her skin-care brand, Gloryscent, are making waves in the beauty industry for their commitment to inclusivity and clean, safe products. Growing up, Gonzalez struggled with the European beauty standards that dominated her upbringing and felt a lack of representation in the beauty products available to her. Her experiences inspired her to create Gloryscent, a pro-melanin skin-care brand that celebrates women of color and their beauty.
However, Gonzalez’s mission goes beyond just representation. While creating Gloryscent, she discovered that many beauty products marketed towards women of color contained toxic ingredients that could have negative health impacts. As a result, her brand’s mission expanded to promote inclusivity in clean beauty, offering women of color access to health and wellness products that are both safe and effective.
Gloryscent’s range of products incorporates natural, Caribbean-inspired ingredients like neem oil, arnica flower extract, willow bark, and organic ginseng. These ingredients provide nourishing effects like soothes sun-damaged skin, promote exfoliation, and help soften fine lines. The brand offers a variety of products to promote healthy, radiant skin, including the Behold Brightening Balm, Soothing Enzyme Cleansing Gel, Total Body Serum, Urbana Elixir, and Manketti Oil Serum.
One unique aspect of Gloryscent is that Gonzalez has created a full skin routine rather than just one or two products. She believes that a skin routine is essential for achieving and maintaining healthy skin. While formulating her products, Gonzalez faced a challenge due to a lack of formal training in skincare formulation. She overcame this challenge by doing extensive research online and learning how to source ingredients that would provide effective results without compromising safety.
Gloryscent’s mission is not only to provide women of color with access to healthy skin products but also to educate and empower them to take control of their health and wellness. By promoting awareness of the toxic ingredients commonly found in self-care products marketed towards women of color, Gloryscent is helping women make informed decisions about their health. Gonzalez also hosts a speaking series on “Let’s Talk Inclusion in Clean Beauty,” where she interviews various founders and organizations to raise awareness about the importance of safe and inclusive beauty.
Gloryscent’s commitment to promoting inclusivity and prioritizing safety has led to many achievements. In 2020, Gloryscent was made available in JCPenney stores, thanks to the Thirteen Lune ecommerce site, which helps amplify POC-owned brands’ visibility. Gonzalez considers this a significant achievement, but she’s determined to continue working towards educating and empowering women through her brand.
Overall, Gloryscent’s commitment to inclusivity in clean beauty and its effective, safe products make it a brand to watch in the beauty industry. With natural ingredients that celebrate Caribbean culture and a mission to empower women of color, it’s no wonder that Gloryscent is gaining popularity among beauty enthusiasts worldwide.
