Key Takeaways:
The beauty industry has always been a mirror. However, right now, what it reflects is an uncomfortable image. The slogans of inclusion have faded, and the performative gestures of 2020 have all but disappeared from storefronts and boardrooms. In its place stands an uneasy silence that seems to be punctuated by political rollbacks and shrinking opportunities. It is against this backdrop that A State of Black Beauty: An Industry Study as Told by Those Who Define It was built.
Spearheaded by Corey Huggins, founder of Ready to Beauty and a former L’Oréal executive, the report examines the professional and economic realities of Black professionals in beauty. This report not only covered founders but also executives, artists, and those who drive the industry from the inside. “We knew the tide was changing,” Huggins said to BeautyMatter. “There wasn’t much we could do about that, but we saw an opportunity and a white space in supporting the Black professional in beauty because there’s been no documentation of that experience. And that, to me, was astonishing.”
Conducted in partnership with Northeastern University, the study surveyed 138 professionals across multiple tiers of the industry. It captured a collective truth: Progress, though visible, has been precarious. It captured that equity, which used to be the herald of corporate imperatives, now feels conditional, almost like a privilege extended during moments of social pressure and withdrawn when political winds shift.
“The findings are clear,” said Huggins. “Microaggressions and gatekeeping remain the biggest challenges. But what struck us most was how people said they’re no longer waiting for permission to exist. They’re finding ways to thrive on their own terms.”
This sentiment runs throughout the data in the report. Eighty-two percent of respondents cited unconscious bias as a major barrier, followed by 67% naming gatekeeping in leadership, and 63% citing tokenism. Yet, rather than discouragement, the tone of the findings is defiant. “Equity has always been conditional,” one participant said in the report. “We must remember this and stay focused on our goals. Everything is cyclical. We must stand firm even when everything feels against us.”
It’s a perspective that feels especially relevant in the current climate. Following the rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across US corporations, a movement accelerated by political and cultural pushback, many Black professionals report not only a reduction in opportunity, but also a renewed sense of invisibility. “We asked people if they thought the DEI initiatives of the last few years were genuine or performative,” Huggins said. “Everyone said ‘performative.’ And I get it. People saw the statements, the donations, the brand partnerships during 2020, but none of that infrastructure was built to last.”
The numbers bear that out. Black-founded beauty brands, which once saw investment surge in the wake of the George Floyd protests, now receive less than 2% of venture funding. Many founders are again struggling to access capital, shelf space, and press attention, proof that inclusion without sustained economic impact is just another trend cycle.
Yet, even in contraction, innovation persists. The report noted that while participation in traditional trade shows has fallen, Black entrepreneurs are building their own ecosystems through pop-ups, digital activations, and community-led retail moments. “There’s this shift from chasing mainstream validation to creating alternative spaces,” Huggins explained. “We saw a Black founder [Stormi Steele] do $3 million in 36 hours over Black Friday through a warehouse pop-up. She made it a celebration, including entertainment, food, family, and product. It was grassroots, but it was powerful. It showed what’s possible when the spotlight is ours.”
Still, A State of Black Beauty doesn’t romanticize resilience. It exposes the exhaustion that comes from constant reinvention in an industry that remains structurally unequal. Nearly 70% of respondents reported experiencing burnout, anxiety, or stress due to racial dynamics at work. Many described the pressure of being “the only one,” expected to represent, educate, and perform simultaneously. “We even asked if people felt like they had to be the ‘super negro,’” Huggins said. “That one person everyone looks to for all the answers, and overwhelmingly, people said yes. That weight is immense.”
The study also touches on the enduring question of authenticity versus expansion. When asked whether appealing to white consumers is a necessary step for scale or a loss of cultural identity, responses were divided. “Black-led and Black-serving brands can absolutely achieve scale,” said Huggins. “But there’s uncertainty about the role of white consumers in fueling growth and long-term sustainability. It’s a delicate balance, and that includes staying authentic, while ensuring the business thrives.”
What’s clear is that the industry’s reliance on diversity as a PR strategy is no longer enough. “We have to work together in ways that create economic impact,” one respondent urged in the report. “When our finances are stronger, everything else will fall in line.” That economic collaboration, from joint purchasing and shared logistics to cross-brand partnerships, may represent the next frontier of Black beauty’s evolution.
For Huggins, this isn’t just theoretical. Earlier this year, he convened a gathering at the Whitney Museum during Amy Sherald’s American Sublime exhibition. “It was called ‘American, Black, and Beautiful,’” he said. “Never before had that many Black professionals from every sector—think founders, executives, artists—been in one room. It was a reminder that we’re powerful when we come together.”
That power, however, demands reimagining what progress looks like. If the post-2020 era was about visibility, Huggins argued, the next phase must be about ownership and infrastructure. “I’m less concerned with how the industry receives this report,” he said. “I’m more interested in what we do. Why can’t a lipstick brand partner with a haircare brand? Why can’t executives pool resources for packaging and supply? We need to work collaboratively, not competitively.”
In that sense, the DEI rollback may be both reckoning and renewal. It’s forcing Black beauty professionals to return to what they’ve always done best, and that is building outside the system when the system refuses to build for them. As the report concluded, “The goal is not just to be included in the industry but to reshape it entirely.”
That reshaping won’t come from hashtags or hollow diversity pledges. It will come from strategy, ownership, and community. And perhaps, as A State of Black Beauty is seeking to remind the industry, the future of beauty won’t be determined by those who once controlled the mirror but by those finally choosing to make their own.
