Glossier has announced the grantees of its 2024 UK Black Beauty Grant Programme in partnership with Black Girl Fest (BGF).
The millennial pink brand has awarded a £10K equity-free grant to five black-owned beauty businesses from BGF’s community to help fuel their growth.
BGF is the UK’s first arts and culture festival dedicated to black women, girls and non-binary people.
The 2024 grantees include Karen Olla, founder of fragrance lifestyle brand Oré Mi; and Phoebe Ellis, co-founder of Caribe Skin, a tanning range for melanin-rich skin.
Danielle Igor’s wigs and hair accessories business Igor Hair, Damilola Akinnaike’s wellness company Ami London and Natel Allen’s gel-polish brand Télle Moi are also winners.
In addition to funding, grantees will undergo a 12-week learning programme which will provide the founders with valuable exposure, mentoring and industry connections.
“Early-stage founders in the beauty industry need the right networks, knowledge and access to funding to thrive,” said Nicole Crentsil, founder and CEO of BGF.
“That is why we truly believe this programme will offer founders something impactful for both their personal and professional growth.”
Glossier and BGF were looking for early stage founders who were eager to scale their businesses and expand their network.
The two organisations said the number of applications had increased this year, with an “impressive” calibre of businesses entering.
“[It made] it difficult to choose only five brands”, said Roya Shariat, Glossier’s Director of Social Impact, “but we believe these founders are building the future of beauty.”
Glossier’s UK grant programme launched in 2023 after the success of the brand’s US version, which has partnered with more than 30 founders since 2020.
Previous UK winners include Therese M’Boungoubaya’s Koba Skincare; Roshanne Dorsett’s natural beauty brand The Glowcery and Ashleigh Alli’s vegan nail polish line Ashe London.
Glossier and BGF reported that 0.24% of UK venture capital investment went to black founders between 2009 and 2019, and only 0.02% of this went to black female founders.
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