Gloryscent: A Pro-Melanin Skincare Brand for Health and Wellness
As a woman of color, Rafaela Gonzalez’s journey to self-love and acceptance was not an easy one. Growing up, she felt self-conscious about her darker skin and textured hair, often bombarded by European standards of beauty. In response to this, she created Gloryscent, a pro-melanin skincare brand that aims to serve underrepresented women of color in an industry that often fails to cater to them.
Gloryscent’s mission is not merely to center women of color but also to provide them with safe and clean beauty products. In the process of creating her line, Gonzalez discovered that the majority of products marketed towards women of color contained toxic ingredients. Studies have shown that the negative impact of such chemical exposure is disproportionately affecting these consumers more than white women. Gonzalez’s brand 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.
Rooted in Gonzalez’s Caribbean ancestry, Gloryscent offers products that use natural ingredients such as neem oil, arnica flower extract, willow bark, and organic ginseng to soothe sun-damaged skin, promote exfoliation, and help soften fine lines. Her Behold Brightening Balm, for example, is made with neem oil derived from trees she grew up seeing on her island.
Gloryscent offers a variety of products such as the Soothing Enzyme Cleansing Gel, Total Body Serum, Urbana Elixir, and Manketti Oil Serum. Gonzalez felt it was essential to create and offer a skin routine rather than just one or two products. She believes that if someone wants to transition to clean beauty, they should have the entire collection.
Learning the process of formulation was a significant challenge for Gonzalez as she did not have any formal training in it. She taught herself and sourced her own ingredients. She believes that it was necessary to bring women the effective care Gloryscent now provides.
In a beauty industry that often exploits women of color and sidelines their beauty needs, Gloryscent’s mission of effective care is to provide them with healthier and tailored alternatives to the harmful active ingredients in mainstream products while uplifting these women as they are.
Gloryscent’s biggest achievement was having its products in JCPenney stores, a “huge” accomplishment for Gonzalez. This year, she is proud to be hosting a speaking series titled “Let’s Talk Inclusion in Clean Beauty.” The series will feature interviews with various founders and organizations, highlighting the importance of raising awareness about the toxic ingredients in self-care products marketed to Latinx women and other women of color. The intention is to educate and empower women to make the best choices for their wellness.
In conclusion, Gloryscent is more than just a skincare brand. It is a brand that embraces diversity, inclusivity, and wellness. Gonzalez’s journey to self-acceptance led her to create a brand that serves underrepresented women of color. The use of natural ingredients and safe product formulations establishes the brand as a go-to for women seeking effective skincare, and her speaking series will help raise awareness about the importance of clean beauty. By providing education and empowerment, Gonzalez hopes to change the beauty industry’s status quo and promote healthier options for self-care for all women.
By prioritizing inclusivity and clean beauty, Gloryscent stands out in an industry that often fails to serve women of color. Gonzalez’s commitment to her customers’ safety and well-being makes her brand one to watch out for in the future.
