Rafaela Gonzalez: Empowering Women with Inclusive and Clean Skincare Products
Growing up, Rafaela Gonzalez struggled with European standards of beauty that made her feel self-conscious about her textured hair and darker skin. But instead of succumbing to societal pressures, she used her own journey of self-love and acceptance to create Gloryscent, a “pro-melanin skincare brand” that caters to underrepresented women of color.
Gloryscent’s mission is not just to center women of color but also to provide them with safe and clean beauty products. During her research, Gonzalez found that the majority of products marketed towards women of color contained toxic ingredients that disproportionately impacted them compared to white women. As such, her brand’s mission evolved to include “inclusivity in clean beauty”, offering women of color access to health and wellness products that are safe and effective.
Honoring Her Roots
Born in the Dominican Republic, Gonzalez took inspiration from her Caribbean roots to serve as the basis for many of her products. Gonzalez aimed to pay tribute to her “beautiful island” by infusing many of her skincare products with ingredients that she grew up with.
For instance, the Behold Brightening Balm ($96) – one of the brand’s bestsellers – is made with neem oil, which is derived from trees that Gonzalez grew up seeing in the Dominican Republic. Other salient ingredients in the brand’s products include arnica flower extract, willow bark, and organic ginseng – all natural additives that promote exfoliation, soothe sun-damaged skin, and help soften fine lines.
A Full-Range Routine
Gonzalez believes in providing her customers with a complete skincare routine rather than just one or two products. It helps customers transition to clean beauty by having the entire collection at their disposal. The Gloryscent collection includes the Soothing Enzyme Cleansing Gel ($56), Total Body Serum ($63), Urbana Elixir ($54), Manketti Oil Serum ($62), and more.
Gonzalez’s lack of professional training in formulating skincare didn’t dissuade her from creating the nutrient-packed Gloryscent collection. She found an online school where she could work towards her diploma at her own pace and learned how to source her own ingredients.
Empowering Women Through Education
In an industry that often sidelines women of color and their beauty needs, Gloryscent aims to provide healthier and tailored alternatives to women of color. “I’m working towards bringing awareness to healthier options of self-care, building up and encouraging women to love themselves,” Gonzalez said.
In 2020, Gonzalez’s biggest achievement was having Gloryscent in JCPenney stores, which was done through the Thirteen Lune ecommerce site that helps boost the visibility of POC-owned brands. Gonzalez is also proud to host a speaking series on inclusivity in clean beauty, titled “Let’s Talk Inclusion in Clean Beauty”. The series features interviews with various founders and organizations discussing the toxicity of ingredients in self-care products marketed towards Latinx women and other women of color.
Knowledge is Power
“We’re doing this with the intention to simply educate and not fearmonger,” Gonzalez said. “Knowledge is power.”
In conclusion, Rafaela Gonzalez’s Gloryscent brand advocates for clean beauty that is inclusive and sensitive to women of color’s needs. Her journey towards creating the brand is inspiring, and her commitment to providing a complete range of skincare products for woman of color is empowering. Through her skincare range and educational outreach, she hopes to encourage women to prioritize their wellness and make informed choices about their skincare routine.
