Gloryscent: A Pro-Melanin Skincare Brand That Channels the Spirit of the Caribbean
Rafaela Gonzalez’s self-love and acceptance journey inspired her to create Gloryscent, a skincare line that doesn’t only focus on providing safe and clean beauty products but also celebrates and honors the beauty of women of color. In an industry that often sidelines women of color’s beauty needs, Gloryscent’s mission is to provide healthier, tailored alternatives to the harsh and often damaging active ingredients in mainstream products while uplifting these women as they are.
Gloryscent’s Pro-Melanin Skin Care Brand
“Pro-melanin” says it all. Gonzalez created Gloryscent to focus on the beauty needs of women of color, who are often left behind by the beauty industry. The brand’s mission is to stand for “inclusivity in clean beauty,” providing women of color with access to health and wellness products that are both safe and effective. During the process of creating Gloryscent, Gonzalez learned that the majority of products catered towards women of color contained toxic ingredients. As such, 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.
Honoring Caribbean Roots in Skincare
Born in the Dominican Republic, Gonzalez took inspiration from her Caribbean roots to serve as a basis for many of her products. By highlighting ingredients from her ancestral home, Gonzalez hoped to honor her “beautiful island.” The Behold Brightening Balm, for example, is made with neem oil, derived from trees that Gonzalez grew up seeing on the island.
“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,” – this, according to Rafaela Gonzalez, the founder of Gloryscent.
Creating a Skincare Routine for Women of Color
“I felt it was necessary to create and offer a skincare 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.” Gonzalez faced the challenge of figuring out the formulation for said skincare items without formal training in the subject. 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.
Gloryscent in JCPenney Stores
Last year, Gonzalez’s biggest achievement was having Gloryscent in JCPenney stores, which was done through the Thirteen Lune ecommerce site, which helps boost the visibility of POC-owned brands. She still deems this a “huge” accomplishment, but this year, she’s particularly proud to be hosting a speaking series regarding inclusivity in clean beauty.
The “Let’s Talk Inclusion in Clean Beauty” series 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 are currently five episodes available and more to come in the late spring.
“Knowledge is power.”
Gonzalez’s biggest challenge in her journey to creating Gloryscent was to figure out the formulation for her skincare items without formal training in the subject. Still, her lack of resources did not dissuade her, and she found an online school where she could work towards her diploma at her own pace. The initial hurdle of formulation proved challenging, but she maintains it was necessary to bring women the effective care Gloryscent now provides.
Wrapping Up: The Power of Self-Love and Acceptance
Gloryscent is a brand born out of its founder’s desire for self-love and acceptance. Rafaela Gonzalez was often confronted with European standards of beauty growing up, which often left her feeling self-conscious about her textured hair and darker skin. But through her journey, she learned to embrace herself, and through Gloryscent, she helps spread the message of self-love and acceptance to other women of color.
Gloryscent is more than just a skincare line; it’s a brand that uses beauty as a tool for empowerment, education, and formulation. Gonzalez’s aim is to educate women and empower them to make the best choices for their wellness. The brand is currently available at Thirteen Lune, Sephora, and JCPenney.
