Gloryscent: A Skin-Care Line Catering to Women of Color
In a world where standards of beauty are often biased towards Eurocentric ideals, women of color are left feeling self-conscious about their physical attributes. Rafaela Gonzalez, a woman of color who faced this issue growing up, has now created a skin-care line, Gloryscent, which caters to underrepresented women of color in the beauty industry.
Gloryscent: The Brand
Gloryscent, a “pro-melanin skin-care brand,” aims to provide women of color with safe, clean, and effective beauty products. During the process of creating the brand, Gonzalez realized that the majority of products in the market catered towards women of color contained toxic ingredients. She, therefore, expanded her mission to stand for “inclusivity in clean beauty.” The brand’s range of health and wellness products is safe, free from harsh chemicals, and effective.
Gloryscent: Inspiration
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 hoped to honor her “beautiful island.” Her Behold Brightening Balm, for example, is made with neem oil derived from trees that Gonzalez grew up seeing on the island. The brand also features other salient ingredients like arnica flower extract, willow bark, and organic ginseng, which soothe sun-damaged skin, promote exfoliation, and help soften fine lines.
Gloryscent: The Collection
Gonzalez felt it was necessary to create and offer a skin routine rather than just one or two products. The brand’s range of products includes the Soothing Enzyme Cleansing Gel, the Total Body Serum, Urbana Elixir, and the Manketti Oil Serum, all made using natural elements mentioned previously. The newly developed Behold Brightening Balm reduces hyperpigmentation and wrinkles while softening the skin.
Gonzalez: Challenges Faced
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. Although the lack of resources at her immediate disposal proved challenging, Gonzalez found an online school where she could work towards her diploma at her own pace.
Gloryscent: Purpose
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 uplifting these women as they are. Gonzalez is working towards bringing awareness to healthier options of self-care, building up and encouraging women to love themselves.
Achievements
Last year, Gloryscent was made available in JCPenney stores through the Thirteen Lune e-commerce site, which helps boost the visibility of POC-owned brands. This year, Gonzalez is particularly proud to be hosting a speaking series regarding inclusivity in clean beauty titled “Let’s Talk Inclusion in Clean Beauty.” The series includes 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.
Conclusion
Gloryscent by Rafaela Gonzalez is a brand that seeks to cater to underrepresented women in the beauty industry. Gonzalez’s journey towards self-love and acceptance has culminated in a skin-care brand that provides products made with natural, safe ingredients instead of toxic chemicals. Gloryscent represents inclusivity in clean beauty and encourages women to love themselves.
