Rafaela Gonzalez: The Self-Love and Inclusivity Mission Behind Gloryscent Skin-Care
Growing up in Europe, Rafaela Gonzalez was often confronted with the Western standards of beauty that left her feeling self-conscious about her textured hair and darker skin. However, her journey towards self-love and acceptance led her to create a beauty brand that celebrates and uplifts underrepresented women of color in the industry. Thus, Gloryscent was born, a “pro-melanin skin-care brand” that focuses on providing women with safe and clean beauty products that are effective for their skin.
Through this article, we dive deeper into the origins of Gloryscent and how Gonzalez’s mission of inclusivity in clean beauty is making a significant difference in the beauty industry.
The Birth of Gloryscent
“At first, it was something I was inspired to create due to my own personal experience and journey,” Gonzalez tells POPSUGAR. She wanted to create a beauty brand where women of color (WOC) are the inspiration and not the afterthought. She noticed that many beauty brands tend to sideline women of color and fail to cater to their unique skin-care needs. Gonzalez saw the need for an alternative that provides WOC with nutrient-packed, safe, and effective skin-care products.
Inclusivity in Clean Beauty
Gonzalez’s mission expanded beyond being a pro-melanin brand. She learned that many products catered towards women of color contained toxic ingredients during the process of creating Gloryscent. One study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology found that such chemical exposure’s negative impact disproportionately affects these consumers compared to white women. Hence, Gonzalez’s vision evolved to stand for “inclusivity in clean beauty,” providing women of color with access to health and wellness products that are safe and effective.
Honoring Her Ancestral Roots
Born in the Dominican Republic, Gonzalez drew inspiration from her Caribbean roots to serve as the basis of many of her products. She highlights ingredients from her ancestral home to honor her “beautiful island.” For example, Gonzalez’s Behold Brightening Balm ($96) is made with neem oil, derived from trees she grew up with 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, which is the setting for several of the natural beauty ingredients that Gonzalez infuses throughout her various skin-care products. Other salient ingredients include arnica flower extract, willow bark, and organic ginseng. These natural additives soothe sun-damaged skin, promote exfoliation, and help soften fine lines.
The Full Skin-Care Routine
Gonzalez felt it was necessary to create and offer a complete skin routine rather than individual products. “If someone wants to transition to clean beauty, they should have the entire collection. That was my train of thought at the time.” Hence, she developed multiple nutrient-packed products, such as the Soothing Enzyme Cleansing Gel ($56), Total Body Serum ($63), Urbana Elixir ($54), and Manketti Oil Serum ($62), using the natural elements mentioned previously.
Hurdles in Formulating Safe and Effective Products
Though creating a complete skin-care line was Gonzalez’s vision, the initial hurdle of formulating the product was challenging. She admits to having no formal training in formulation, and there were no physical schools she could locate at the time. Still, the lack of resources did not dissuade her; Gonzalez found an online school where she could work towards her diploma at her own pace. This is where she learned how to begin the process of sourcing her own ingredients, which was necessary to bring women the effective care that Gloryscent provides.
Changing the Beauty Industry
In a beauty industry that often exploits women of color and sidelines their beauty needs, Gloryscent’s mission of effective care aims to provide them with healthier, tailored alternatives to the harsh and often damaging active ingredients in mainstream products. Additionally, through hosting the “Let’s Talk Inclusion in Clean Beauty” series, Gonzalez aims to raise awareness about the toxic ingredients in self-care products marketed to Latinx women and other women of color. The series features various founders and organizations highlighting the importance of educating women in the industry and empowering them to make the best choices for their wellness.
Final Thoughts
Gonzalez’s vision of self-love and inclusivity in clean beauty has taken the industry by storm. Her brand, Gloryscent, provides customers with safe and nutrient-packed beauty products that cater to their unique skin-care needs. Gonzalez’s story demonstrates that by choosing to honor one’s roots and creating products that represent one’s heritage, one can make a significant impact in the industry. Through her mission towards education and empowerment, Gonzalez is uplifting and empowering women of color to love and care for themselves.
