This Week In Beauty: The Biden Administration, Black Hair Salons, and a 'Gorilla Glue Girl' Update
BEAUTY IRL is a newsletter run by @darian that covers beauty at the intersection of politics and pop culture. If you’re passionate about this world, consider a yearly or monthly subscription to support the everyday operation of this newsletter 🧠⚡️💄
An eventful, interesting week in beauty, for sure. Perspective is key! Here is mine 👇🏾
THE LATEST:
The Biden administration is hoping the role Black hair stylists and barbers have historically played in Black communities will improve vaccination rates with its “Shots at the Shop” initiative. They’ve partnered with Shea Moisture (who launched a $1M fund to support the training of stylists as health advocates), the Black Coalition Against COVID, and The University of Maryland Center for Health Equity.
I reported on this for Refinery29! It was initially announced in early June, but I think I was so in the weeds of writing my story, I forgot to include a quick update. A town hall held by the Black Coalition Against COVID in support of the announcement of the initiative was educational, and also church. “I’m feeling love, an undying love for Black people and saving our lives. That’s where I’m at tonight — saving Black lives out of love,” Reed Tuckson, MD said during the talk.
Victoria’s Secret is rebranding; its brought on new faces in sports, fashion, and media, and there will be no more Angels. There is definitely a bigger conversation here, less to do with Victoria’s Secret as a brand, and more about the moment the company is trying to latch onto. I’m going to try and break it down this week.
Unilever, parent company of Dove, Vaseline, Suave, and others, is set to acquire skincare brand Paula's Choice. According to the press release, Paula's Choice will join Unilever's prestige family, of which Tatcha and Dermalogica also belong.
Tessica Brown, who went viral after using Gorilla Glue on her hair instead of hair spray in February, has launched a haircare line focused on growth. Brown’s new line, which will be sold at TBForeverHair.com.
I’ve been keeping an eye on Tessica ever since I did live updates on the Gorilla Glue fiasco. (Reminder: everytime I searched “gorgilla glue,” many were asking for “updates”). Despite retaining a management team that’s in the business of handling internet sensations, I wasn’t sure if her online presence would fizzle out. She now seems to be more comfortable with having an audience. Her Instagram is a mix of regular days spent where she lives in Chalmette, Lousiana and product promotion. It will be interesting to see where the launch of beauty products lead, versus clothing merchandise, which was released only days after she went viral on TikTok. The line includes a growth-stimulating oil, hair spray, and a hoodie, which is already sold out.
Sharon Chuter, founder of Uoma Beauty and the Pull Up for Change Initiative, has partnered with Walmart to deliver her line of affordable makeup products.
Chuter’s Pull Up for Change campaign launched last summer out of a demand for beauty brands to become more transparent about their part in systemic racism. Walmart wasn’t the initial retail partner Chuter had in mind, but when approached, it was a fit due to being ‘‘extremely democratic” and a place “people go there for many different reasons.’’ Products will range from just $5.99 to $23.99.
According to WWD sources, Sephora’s yet-to-be-announced “Clean Plus” guidance will require all brands sold at Sephora to be formulated without petroleum-based ingredients and polyethylene glycol.
I am mainly including this because of the mention of petroleum jelly. If you’re wondering, “Why petroleum-based ingredient?” here is a solid explainer. This is definitely a topic I want to dive more into with a dermatologist or cosmetic chemist on Clubhouse this Tuesday at 11am ET.
Proctor & Gamble will co-finance and co-produce actor Justin Baldoni’s “Man Enough Podcast” along with other projects under Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios. Financial terms weren’t disclosed. The podcast, which Baldoni will co-host with Liz Plank and Jamey Heath, will be a continuation of discussions he’s been having about masculinity, wellness, body image, and intimacy, in his video series and book of the same name.
I am always watching emerging voices and conversations around these topics; where these voices come from, what they’re saying, who they’re speaking to, what (or who) is missing and where I can connect the dots.
Ariana Grande teased fans with a look at her next fragrance: God Is A Woman. Ariana adds to her growing fragrance line; ‘Cloud’ is award-winning as Teen Vogue points out.
The Carlyle Group has acquired a majority stake in Beautycounter, in a transaction that now values the company at $1 billion.
Pharrell Williams is partnering with Chanel to launch a two-part mentorship program for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs through his non-profit Black Ambition.
After a nearly year-long hiatus, beauty Youtuber Tati Westbrook broke her silence in a video titled ‘‘A Year Later.’’ In the video, Westbrook admitted to selling her Los Angeles home amid all the litigation she’s been involved in regarding her company Halo Beauty, and to have “stopped communication” with the beauty world.
MEDIA DROPS
“I’ve dialed it down a lot just to try and avoid the whole 'she' thing," Lauren says. "A lot of people think that if you wear makeup, you are female. It’s still very black and white and there's a misconception that because you don’t identify as female, you identify as male; there’s no in-between.”
— Lauren; Yasmine Summan’s Why Is Enjoying Beauty So Hard When You’re Non-Binary?
One Year Into Pull Up For Change, Has The Beauty Industry Really Progressed? — Amanda Mitchell
What Does It Mean to Be Crowned ‘Miss Juneteenth’? — Tariro Mzezewa
Kelis on Finding Freedom Through Farming — Roxane Gay
Related: Kelis recently started making a hair oil.
Fesa Nu Wants You to See Hair as a Form of Poetry — Akili King
How To Prepare For A Men’s Beauty Boom — Daniela Morosini
This CNN Hero Offers Skid Row's Homeless Food and Hope, but She Also Brings 'Beauty 2 the Streetz'— Allie Torgan
The Inside Story: Kojic Acid — Dianna Mazonne
This is a podcast (8 minutes) and my Allure story on the skin whitening industry is referenced. Also, trying to include more podcasts and videos in this section.