Despite the statistics and stories that stretch back generations that will tell us leadership doesn’t come in color, still we rise and continue to show the world that we are the writers of our stories. With sisterhood and self-love at the core, Black Love is highlighting some of the women in the C-suite we most admire for their achievements for Women’s History Month. This month we honored media powerhouses; women in the sports world, Hollywood executives, and today – we’re closing out Women’s History Month with our favorite leaders in the beauty industry! Let’s honor these bosses, founders, and champions of creating a more diverse beauty landscape.
Sarah Curtis-Henry – Christian Dior, Chief Commercial Officer of Parfums
Sarah Curtis-Henry left Wall Street almost 20 years ago, and today she’s the chief commercial officer of Parfums of Christian Dior! Recently the proud Spelman alum told Essence, “Taking up that space is what drives me and makes me passionate about what I do, I don’t mind being the only one from time to time because that’s an opportunity for all of us.” In addition to her position with Christian Dior, the New York native continues to serve on the Board of Directors of The Fashion Institute of Technology Foundation and supports several local organizations. Keep reaching back while rising, Sarah!
Melissa Butler – The Lip Bar, Founder & CEO
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Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye – Ami Colé, Founder & CEO
Four years ago, Diarrha was a single woman who landed what she thought was her dream job at Glossier. Despite the safety net of her role, N’Diaye-Mbaye knew she was destined for more, and after years of research, she dreamed up what we now know as the clean beauty brand Ami Colé. In 2021, Diarrha raised $1 million in pre-seed funding, all while becoming a wife and mama! Ami Colé is named after her mother, Aminata, and is inspired by N’Diaye-Mbaye’s Senegal roots; and Born in Harlem, New York, where she grew up.
Recently, Black Love attended Ami Colé’s first in-person event celebrating the launch of their latest product, Desert Date Cream Multistick. Here’s what Diarrha shared with us about the road to Ami Colé and what advice she would give to Black girls wanting to dream big.
“My journey from an employee to an entrepreneur has been far from linear. In college, I worked as a Sephora cast member, helping people discover brands and products to perfect their beauty routines, fast forward to now, I’ve created a brand for women that look and feel like me that Sephora retails. My advice to little Black girls who want to create their own lane is to find your North Star – find ways to enhance what you already have versus needing to transform. I think there’s beauty in having the option to be who you are, be okay with that, and be enough as-is. It’s hard to explain, but be very much unapologetically proud to show who you are and trust in the process.”
Kleona Mack – Glossier, Chief Marketing Officer
After two years as SVP of Global Marketing & Product Development at Glossier, Kleona Mack has just been named chief marketing officer! With years working with L’Oreal under her belt, Mack came to Glossier with a dedication to beauty and has spearheaded incredible partnerships like Glossier’s collaboration with the WNBA to encourage voter registration via social media and Glossier’s retail stores. When Glossy asked Mack about her approach to evolving the brand, she said the community is the answer.
“It’s about continuing to lean into community, and also finding where people are having conversations [about beauty] and being at the forefront of those conversations. One example is the partnership we have with a coffee shop in Alfred. People in our L.A. community meet up at Alfred at Glossier Alley to have a drink, and it merges our online and offline communities. What sets us apart, and what we’ll continue to focus on in the future, is finding authentic, interesting stories to tell around people’s relationship with beauty and beauty in real life.” Keep soaring, Kleona!
Esi Eggleston Bracey – Unilever USA, President & Unilever Personal Care CEO
Ebony Power 100 recipient Esi Eggleston Bracey is president of Unilever’s USA business and CEO of Unilever’s Personal Care overseeing iconic brands such as Dove, SheaMoisture, Vaseline, and more. In tandem with her roles, Esi has championed Dove’s CROWN Coalition (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) and supported the CROWN Act, a California law that prohibits discrimination based on hairstyle and hair texture. Esi, thank you for your work to ensure Black women can be all of who we are in the workplace!
Sharon Chuter – UOMA Beauty, Founder & CEO
Sharon Chuter is a rebel with a cause, a seasoned beauty executive, and the founder of UOMA Beauty. UOMA means beautiful in Nigerian, and it’s an ode to Chuter’s proud African heritage and desire to rewrite inclusivity rules. With a product line featuring 51 shades to honor all skin tones, Chuter beauty has been listed by WWD as one of the 50 most forward-thinking (looking for the article to link here from WWD) executives shaping the future of the beauty industry! She is determined to bring individuality and uniqueness back into beauty, and in the words of Lizzo, it’s about time!
Taydra Mitchell Jackson – Sundial Brands, Chief Marketing Officer
Taydra Mitchell Jackson is the Chief Marketing Officer for Sundial Brands, a Black-built, Black-led, and Black-inspired company. Before joining the Sundial team, Mitchell Jackson led global brands such as Procter & Gamble, L’Oreal, and Revlon. Mitchell Jackson is responsible for end-to-end product innovation and 360o consumer engagement for SheaMoisture, Madame CJ Walker, and priority brands within the $300MM+ Sundial portfolio; talk about boss moves!
How does she do it? The FAMU alum says “I get up every day with an opportunity to ensure that our purpose shows up consistently in everything we do, from the products we make to the stories we tell.” Now that’s how you lead!
We hope that you’ve enjoyed learning about these powerhouses all month long! Continue to turn back to their stories for inspiration and know that you can break glass ceilings and achieve all you ever dreamed of — and more! Have a Black woman in the C-suite that you admire? Let us know in the comments so you can give them their flowers!
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