African American consumers do not make their purchases lightly. We do our research. We have to. Grande Cosmetics makes big claims and after months of research, I agree with them all. I tested their GrandeMASCARA Conditioning Peptide Mascara and give it 10 out of 10.
Beauty standards are shifting, and well they should be. For far too long all women were told that White beauty standards were the mark of excellence. As women of color we know better, but companies didn’t offer a lot of choices for us then. Now we have better choices, even from mainstream brands that are stepping up their game.
Grande Cosmetics, while not a BIPOC-owned company, has created a product that genuinely works for our lashes. Their philosophy encourages individuals to treat themselves better each day, embracing small but impactful beauty rituals that promise long-term benefits.
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GrandeMASCARA Conditioning Peptide Mascara conditions while you coat! This exclusive mascara not only provides extreme volume and length, but is infused with a lash-loving blend of peptides, panthenols, and natural waxes. These key ingredients condition your lashes while you coat them to promote the appearance of healthier looking lashes over time. Easy to remove formula to prevent lash breakage while keeping the lashes flexible and strong
Coat the applicator and sweep brush from lash base to lash tips in an upward motion. Apply multiple coats for volume. May be removed with makeup remover or soap & water.
Natural Wax Blend creates a softer texture of beeswax helps to promote volume, while a harder carnauba wax helps to extend them to their full length
Peptides (Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17) conditions your brows and helps to prevent breakage
Vitamin B5 (Panthenol) helps strengthen and nourish hair
And I never miss an opportunity to highlight what makes the African American market so valuable to any brand. We make a significant market impact. In 2023, African-American consumer spending on beauty products amounted to $9.4 billion, representing a substantial portion of the overall beauty market. This outpaced overall market growth, making African American consumer spending in the beauty category show stronger growth in dollars, units, and household penetration compared to the overall market, and women, spend significantly more on beauty products compared to other ethnic groups. One study found they spend up to nine times more in the beauty industry.
So our persistent and consistent demand for inclusive products is a no-brainer for brands if they want to be profitable. We are driving demand and forcing them to understand the wide range of skin tones and hair textures.
While we should continue to prioritize supporting African American and Brown-owned brands, it’s also important to recognize when mainstream brands create products that truly work for us. And that support for Black-owned brands is crucial because despite representing 11.1% of the total US beauty market, African American beauty brands capture only 2.4% of revenue, indicating a significant gap in market representation.
And to these social media influencers where the White content creators are paid significantly higher than their African American, Afro Latino, and Latino counterparts — sometimes having fewer followers than their colleagues — it’s a clear issue of racism in action.
The facts are the facts. The research is the research. African American consumers, particularly those aged 18-34, are more likely to use social media to discover new beauty products.
We cannot let any brand off the hook. We must use our dollars to push for what we need and make future investors put their deep dollars into African American brands with the same vigor as they do for white, developing brand owned. At the same time, we should acknowledge when any brand, regardless of ownership, creates products that genuinely meet our needs.
Grande Cosmetics’ GrandeMASCARA Conditioning Peptide Mascara is an example of a product from a mainstream brand that delivers for African American consumers. As we continue to drive change with our purchasing power, it’s crucial to support brands that create effective products for us, while also pushing for greater representation and investment in Black-owned beauty brands. Let’s continue to demand excellence and inclusivity from the entire beauty industry, supporting products and brands that truly understand and cater to the African American consumer.
