The beauty boom of 2020-24 isn’t over, but it has changed character. Prestige sales just scraped along at zero growth in Q1 2025, while the mass channel inched ahead by +3 percent, its first lead in half a decade. Fragrance is still the sector’s life-of-the-party, propping up revenues even as price-sensitive shoppers trade down in basics.

We all squeezed the last drop out of that Lip Treatment Oil. We all chased that skin tint glow. Ami Colé wasn’t “for Black people only”; a Black founder built it to solve shade reality, and the results looked good on everybody. Yet the brand will close in September 2025 because the money, margins, and post‑DEI market didn’t match the love. One brand’s wind‑down cannot be used as shorthand to underfund an entire category.

If you think the next big beauty shift is coming from a glossy coastal boardroom, think again. It’s actually bubbling up in Chicago, where curl-crowned commuters and skincare obsessives are rewriting every rule of the game—and The Black Beauty Club just crunched the numbers to explain how.

For years, “dark skin doesn’t burn” echoed through barbershops and family cookouts, so why bother with sunscreen? But the dusty days of one-note lotion are over. From oil-serum “Sun Drops” to iridescent glitter sticks, brands have unleashed a full-on sun-care revolution.

The VMG Ventures Parity Collective Investor breaks down what actually makes a brand fundable in 2025 — and what still gets overlooked.

She’s demystifying the unwritten rules of capital — and making sure underestimated founders know how to move through them like they belong.

From beauty disruptor to business architect, Olamide Olowe is showing the industry what it really means to bet on culture — and win.

As the world around us shifts—politically, culturally, spiritually—Black women continue to lead. In beauty and beyond, our influence is not just visible, it’s transformative.

The inaugural Black Beauty Talks, held in honor of Black History Month, every moment was steeped in purpose and pride. At the heart of The Black Beauty Club is an unwavering commitment to community.

Let’s be real: the beauty industry was never designed to serve the full spectrum of consumers. It was built around one standard, one definition of luxury, one idea of who gets to be aspirational. Everyone else? An afterthought.

Vol. 1 jumpstarts the new year with exclusive conversations featuring some of our favorite beauty enthusiasts. Dive into their unique journeys, explore the ever-evolving beauty landscape through their eyes, and get a sneak peek at the exciting ventures they have planned for the year ahead.