A black luxury beauty founder who provides dermatology care to the underserved
And how to stay safe & healthy this summer
Hi friends 👋,
Hope you had a good Fourth of July weekend! We will miss all the illegal fireworks that popped up every night for the past few months.
In today’s edition:
🚊 The incredibly powerful and uplifting story of Blair Armstrong, founder of GILDED BODY
💪 How to stay safe and healthy this summer, by Sarah Walton
Spotlight - Blair from GILDED BODY
Our main story today is about Blair Armstrong, the founder of GILDED BODY. They make luxury body skincare and are on a social mission to provide accessible dermatology care to underinsured women and girls.
It’s been gratifying to see her business gain a ton of exposure and grow rapidly with the BLM movement, and Blair got some well-deserved spotlight.
They have been featured in prominent sources like Essence, Oprah, and Forbes. I hope it doesn’t stop here - our work of supporting black founders has just started.
Blair, take us from here.
🚊 Why I started GILDED
I was working as a dermatology physician assistant, and people would ask me for product recommendations for dry skin or body acne. That’s how I started thinking about creating the products that I'd feel comfortable recommending to others.
I want to elevate the conversation around body skincare and create a product line that’s designed to provide effective options for women to incorporate body care routines into their wellness practices.
There's also a lack of people-of-color in the luxury beauty space, so I wanted to challenge the status quo by creating a brand in that space.
💡Why I created a dermatology care initiative
I'm passionate about providing care to underinsured women and girls in my area. And I keep going with the business because of that.
I trained at Emory University and encountered a lot of people who did not have access to healthcare. Dermatology is often seen as a luxury, and people have to spend months to see one and pay out of pocket.
We piloted our Care in Skincare initiative in the lowest income neighborhood in Atlanta earlier this year and are now offering virtual visits.
While most brands donate money to help communities, we want to go a step further by directly helping people in the most under-served communities.
💦 Challenges I face as a black founder
First of all, much of the beauty industry is dominated by people with connections; I encounter that barrier all the time. I have no network of people who I can bounce ideas with, so I have to figure things out on my own.
There’s a lack of people-of-color in this space.
I once spent $5k on a trade-show and got the best booth; none of the buyers came by my booth or even looked my way.
I'm hesitant to be the face of my brand because I’m worried that people will perceive it as a black brand.
That’s why I don’t put my pictures on the website.
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Blair’s story is a powerful and inspiring one. We’ll be doing a chat on Instagram Live on July 22 at 3pm ET. Join us by visiting our Insta pages @storey.line or @theartofbodycare!
How to stay safe this summer
Summer’s in full swing, and according to social media, some people are acting as if life is back to normal - anyone seeing an uptick in surprise birthdays, beach days, and outdoor bar gatherings?
While some people are catching waves at the beach, the second wave of COVID-19 seems like a possibility, and many are still worried about resuming their usual activities.
We’ve done some research, and here’s what you need to know about what you should be doing to contribute to the safety of yourself and others!
What Activities are Riskiest? Low → High Risk
Camping or Exercising Outdoors: Low
Beach or Pool Day: Low
BYO food/drink Picnic: Low to Medium
10+ Guests at Outdoor Celebration: Medium to High
Getting a Haircut: Medium to High
Indoor Religious Events: High
Want to see a more comprehensive list of risks with explanations? Check out NPR’s breakdown of how to assess risks + make your summer safer!
What YOU Can Do!
Wear a mask, wear a mask, wear a mask - this is the most effective way to lower the risk of spreading or contracting COVID-19
Wash your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds before eating, after going out, and after touching high-contact surfaces
Continue practicing social distancing and staying 6ft apart or more from others outside of your household
Research the regulations for your state, and if you have concerns, call the business in question to ask them what safety steps have been taken!
Understandably, not having physical contact from loved ones for a prolonged period of time can be difficult, and the CDC knows the mental health toll this can take. Check out their guide to coping with stress at this time.
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In the second half of the article, Sarah shared with us her personal account of what it was like to battle COVID herself.
At StoreyLine, our mission is to empower mission-driven, daring brands to tell their inspiring stories and empower consumers to discover and connect with these brands both online and in real life.
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See you next week,
Minette