Fashion & Shopping

How Black-Owned Beauty Retailers Are Shaking Up the Beauty Industry

By Keisha P. Crabtree 3 months ago

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As consumers become increasingly conscious of their purchasing power, some are placing greater emphasis on buying from Black-owned businesses.

In June, social media users began circulating lists of dozens — and in some cases, hundreds — of Black-owned beauty brands in the wake of the George Floyd protests. The lists signified a desire from supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement to align their spending habits with their core values. Less common, though, than the widely shared lists of Black-owned beauty brands were posts raising awareness of Black-owned beauty retailers.

The past few years have given rise to a number of beauty retailers nationwide that are self-funded and owned by Black women. WWD Beauty Inc spoke to six Black-owned beauty retailers — five of which have not yet taken on investment — about their business models and causes for launch. Despite each unique

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Woman who woke up from surgery with hair braided by doctor makes the case for more Black physicians: ‘It can save lives’

By Keisha P. Crabtree 4 months ago

Video reporting by Jacquie Cosgrove

When India Marshall woke up from a skull operation last month, she noticed something odd as she removed her bandages: her hair was braided differently than it had been pre-surgery. She assumed it was the handiwork of a kind Black nurse, but later, to her surprise, found out that they were actually done by the surgeon, a Black man who happens to be the father of three girls.

Her Twitter post about the revelation, which noted, “I almost cried,” went viral, bringing more than 586,000 likes and prompting a powerful discussion about the need for more Black doctors.

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Bread Beauty Supply Makes Frizzy Hair Aspirational

By Keisha P. Crabtree 4 months ago

What’s the Black woman’s equivalent of a messy bun? It’s a difficult question to answer, especially when you consider the Western world’s rather violent relationship with Afro-textured hair.  For generations, curls and kinks have been deemed “unkempt” by Eurocentric standards, thus putting pressure on Black people — particularly Black women — to appear in public with their hair always looking “done,” especially when it’s worn in its natural state. Sure, Meghan Markle’s messy bun has become iconic — but would it have been considered chic by mainstream society if she didn’t straighten her hair? I doubt it.

The pressure to have perpetually “controlled” frizz- and kink-free Afro-textured hair is one that brands have capitalized on. There is no shortage of curl creams, edge controls, and defrizzers on the market. But Bread Beauty Supply founder Maeva Heim isn’t about that life.

“I noticed that there was a broadly

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I’m 45, and These Beauty Products Make My Skin Glow Like Crazy

By Keisha P. Crabtree 4 months ago

A decade ago, the term aging was practically a swear word. To ask a woman her age was (and, who knows, still might be) among the most tasteless questions anyone could utter. We’ve come a long way since then, but the truth is that our culture is still woefully youth-obsessed. Don’t get us wrong: Progress has been made. Among the many areas of the beauty industry that have changed for the better is the newfound sense of community and conversation dedicated to sharing the products and practices we’re each using to stay looking our best for longer. No longer are women hoarding their skincare secrets under lock and key. We’re sharing, we’re learning, and best of all, more than ever, we’re prioritizing healthy, happy skin and bodies over all else.

Enter Catherine McCord, author and founder of family-friendly, health-conscious food community Weelicious. Not only is the 45-year-old mother

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