Buying Black is a movement, not a moment. The resurgence of Black Lives Matter has shed light into the lack of availability there is to shop Black-owned brands. While retailers were quick to react and place these products in stores, there’s an educational and relational element that shouldn’t be ignored to ensure these voices are continuously heard.

Despite the demand for more diverse products, Black brands have historically been left out of the wider beauty conversation. The clear lack of shelf space is now being challenged by Aurora James’ 15% pledge. Sephora, Macy’s and Vogue have all committed to the pledge, but this is only the beginning.

One creator who’s making headway in this space is Julian Addo. In October 2017, Julian saw a gap in the premium haircare market and introduced gender-neutral Adwoa Beauty to the world for all hair textures including kinky hair. Julian joins us on unEDITED: Inside Retail to delve into the beauty market and educate retailers on what needs to be done in order to elevate representation on shelves.

Key takeaways:

• Male consumers are typically more loyal customers. So players in the beauty space need to find ways to engage with men. For example, using more male influencers to show product usage is key.
• There’s a misconception that Black beauty brands can only be used by Black people. The industry has to educate a broader and more diverse audience to show that people of all ethnicities can use these beauty products.
• After the resurgence of the BLM movement, many retailers acted unauthentically and were opportunistic. Just because a brand is Black-owned  doesn’t mean that they fit in any store or that retailers know their consumer base. Businesses should analyze if a brand aligns with its values and if they can help your business move out of its comfort zone.
• 54 Thrones, Klur and Imania Beauty are three other Black-owned beauty brands to keep a close eye on in 2021 and beyond.

To read more on the topic, please click the resources below:

• How retailers are waking up to racial injustice and their responses
• Illuminating Black culture’s influence on fashion

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