Since time immemorial, Black History Month has been associated with reflection, recognition, and action. Within the beauty industry, it serves as both a moment to celebrate Black creativity, as well as an opportunity to address the structural challenges Black professionals face. However, while Black History Month often brings increased attention to Black beauty brands, founders, and executives, the industry’s commitment to long-term structural change remains questionable.
Despite the pledges, diversity initiatives, and marketing campaigns that surge in February, many Black professionals in beauty continue to struggle with access to funding, equitable treatment in corporate environments, shade range inclusion, and sustainable opportunities that go beyond mere performative gestures. Black History Month often brings faux campaigns and fleeting promises. However, lasting change demands more than momentary visibility. It requires structural shifts in funding, leadership representation, and industry-wide accountability. To understand the true needs of Black executives and creatives, BeautyMatter spoke with several industry leaders who shared their perspectives on what the beauty industry must do to support lasting change.
Haweya Mohamed, co-founder of multicultural agency, The Colors: “The industry should invest in Black leadership—not just acknowledging it.”
As a Black executive in the beauty industry, I’ve seen firsthand how often diversity is treated as a marketing moment rather than a structural priority. While many brands have embraced inclusivity in their messaging, what Black executives truly need is long-term investment—whether in leadership pipelines, funding for Black-owned brands, or a real seat at the table where key business decisions are made. Representation matters, but it needs to extend beyond campaigns and onto executive boards, where policies and strategies are shaped.
Beyond funding, the industry must also commit to structural change within corporations. Too often, Black executives are brought in to lead diversity efforts but are not given the resources or decision-making power to create real change. We need to be positioned in roles that influence product development, supply chain decisions, and global expansion—not just in spaces that focus on “diversity and inclusion.” True progress happens when Black leaders are integral to the entire business, not just its diversity efforts.
I am motivated by this. If we can create business for people, create value for people, it's even better. The industry needs to let people be at their place and not hide them. I participated recently at the innovation fragrance summit, and I told them to stop hiding from your stories, where ingredients are sourced in Africa. The industry needs to do a better job at telling people where they find these ingredients and how they work with what they’ve sourced. People need to know. We need to move from “it was sourced in Africa,” and actually begin to mention where in Africa it was sourced from. That way, we’re telling the stories of these often hidden communities and the history they carry.
Finally, accountability is key. Brands that pledge to support Black executives and businesses must follow through with measurable actions. Are they promoting POC talents within their organizations? Are they diversifying their supply chains? Are they ensuring equal pay? Words mean little without action, and as an industry, we have the power to redefine what beauty leadership looks like. Black executives don’t just need a seat at the table—we need to help build the table itself.
Adaora Oramah, founder of social publishing platform for pan-African creators, AMAKA Studio: “We Need Diverse, Patient Capital—Not Just More Funding”
The beauty industry often discusses funding for Black businesses, but the conversation remains one-dimensional. It’s either venture capital (VC) or bootstrapping—two extremes that fail to accommodate the realities of creative businesses, especially the young Black ones. What we need is diversified funding models that align with how the beauty and creative industries actually operate.
Patient capital is key. Unlike tech start-ups, beauty brands and creative ventures don’t scale overnight. We need investors to understand that returns take time. If you look at industries like K-beauty, South Korea invested with long-term vision, knowing it would take years for the industry to mature. Africa’s beauty sector, for example, needs that same patience.
Beyond investment capital, we also need better financial structures to support operations. Many Black beauty brands struggle because they land big retail orders but lack the upfront cash to fulfill them. Factoring—where financial institutions provide advance payments against pending invoices—can bridge this gap, and that’s one of the things we currently do at AMAKA, for creatives in select African countries. It’s not just about giving Black entrepreneurs money; it’s about ensuring they have the right capital at the right time to grow sustainably.
Finally, training and mentorship programs should always come with financial backing. I have found that most Black beauty founders don’t just need business workshops. They also need real financial support to implement what they learn. Otherwise, it’s just another empty initiative.
Agnes Cazin, founder of creative agency, Haiti73 Agency: “We Need Safe Spaces, Not Just Diversity Statements”
[Having worked with the likes of Paco Rabanne, Cantu Shea Butter, among many others], I have found that the biggest challenge for Black executives in the beauty industry isn’t just access, but also the pressure to conform. Too often, Black professionals feel they must erase their identity to fit into corporate spaces. It starts with microaggressions about how we dress, how we speak, even how we wear our hair. We’re encouraged to downplay our culture, rather than being valued for our authentic contributions.
Corporations claim they want diversity, but in practice, many still make Black employees feel like outsiders. True inclusivity means making space for Black executives to exist as they are, not forcing them to assimilate. This is especially evident in boardrooms, where we’re still often the only Black face at the table. While representation has increased, it has also become more performative. The industry needs to know that token hires don’t equate to real influence.
I’ll also argue that most HR departments need urgent reform. Many HR professionals, especially those who aren’t Black, lack the cultural competency and training to recognize bias. That’s why Black employees often face workplace discrimination that goes unnoticed or unaddressed. Mandatory racial literacy training for leadership and HR teams should be standard in beauty corporations. It’s not enough to have a diversity statement; there must be real policies in place to ensure Black professionals feel safe, supported, and valued.
Amira Rasool, founder of community-driven and global marketplace, The Folklore Group: “The Industry Must Commit to Black-Owned Brands—Beyond the Hashtags”
Since the George Floyd protests, we’ve seen a wave of beauty brands and retailers pledging to support Black-owned businesses. However, in the years since, many of those commitments have quietly faded. For example, funding for Black beauty brands has plummeted, and retailers that once championed diversity are now scaling back their commitments. Global consumers play a critical role here. If you want Black beauty brands to thrive, start by actually buying from them. Retailers follow consumer demand. If more shoppers actively seek out Black-owned brands, it forces stores to stock them.
Retailers themselves must also hold themselves accountable. They need to consistently audit their brand portfolios and ask, “Why do we have 100 white-owned brands but only five Black-owned or POC ones?” Intentionality is key. It’s not enough to add a few Black-owned brands during Black History Month and then let them disappear from shelves by the next quarter.
Access to capital is another major issue. VC funding isn’t the answer for everyone. Not every Black beauty founder wants to scale to a billion-dollar valuation. In building The Folklore Group, we have found that many of them just want to build sustainable, million-dollar businesses that create jobs and serve their communities. The industry needs more angel investors, grant opportunities, and flexible loan programs tailored to the needs of Black-owned brands.
Most importantly, education and financial access must go hand in hand. Many Black founders receive mentorship, but without the funding to implement their learnings, it’s useless. The industry must stop treating mentorship as a substitute for investment.
The Path Forward: What Beauty Must Do Now
These executives make one thing clear: Black professionals and beauty founders don’t need more lip service—they need systemic change. This means an expansion of capital access beyond traditional VC funding, with more patient capital, factoring, and grants, creating corporate cultures where Black professionals feel safe to be their authentic selves, holding retailers accountable for long-term commitments to Black-owned brands, and investing in logistics infrastructure so that Black beauty brands can scale globally without leaving local customers behind. Black beauty has shaped the industry for decades, and consumers are acknowledging that it’s time for the industry to return that value—not just in words, but in action.
