I am thrilled that I accepted the invitation to tune into Flawless Talks a Candid Conversation on the Evolution of Beauty hosted by Flawless by Gabrielle Union on August 12, 2020. This was a panel discussion featuring the one and only Gabrielle Union, celebrity hairstylist and co-founder of Flawless By Gabrielle Union, actress Essence Atkins, writer and image activist Michaela Angela Davis, and beauty industry executive Karonda Cook. Flawless Talks was hosted by Gia Peppers, an on-air talent and host of VH1’s Black Girl Beauty. The conversation was refreshing, inspirational, candid, and everything I didn’t know I needed. The tone was set from the very beginning as India Arie’s song I Am Not My Hair served as the introduction. As black women, we define ourselves not our hair, skin, or others’ expectations.
Karonda Cook Photo Credit: whosthebawse.com
Gia Peppers Photo Credit: Gia Peppers Instagram
What better time than now than to own our story as we have been silenced for so long. Flawless by Gabrielle Union was launched now because Union and Sims believed this was a perfect time, a time of reconciliation of black women’s journey, voices, and needs. The original launch date was February 2020, black history month which seemed perfect yet the trajectory of the country shifted and couldn’t be ignored. Flawless beauty offers texture specific salon products that are affordable and accessible. As a result of the pandemic, many women have been doing their hair at homes due to the lack of open salons and or safety concerns. Doing your hair at home doesn’t mean your hair doesn’t deserve to be hydrated, defined, repaired, and protected. Some of the ingredients providing hydration to your hair when using flawless products are Brazilian bacuri butter and lilac leaf extract. The products contain no sulfates, parabens, or silicones. Or as celebrity hairstylist, Larry Sims says your hair deserves spa treatments, steam treatments and to indulge in vacations!
Flawless has many definitions depending upon whom you ask. Flawless requires courage, honesty, vulnerability, authenticity, ownership, love, contentment, and façade free. Essence Atkins stated “Flawless is to be given permission, not for the sake of bolstering but healing. It allows one to say I am not perfect I am in the process.” Larry Sims adopted his perception from a friend, “Flawless is looking in the mirror every day and seeing your flaws less.” Flawless for Gabrielle Union means remaining true to yourself, being able to start over, being healthy, a journey to peace and joy, and being able to create that for other women.
Black women have been told many derogatory things concerning their hair, some of which are your hair is not good enough, and it doesn’t straighten well. Essence Atkins recalled going on set being the token black girl, having non-black stylists which resulted in dread, anxiety, intense stress feeling like an experiment, self-consciousness, not her best self, etc. As a result, she often worked in hats because covering her hair was “more appealing” than her hair. It was a process for her to unlearn the feelings of being less than because her hair texture wasn’t what Westernized society considered beautiful. Self-awareness was key for Essence to stop being her worst critic and become her best friend. She realized the accolades, awards, acknowledgments, and applause from anyone else wasn’t necessary. This allowed her to be herself and gives everyone else permission to be themselves because comparison was no longer apart of the equation.
Gabrielle Union recalls being told by other Black actresses to get her hair done prior to going on set. Yet she was an upcoming actress and needed the financial resources to be able to go to the beauty salon. She had no idea that once she went on set to get her hair styled there would be no products she recognized, no one that looked like her, and unqualified stylists. Union recalls having hairspray applied to her hair prior to a heating tool being used and smelling her hair burn, and it being stuck on the hair tool instead of on her head. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the executives of the project would begin asking what’s taking so long because time was ticking which costs money; which made Union and other black women the PROBLEM! When in reality they weren’t behaving as divas, asking for too much, or being oversensitive they desired equality and qualified stylists.
Michaela Angela Davis recalled similar experiences while in the newsroom at CNN because there was a certain look for the news. Davis went on to say black women became the problem because they never expected us, made plans for us or made room for us. Davis conveyed this perfectly, as a stylist if a prospective/hired talent comes into the room that you cannot service you shouldn’t be in that room. Davis was able to represent and inspire other black women wearing her afro because she was light-skinned. In order for us to be able to create space for ourselves, we must stop looking in the mirror for what’s wrong and embrace our beauty. Unfortunately, Sims and Union know all too well about how in Hollywood the qualified black stylists are overlooked and the young white stylists are hired. Inclusion and diversity in front of the lens does not equate to inclusion and diversity behind the scenes.
Can you imagine the amount of pressure they were under to not only look good externally but also feel good internally and perform well because this was your livelihood? Can you imagine the blow to their self-esteem because they were black girls yet they would never see representation of themselves? Can you imagine showing up to work daily actively fighting so that other black women would have a space, a voice, and some form of equality?
Karonda Cook served as the director of merchandising for Sally Beauty, the only person of color in a director role. She knows firsthand about standing her ground, changing their perspective, going against their business model, and begging them to trust her expertise because she saw no products on the shelves that she would use. Cook was able to bring in 1 product and the black community showed up and showed out causing the sales numbers to be in the double digits. This allowed Cook to bring in more products and gave her access to seats at tables and rooms which were once inaccessible to her. Don’t be afraid to speak up when you know that you are behaving selflessly and speaking on behalf of the black culture. Flawless Beauty will have a soft launch at Sally Beauty in September and a full launch in October.
Karonda Cook believes the future of black beauty is black entrepreneurship which is personalized. Black consumers are more likely to buy when they know the creator and their story. We must also ensure advocacy for the brands we know and love which may not be available in various retail stores. We must share our appreciation and experiences for the brands we know and love via social media and the brand’s websites so that others are aware. Essence Atkins believes we must be intentional and purposeful about where we spend our money as a loyal consumer base. We must also do our research to ensure that we are in alignment with the beauty brand/creative. Larry Sims believes we push forward with integrity and representation in a beautiful and flawless manner. Michaela Angela Davis believes we must continue being the beloved community and continue having the conversations everywhere. Gabrielle Union believes we push forward by not becoming complacent, holding the door open for others because there is enough sunlight for us all to shine!
We are all imperfect beings seeking perfection in some form or fashion. Flawless Beauty’s goal is to assist black women in looking flawless whether they are at home or on the television screen. Flawless beauty is creating spaces for black women where there are few or none. Flawless beauty aspires to change the negative narrative and perception which has been portrayed and experienced for far too long. Flawless Beauty will continue to push the movement of blackness forward by continuing the conversations, listening to the beloved consumer community, and the diverse beauty of black women allowing us to become our greatest selves.
Flawless Beauty is available at Amazon.com For the latest news regarding Flawless Beauty by Gabrielle Union check out the website www.flawlesscurls.com and follow them on Instagram at www.instagram.com/flawlessbygu
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