BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — For Dionne Phillips, her journey in the beauty industry began with a passion for lashes.

What You Need To Know

  • Statistics from McKinsey and Company show that black-owned beauty brands represent only 2.5% of industry revenue

  • Celebrity lash artist Dionne Phillips highlights the progress and challenges of minority-owned beauty brands

  • The Voices of Beauty Summit provided a platform for brands and entrepreneurs to come together

  • Ayesha Curry, founder of Sweet July Skin, emphasized the importance of sustaining progress for otherwise underserved communities

“I used to be a model from New York City, and I was cutting up lashes and applying them. And then I decided, you know, I can have every girl lashed out,” Phillips said.

Her expertise as a celebrity lash artist paved the way for her brand, D’Lashes, which has adorned the eyes of celebs like Serena Williams and Brandy. Despite her success, Phillips recognizes the obstacles faced by Black entrepreneurs in accessing resources and funding. “Sometimes we have a lack of resources of knowing where to get proper funding, how to find packaging for our products,” she explains.

Statistics from McKinsey and Company show that black-owned beauty brands represent only 2.5% of industry revenue, but Phillips acknowledges the progress made by minority-owned brands.

“We had to be creative. Making sure our credit is on point, finding those resources,” she said.

The recent Voices of Beauty summit in downtown LA provided some of those resources and a platform for brands and entrepreneurs to come together, share insights, and explore opportunities for collaboration.

Ayesha Curry, founder of Sweet July Skin, emphasized the importance of sustaining the progress.

“We have to make sure that it’s not some fleeting trend, that people are into the shoes of our everyday life,” she asserts.

Collaborative efforts and community support, she believes, are essential in driving lasting change.

Ron Robinson, a veteran cosmetic chemist and founder of BeautyStat Cosmetics, echoes this sentiment, highlighting the industry’s evolution toward embracing individuality.

“We can now really embrace our individuality and actually show that we can develop products and services that treat and address the needs of all types of consumers,” he observes.

Despite ongoing challenges, minority-owned beauty brands remain steadfast in their pursuit of a more inclusive and equitable industry. Looking ahead, Dionne hopes for a future where smaller brands receive equal exposure and opportunities.

“Once a smaller brand is seen, then opportunities are just limitless,” she envisions.