Debbi Barber is a highly successful entrepreneur and co-founder of the innovative Vitali Regenerative Skin Care company. After 37 years as the head of a direct-marketing firm serving global nonprofit brands, Debbi embraced the opportunity to come out of retirement and create a product that she believed would benefit countless individuals. Her inspiration to develop this product stemmed from her experiences with peptides and their remarkable effects on her health and skin. Dr. Suzanne Turner, one of the leading authorities in the field of peptide research, was Debbi's mentor and teacher - introducing her to GHK-Cu as an effective way to treat crepey skin. With her husband's admiration for GHK-Cu's incredible healing powers, Debbi set out to create a more cost-effective, high-quality product of this blue peptide that could be accessible to all.  Through extensive research and study, Debbi has become known as an expert in peptides and the optimization of health and skin. She now serves as a resource in her weekly blog posts, which are greatly appreciated by skincare enthusiasts and professionals worldwide. It is thanks to Dr. Suzanne Turner that Debbi has been able to make her dream happen, and she continues her journey toward helping others achieve healthy, radiant skin with Vitali Regenerative Skin Care! 

Xi Huang, B.S., M.S., Ph.D. is the founder and president of FE:I Beauty Tech, Inc., the parent company of i-On® Age Disrupting Skincare, a groundbreaking new beauty brand featuring proprietary age-disrupting technology stemming from over three decades of research. With work credited in more than 80 publications, Dr. Huang is one of the world’s leading researchers on the correlation between iron levels and health. As part of his extensive research, Dr. Huang found that excess iron is an important risk factor in women’s health. In studying the implications of high iron build up during and after menopause, Dr. Huang discovered that the amount of ferritin (an iron storage protein with a capacity of binding up to 4,500 molecules of iron per molecule of ferritin) accumulated in the skin increased by 40% during the 10-year transition period from pre-menopause to post-menopause. Knowing that skin is the largest organ of the human body and the human body can only excrete iron through menstruation and desquamation (skin peeling), he focused his next phase of research on whether the higher levels of iron were caused by the cessation of menstruation or hormonal changes, ultimately proving that excess iron caused by the cessation of menstruation is a root cause of skin aging. Having established iron in ferritin as a key root cause of skin aging, in 2012, Dr. Huang began the difficult work of developing a topical product that could remove excess iron from skin without affecting the essential iron needed by the body. Building upon some of his earlier discoveries around iron levels and health, Dr. Huang developed De-Ironizing Inducer (DII®) Technology, which does what no free-radical antioxidant can do: reduces the iron to a form capable of exfoliation, releases the iron from ferritin, the iron binding protein in skin, removes the iron naturally before it can cause skin rusting, repairs previous past damage, and rebuilds collagen, clarity, elasticity and tone to restore skin’s healthy appearance.Dr. Huang’s early work—for which he earned master’s and PhD degrees in toxicology and applied pharmacology at the Université Paris VII—focused on environmental and occupational medicine in which he identified bioavailable iron in coals as a major active compound in black lung disease. It is in this work that Dr. Huang made the important discovery that calcite naturally found in certain coals, such as those from Utah and Colorado, inhibits the bioavailability of iron, resulting in lower incidence of black lung disease. This discovery of a compound able to safely inhibit the harmful effects of iron helped lead to the creation of DII® Technology. In addition to leading FE:I Beauty Tech, Dr. Huang is an active participant in the research and innovation communities. He has been a reviewer for more than 30 peer-reviewed journals, including The Lancet, among the most respected and influential medical journals in the world, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Science and Cancer Research. He also serves as the chief technology officer of Ex Vivo Dynamics, Inc., where he guides the development of a medical device that will improve blood transfusions.# # #

Natalie Novak's quest for safe, high-performance skincare began in 1987. While managing the counter of a high-end skincare brand in California, there was a devastating earthquake. When she returned to work, less than 5 hours after the earthquake, the skincare products from the broken bottles had completely eaten through the carpet and padding.Becoming a certified aesthetician and master-organic gardener as she dedicated herself to uncovering the truth about how these toxins were actually affecting the skin, and sought holistic solutions. Natalie's mastery of organics, soil nutrients, and industry knowledge as a celebrity aesthetician, led her to co-developing KPS Essentials’ line of grounding-sensory skincare to effectively restore the skin and empower clients to return to homeostasis.

Amy Batra received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Temple University – graduating with honors. She has 20 years of experience in start-up companies and big pharma including companies such as Bausch & Lomb, Sanofi Aventis, Merz and Johnson & Johnson. Her core expertise includes aesthetics, dermatology, regenerative and functional medicine in roles ranging from sale professional to management. She successfully developed and launched new products and created a highly successful model for physician training under Continuing Medical Education (CME). Over the last 10 years, she has worked side-by-side with her husband and business partner, Sanjay Batra.

Darnell Henderson was serving in the U.S. Navy when he discovered the need for quality men’s skincare. The requirement to shave daily, combined with grueling physical and mental demands, left his skin looking inflamed and irritated. As a fit and ambitious young man, this was not the image he wanted to present. So, he set out to develop a solution that would allow him to look and feel his best.Darnell understood that there were a lot of other men who faced similar skin issues and wanted to look better but did not know where to start. Upon returning to civilian life, Darnell started doing research as well as getting regular facials and treatments. He discovered a growing world of men’s skin care. Through his research, Darnell learned that most male’s skin and lifestyle choices differ than females’ and should be treated as such. Working with some of the most accomplished chemists and skincare experts in the world, Darnell began curating the male-specific ingredients and treatment regimens that gave birth to H.I.M.In 2004, Darnell officially launched Healthy Image Men - H.I.M Grooming Center, where customers could experience facials, hot towel shaves, and skincare treatment. Men experienced skincare results from H.I.M-istry Naturals™ products that they could not achieve with unisex products. Over the years, H.I.M-istry Naturals™ has partnered with nationwide brands, including Nordstrom & Amazon

Amy Batra received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Temple University – graduating with honors. She has 20 years of experience in start-up companies and big pharma including companies such as Bausch & Lomb, Sanofi Aventis, Merz and Johnson & Johnson. Her core expertise includes aesthetics, dermatology, regenerative and functional medicine in roles ranging from sale professional to management. She successfully developed and launched new products and created a highly successful model for physician training under Continuing Medical Education (CME). Over the last 10 years, she has worked side-by-side with her husband and business partner, Sanjay Batra.

Dr. Batra obtained his PhD in medical physiology from the University of Ottawa, Canada and completed post-doctoral training in Japan and Switzerland. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and also a former Adjunct Professor at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Sanjay has 25 years of global healthcare and entrepreneurial experience in start-ups, biotech and large pharma including 10 years in the Johnson & Johnson family of companies, culminating as Vice President, R&D Pharmaceuticals, Asia-Pacific and Japan. In his career Dr. Batra has been directly involved in over 80 clinical trials in all phases of development. He started VIAS Partners in 2013 with the aspiration to take his diverse experiences and global network to partner with entrepreneurs and companies to advance their business with value, innovation and strategy.

With a background in advertising and a passion for skincare and all things beauty, Rachel founded Intoxicated Cosmetics with the idea that injectables don't have to be the only anti-aging skincare solution on the market. Using unique and top of the line ingredients, Intoxicated Cosmetics was able to create completely custom formulas along with their US-based FDA regulated biochemical company. Rachel is also a licensed Esthetician in the state of Massachusetts.

Dr. Batra obtained his PhD in medical physiology from the University of Ottawa, Canada and completed post-doctoral training in Japan and Switzerland. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and also a former Adjunct Professor at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Sanjay has 25 years of global healthcare and entrepreneurial experience in start-ups, biotech and large pharma including 10 years in the Johnson & Johnson family of companies, culminating as Vice President, R&D Pharmaceuticals, Asia-Pacific and Japan. In his career Dr. Batra has been directly involved in over 80 clinical trials in all phases of development. He started VIAS Partners in 2013 with the aspiration to take his diverse experiences and global network to partner with entrepreneurs and companies to advance their business with value, innovation and strategy.

Dr. Xi’s early work—for which he earned master’s and PhD degrees in toxicology and applied pharmacology at the Université Paris VII—focused on environmental and occupational medicine in which he identified bioavailable iron in coals as a major active compound in black lung disease. It is in this work that Dr. Huang made the important discovery that calcite naturally found in certain coals, such as those from Utah and Colorado, inhibits the bioavailability of iron, resulting in lower incidence of black lung disease. This discovery of a compound able to safely inhibit the harmful effects of iron helped lead to the creation of DII® Technology.In addition to leading FE:I Beauty Tech, Dr. Huang is an active participant in the research and innovation on communities. He has been a reviewer for more than 80 peer-reviewed journals, including the Lancet, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science and Cancer Research. From Dr Xi - I am a researcher, professor, and author on more than 80 publications and have been a reviewer for more than 30 peer-reviewed journals, including the Lancet, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Cancer Research, etc. For three decades, my research has focused on uncovering the associations between excess iron and human diseases. My early work focused on environmental and occupational medicine where I identified bioavailable iron in Appalachian coals (e.g., West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky) as a major active compound in black lung disease. Because skin is the largest organ of the human body and iron in the human body is excreted through skin peeling, I have extensively investigated the role of iron in skin aging and photo-aging, demonstrating that iron is an important risk factor in women’s health and that iron accumulation resulting from the cessation of menstruation after menopause contributes to osteoporosis and skin aging. Having established iron as a root-cause of skin aging and photo-aging, I developed De-Ironizing Inducer (D.I.I.) Technology which can safely neutralize excess excreted iron in skin to prevent the causes of aging. I’ve founded a company, Fe:I Beauty Tech, to develop and market its i-On brand skin care products that inactivate iron in skin and keep skin healthy and young-looking longer.I am a researcher, professor, and author on more than 80 publications and have been a reviewer for more than 30 peer-reviewed journals, including the Lancet, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Cancer Research, etc. For three decades, my research has focused on uncovering the associations between excess iron and human diseases. My early work focused on environmental and occupational medicine where I identified bioavailable iron in Appalachian coals (e.g., West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky) as a major active compound in black lung disease. Because skin is the largest organ of the human body and iron in the human body is excreted through skin peeling, I have extensively investigated the role of iron in skin aging and photo-aging, demonstrating that iron is an important risk factor in women’s health and that iron accumulation resulting from the cessation of menstruation after menopause contributes to osteoporosis and skin aging. Having established iron as a root-cause of skin aging and photo-aging, I developed De-Ironizing Inducer (D.I.I.) Technology which can safely neutralize excess excreted iron in skin to prevent the causes of aging. I’ve founded a company, Fe:I Beauty Tech, to develop and market its i-On brand skin care products that inactivate iron in skin and keep skin healthy and young-looking longer.

Gabriel Taylor is a beauty-industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience as a cosmetics executive, luxury resort/spa executive, and licensed aesthetician.  Throughout his career, Taylor worked for some of the world’s most prestigious beauty brands, including the Estée Lauder Companies and Procter and Gamble. From 2011 to 2015, Taylor served as Director of Retail and Education for Mally Beauty where he spearheaded the brand’s launch into Ulta Beauty; as well as representing the brand on QVC in the US and abroad and leading the company’s retail sales division.  Following his work as a cosmetics executive, Taylor began consulting and working with spas located within world-class resorts. He brought his extensive experience in luxury, Forbes Five-Star, Four-Star and AAA Five-Diamond properties to his role as Spa Director at The Ocean House in Rhode Island. His previous work with the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa helped the Northern Nevada destination achieve the Forbes Four-Star designation in 2016, the only property in the state outside of Las Vegas to hold this rating.Earlier in his career, Taylor worked as an aesthetician for the Remede Spa at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City. In addition, he served in education roles for Clinique Labs and Origins for the Estée Lauder Companies. Taylor received his Aesthetics license in the State of New York after graduating from the Christine Valmy International School in Manhattan where he is currently an adjunct professor specializing in spa ownership and management, including his professional development seminar series for aestheticians. He is a graduate of the Conservatory for Dramatic Arts in New York.

Natalie Pergar brings 29 years of hands-on experience as an accredited esthetician to Eminence Organic Skin Care and the esthetics industry. Voted third finalist in the American Spa Professional’s Choice Awards 2019 for ‘Educator & Trainer of the Year,’ Natalie is passionate about organic skin care and wellness and is always excited to share her trade secrets. Natalie is proud to have been with Eminence for over 20 years and regularly shares her extensive knowledge of skin care and organic solutions in her dual role as Lead Skin Care Trainer and Senior Product Education Specialist. With her friendly expert approach, Natalie has naturally become one of the trusted faces of the brand, conducting in-depth product trainings for fellow estheticians and Eminence Spa Partners around the world. She regularly offers expert insights in numerous print and digital publications and shares her knowledge through Eminence’s social media platforms including the hit YouTube series “In The Mix”. Natalie is thrilled to be an integral part of the multi-award-winning Eminence team, practicing her passion and sharing her knowledge and experience across all areas of the brand.

Brian Goodwin is an award-winning International Educator for Eminence Organic Skin Care. As a Master Medical Esthetician, Master Herbalist and Consultant, Brian leverages over 15 years of spa industry experience to bring fun, engaging education worldwide, training over 50,000 spa professionals throughout his career. Voted ‘Favorite Brand Educator’ in DERMASCOPE’s 2019 Aestheticians' Choice Awards, Brian has delivered influential trainings which continue to raise the bar for professional education and garner worldwide peer recognition. Goodwin is a member of DERMASCOPE magazine's editorial advisory board and is published as an author for featured articles in DERMASCOPE magazine, Skin Inc, DAYSPA and American Spa magazines, as well as other industry-leading publications. He has educated and consulted more than 2,000 distinguished spas and has notably been invited to deliver keynotes at major industry events across North America. Brian embraces every opportunity to share his passion and guide industry professionals on their path to success.

Kelly Perkins is an innovator at heart. After reading an article in the early 90s, she was horrified to learn about chemicals like Triclosan, an antibacterial agent that is a hormone inhibitor and linked to cancer. Finding brands that were truly clean was hard, so she learned to make her own plant-based soap and skincare from an apothecary book. Friends and family fell in love with the formulations, scents, and the cheeky, vintage-inspired branding. She began selling her skin, hair, and bath products at markets & branded pop-up shops, and from there Spinster Sisters was born in 2012. Kelly has led the brand to national distribution in retailers across the USA & Canada and online at spinstersistersco.com Today, Spinster Sisters is on a mission to reduce plastic consumption, focusing on sustainability and consumer education. Kelly's newest Free From innovation is a line of solid, water-free bars for face, body, and hair in plastic-free packaging.

Born in India and transplanted to Australia at 11 years old, Suzanne Dawson learned the struggles and rewards of starting over at an early age. That formative experience gave Suzanne the fearless confidence needed to become a successful beauty business entrepreneur and innovator.Suzanne was an early advocate of natural remedies, wellness and self-care. She developed her belief in the power of plant-based therapies into one of Australia’s first natural beauty brands, Enliven, which harnessed the transformative power of essential oils.Her career path eventually led her to Aveda, which she launched in the Australian marketplace. Aveda’s natural, socially and environmentally responsible culture was a natural fit for Suzanne and she soon relocated to the U.S. and assumed a key leadership role in the organization, Vice President of Global Marketing and Innovation. Over the course of eleven years, she launched some of the most innovative natural products, advanced the mission of the company and helped grow Aveda into a very successful global business. Aveda also introduced her to Emmanuel Rey, her husband and YUNI’s co-founder.Suzanne reconnected with Yoga that had been part of her early childhood, as a way to create more balance in her life. Her powerful example quickly converted her husband to the practice and culminated in their Ashtanga Yoga teacher certification in 2012. After moving to California, Suzanne has continued to work in key leadership positions as CMO of Murad, CEO of OleHenriksen, Chief Community Officer of YogaWorks, growing these iconic global brands and cultivating her deep passion for beauty and wellness. Today, Suzanne continues to work in the beauty industry, while Emmanuel leads YUNI Beauty with his passionate team in Hermosa Beach, CA.

Based in North Vancouver, Patrice Mousseau is a conscious entrepreneur and the owner/creator of Satya Organic Skin Care. Patrice is also a proud single mom and Anishinaabe member of Fort William First Nation.Patrice’s determination to change the world through business began by accident. For years, she was a news anchor for leading television & radio stations in Canada, but that all changed when her baby girl Esme began suffering from eczema at only 8-months old.Today, Satya has helped thousands of skin warriors around the world access clean, effective skin relief.

As eu2be founder and CEO, Charla Jones has created a collection of award-winning skincare products designed to honor all bodies and skin types and transform how we care for our skin. She is on a quest to illuminate the essential nature of beauty and wellness in our lives.Creativity and hard work form a thread that runs through all that Charla does. Likewise, the brand’s proprietary rare blends of natural carrier oils are themselves substantial and hardworking. Building on her lifelong passion for the arts and cultural experiences, the Boston-based entrepreneur serves on the boards of three forward-looking arts organizations: the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, the Boston public art curator Now + There, and New York Live Arts, home to the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company.From her world-traveling aunt Eugenia — for whom eu2be is named — to her maternal grandmother, who hosted the likes of B.B. King at her Midwestern speakeasy, Charla draws inspiration from highly creative, hardworking and entrepreneurial women. And she credits her caretakers for the idea that one’s labor creates value and beauty in the world.Before founding eu2be, her entrepreneurial career spanned endeavors ranging from small businesses to blue-chip Fortune 500 brands, and in 1998 she built an independent creative marketing agency from the ground up. Establishing offices and building teams in Boston and Paris, she worked hands-on with tech-company clients to devise their business strategies, product launch plans and marketing communications programs.In 2012, when her entrepreneurial instincts led her to recognize the unmet needs of highly discerning and wellness-minded people like herself, she created a brand that would embody an ethos of caring for the skin you live in — not just the face you present to the public. An avid collector of art and books, Charla’s passions extend to photography — often crafting and shooting images for Eu2Be — cooking, street fashion, travel and spending time in nature.

Briana Brumer is the founder and CEO of LIPSMART. Her entrepreneurial heritage stems from her father, renowned inventor and chemist Julius Kay, founder of Lambert Kay, Inc. At a young age, Briana learned to identify opportunities and the complexities of creating products that provide solutions, which fostered her involvement in a number of companies as a venture capitalist and partner. She has continued her passion in product development with her creation: LIPSMART.After years of discomfort due to dry and irritated lips, even struggling to sleep through the night, despite trying an array of lip products, nothing provided the relief Briana needed. That’s what drove her to embark on a path of innovation. She was relentless in developing a solution designed to capture and retain moisture ensuring that lips stay hydrated for hours, resulting in visibly fuller, smoother, and healthier looking lips, all within a minute.After realizing she wasn’t alone, Briana searched for the highest quality of lipids, ceramides, and peptides to create a solution that was a magnet for moisture retention. LIPSMART was groundbreaking – the all-in-one treatment resulted in smoother, tighter, fuller looking lips, while healing the driest of lips even from culprits like prescription medications and injections. Beauty enthusiasts loved that the medical industry jumped on board!True to her heritage and after much research, Briana developed LIPSMART with her chemist, and launched it into the Cos Bar chain for test marketing and still today remains their number one lip solution. LIPSMART is now a global brand and has expanded its presence to over 5000 luxury beauty, spa wellness, dermatology, and medical establishments throughout the United StatesAlongside her passions for business, Briana maintains her involvement in charitable organizations. She lives in Miami, Florida where she directs the LIPSMART team.

Dana Oliver is committed to celebrating and amplifying Black women’s voices in the beauty industry. She has over 13 years of experience as an editor, writer and on-camera talent, reporting on fashion and beauty news, writing trend features and producing expert-driven videos.In her tenure as Beauty Director at Yahoo, Dana launched their first-ever Diversity in Beauty Awards and hosted My Beauty, My Way, a video series where women of all different ages and backgrounds including award-winning actress and producer Tracee Ellis Ross, Carol’s Daughter founder Lisa Price and tennis star Sloane Stephens explained what beauty truly means to them.Dana was most recently the Senior Director of Content and Communications at StyleSeat, the premier destination for discovering and booking beauty services and professionals. She oversaw brand vision, messaging and experience across multiple content marketing channels, including website, blog, social media and video. In 2019, Dana debuted her very own beauty, wellness and self-care blog called Beauty for Breakfast, where she shares her honest and thought-provoking reflections as a plant-based mom who inspects cosmetic labels more carefully.

With nearly three decades of experience in aesthetics and skincare, Vee Mistry is a force to be reckoned with in the beauty industry. Born and raised in the UK, Vee's journey has taken her from London and Paris to New York and now Toronto, where she operates SKINBYVEE®, a private facial studio. Her holistic approach to skincare considers not just the skin but the whole person. Vee considers factors that are often overlooked: gut health, stress, and lifestyle, to name a few. Vee's unique facial massage techniques and cryotherapy focus set her apart, offering clients a red-carpet-ready glow with no downtime.

Ron Webb’s journey to the skincare industry began with his work as an aeronautical engineer at The Boeing Company. Decades of experience in aerospace technology development paired with his innovative spirit, history with plant-drug research, and holistic animal wound care all guided him along his path to inventing KPS Essentials’ proprietary DermaNū Technology®.Together, Natalie and Ron combined their unique knowledge-bases to create an advanced-skincare solution rooted in experience and innovation. The KPS Experience is designed to stimulate your senses and gently guide your presence back into your body to soothe your nervous system. Our products simultaneously hyper-nourish with powerful, bioavailable ingredients to address the root-cause of skin conditions and return the body to homeostasis.

Surbhee has over 20 years of experience working in retail, consumer, and luxury companies across Asia, Europe, and the US. She started her career in personal care in India with industry leaders such as L’Oreal and Marico Industries before moving to New York to work with the global consulting firm Booz Allen, Hamilton - where she advised leading luxury and consumer companies on growth and innovation – all of which played a tremendous part in her entrepreneurial journey. Being an avid traveler, explorer, and rainbow chaser, Surbhee enjoys capturing moments and crafting stories. Love, Indus helps celebrates Surbhee's two homes – India and New York. The brand evokes a journey fueled by nostalgia, culture, energy, and innovation that manifests itself in all that we do.

For more than 20 years, Jenette has been the lead esthetician and founder of Being in LA, a sacred space of vibrational skincare bliss in Los Angeles. Jenette is a veritable encyclopedia of knowledge regarding botanicals that have been used for centuries as well as the potency and miraculous properties of herbs and other natural ingredients. Most importantly, she’s a virtuoso at alchemizing all of this bounty into exceptional, sophisticated, and all-natural skincare solutions. Rachel McAdams, Emma Watson, and celebrity MUA Katey Denno all trust Jenette with their skin treatments.Some topics she can target for you include: Hyperpigmentation How microplastics affect skin Teen and adult acne How Hormones Affect Skin Treating skin while traveling Laser hair removal Dos and don’t of shaving for men and women Understanding ingredients in skincare Sustainability in the beauty industry

Genevieve Dolan is the founder and CEO of Vieve’s Leaves. After graduating from the College of Charleston, Genevieve began her career in a Client Service role at a finance firm in Chicago. After learning all things numbers and spreadsheets, she continued into an operations role at an automotive startup. Craving creativity and energy, Genevieve then began working with one of Chicago’s finest event planning firms, All Things Party. The nature of the job’s long hours paid off, as Genevieve became highly skilled in managing client expectations, small business administration and having a critical eye for detail. In 2020, after a combination of professional burnout and the impacts of the pandemic on the events’ industry, Genevieve turned her attention to Vieve’s Leaves after successfully incorporating hemp-derived products into her daily routine. To date the brand has grown to include multiple products available online and in various retail locations around the country. Whether it’s managing a big event, volunteering at her local hospital (Shirley Ryan Ability Lab), chairing a non-profit auxiliary board (MetroSquash) or leading her team as CEO of Vieve’s Leaves, Genevieve has learned the meaning of leadership and management, and even in the toughest of situations, always finds a way to encourage positivity for herself and those around her.

Former beauty writer and lifestyle/entertainment editor, branded content at Refinery29. / Former beauty freelancer at The Zoe Report, Elite Daily, ESSENCE. / Former beauty writer at INSIDER/Business Insider. Former marketing, Us Weekly.As a former NYC editor who got started in beauty, Brianna has been privileged to test and write about countless amazing products — many of them created by Black women, yet none dealing with her favorite accessory: fragrance. Which is unfortunate, given the fact that Black women spend so much on perfumes year-over-year, and generally speaking, account for almost a quarter of the total U.S. market. When the time came for her to move on and forge a new career path, she knew she had to do something about it. But what she didn't know was how hard launching in this industry can be when you lack the contacts, resources, and funds readily available to others. MOODEAUX and Black In Fragrance are her vision and hope for change.

Fernanda Gomes is CEO & Co-founder of award-winning clean beauty nail and skin wellness brand: TERRA Beauty Bars & VIBES Beauty. She is a certified and licensed product formulator & cosmetic manufacturer with over a decade of strategic sales, marketing, operations, project management and Clean Beauty Manufacturing experience. Gomes is a motivator with a thorough understanding of goals, B2B / B2C channels and customer relationships, strategy and company metrics. A US Army Veteran that demonstrates competence and poise in any environment, Gomes is inspired by great work, positive social impact, moving the needle and forging great relationships.From beauty, hospitality, destination, technology to consumer goods, Gomes has successfully formulated, launched and managed brands and projects with an ultimate focus on innovation, meaningful connections, consumer engagement, digital and analog experiences.

Limor Weinberg began her long career in aesthetics as an esthetician almost 20 years ago and is a proud graduate of the University of Miami with her Masters in Nursing. Believing in continued education and keeping up with new and cutting edge techniques, Limor has attended numerous trainings all over the globe and is a certified master injector from the highly prestigious Derma Clinic in London.As a board-certified nurse practitioner specializing in aesthetics, she has incorporated the very best techniques from all over the world including Europe and South America; creating a diverse clinical experience for both her patients as well as the countless number of students who attend her trainings.Limor founded The Clinic USA in 2020 because she found a huge need in the industry for intimate, boutique style training options. She understands that aesthetic injecting is an art form and attention must be paid to even the smallest details. Details are what make her trainings different from others. Truly believing in “community over competition” she loves mentoring, guiding and helping new injectors navigate the competitive field of aesthetics.As the owner of The Clinic USA, Limor trains both novice and experienced aesthetic providers on her popular "Lip Mapping" technique, which she is well known for in the industry; as well as various injectable treatments which make her one of the leading aesthetic injectors and trainers in the country. In the past year, Limor has spoken at countless conferences most notable mentions are Aesthetic Next, Cult Aesthetics and IAFA. She is also the author of several published training manuals and is in the process of collaboration with a list of "Who's Who" in the industry on additional published works.Born in Israel and growing up in New York, Limor has always had an affinity for aesthetics and for teaching. With her over 20 years of experience, and her extensive training in Europe by top leaders in the industry, she loves sharing her knowledge and passion about anything and everything related to skin care and anti-aging treatments. Her distinct eye and blending of techniques has garnered her awards as one of The Top 100 Best Aesthetic Injectors in America for 3 years in a row and has quickly made The Clinic USA the go to training facility in the United States.ESTHETIC LICENSE (FL) 2005BACHELOR IN NURSING 2012ADVANCED NEUROTOXIN & DERMAL FILLER TECHNIQUE 2012MICRONEEDLING/ PRP 2015MASTERS IN NURSING 2016BOARD CERTIFICATION 2016NEUROTOXIN CERTIFICATION 2016EVERLASTING BROWS UK (Microblading/Shading) 2016NOVA THREAD LIFT CERTIFICATION 2017SYNERON CANDELA LASERS (Yag/Alexandrite/CO2) 2017DERMA MEDICAL TRAINING ACADEMY 2018RUSSIAN LIP TRAINING 2020CULT AESTHETICS (Speaker) 2021TOM VAN EIJK ACADEMY 2022FULL FACE FILLERS & RUSSIAN LIPS TRAINING 2022ROHRER AESTHETICS LASERS (Spectrum/Pico/Pixel8) 2023DERMAL MEDICAL ARTISTIC FACIAL TRANSFORMATION 2023

French-born and one of nine siblings, Rey obtained a degree in engineering in agronomics (agricultural engineering). This technical academic expertise paired with social and political consciousness led Rey to Cameroon and The Ivory Coast, West Africa, where he worked as a cocoa and coffee-buyer in the bush. Rey began to develop his dedication to a win-win-win business model, starting by teaching traditional growers on their small plantations how to produce premium quality product more effectively, increasing the monetary value of their crops as well as empowering them as independent business-people. Leveraging his intimate knowledge of cocoa production, Emmanuel moved to the Netherlands to become a cocoa trader. His personal connection to the people and places behind the commodities gave him a unique perspective. The experience deepened his awareness of exploitative practices in worldwide markets and revealed an emerging opportunity to create products for people who were seeking ethically sourced goods.After earning his MBA, Emmanuel began his career in the international beauty business and spent 10 years at L'Oreal where he ended as tenure as General Manager for L'Oreal Paris in Portugal. Searching for a way to use his beauty experience as a path to expressing his belief that ecological and profit goals are mutually achievable, Emmanuel joined Aveda. Quickly rising to the position of Senior Vice President and General Manager for Aveda North America, Emmanuel was instrumental in developing Aveda into a natural, sustainable and profitable brand.After leaving Aveda to focus on personal growth, Emmanuel intensified his long standing passion for yoga and became certified as an Ashtanga yoga teacher. His experience as a “yogi” gave him new insights regarding the needs of people who strive to make mindfulness a part of their active lifestyle and YUNI was born from those insights.

Emilie Mascarell is a French beauty executive with over 15 years of industry experience. She has worked for top-tier companies such as L'Oréal and Estee Lauder, and spent a decade leading product development at Le Labo. As the founder of Emilie Consulting, a New York-based consulting agency, she specializes in fragrance and beauty product strategy and development, helping businesses bring their vision to fruition. 

Dr. Paul specializes in both adult and pediatric dermatology. Her clinical interests range from general dermatology including acne, hyperpigmentation, eczema, psoriasis to skin cancer treatment and surgical dermatology as well as cosmetics including botox, chemical peels, micro-needling and lasers. Aside from seeing patients daily, Dr Paul is dedicated to patient advocacy and education on evidence-based medicine in dermatology, especially for skin of color. She has published several articles in top medical journals, such as Nature and Science, and has also been featured in media and various beauty and lifestyle publications including Insider, Huff Post, The Washington Post and Elle Magazine. She has a social media following of more than 325K followers across platforms such as Instagram and TikTok where she educates and raises awareness on skincare and skin related issues. Dr Paul serves on the advisory boards of several innovative companies and works with leading skincare brands.Born and raised in a small town in India, Dr Paul moved to the United States after high school for her medical training. She received her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a joint MD from Harvard Medical School and MIT, followed by her dermatology residency at the University of Miami, where she was a chief resident. She has volunteered in medicine in multiple countries including Haiti, India, Kenya, Canada and the United States,In her free time, she enjoys running, hiking, travelling and spending time with her two little kids, husband and pup named Mochi.

Jan, our visionary entrepreneur, passionately develops purposeful brands that blend innovation, scientifically proven efficacy, and empathetic support, creating valuable and meaningful experiences that resonate with her audience and fill essential gaps.Throughout her career, Jan has shown strong, caring leadership skills, inspiring cross-functional teams toward shared goals. Her ability to rally team members around a common vision and encourage them to surpass their limits is a testament to her leadership acumen.Committed to continuous improvement, Jan's strategic mindset and adaptability make her an asset in any endeavor. After four years as a CPA, Jan drove revenues in dermatology centers by directing talent, optimizing operational processes, and resource allocation. She then founded a pharmaceutical company focused on the development and sales of dermatology generic drugs, achieving significant sales revenue through extensive market research and strategic partnerships. Jan's resilience and entrepreneurial spirit have led to the growth and success of her ventures, including the acquisition of her ventures. She approaches product development with dedication and innovation, creating solutions that meet customer needs and industry regulations. Envio Skincare & Wellness, co-founded with her daughter Carol Marie, is Jan's greatest career joy. The twins embarked on a mission to create a sleek, safe and effective skincare brand that considers the emotional well-being of individuals, aiming to boost self-esteem and confidence as that is what Carol needed most in her teen years. An emotional well-being brand creating the next gen of psychodermatology skin essentials.

Arielle Brown, LMSW, is Founder of Bea's Bayou Skincare and native of Lafayette, LA. After moving to New Orleans in 2010 for her graduate studies at Southern University New Orleans, she started her 7-year journey as a trauma-focused social worker. Though counseling children was deeply rewarding, Arielle decided to explore entrepreneurship. Bea's Bayou Skincare was founded in 2020 and is named after Arielle’s maternal grandmother, Beatrice. During the pandemic, she created scalp drops to help soothe her inflamed scalp and to her surprise, Bea’s Bayou Skincare started gaining traction with new, curious customers dealing with similar eczema-related concerns. In 2022, Bea’s Bayou Skincare won the Essence and Aveeno Skin Health Pitch Award, and recently was recognized in 2023 as a finalist for Black Ambition Fund and BEYGood Foundation. You can now find Bea’s Bayou at beasbayouskincare.com, Salon Centric online, and on-shelf at Dream House Lounge in New Orleans, LA, and AMP Beauty in Los Angeles, CA. Arielle has participated in various accelerator programs, most recently by VillageX (New Orleans), JLH Fund, Black Chamber of Commerce Contracting Cohort, Black Girl Ventures, Stitchcrew, McKinsey 1B Founders, Founder Gym, and Amazon Black Business Accelerator! She is a member of New Voices Foundation, 15 Percent Pledge, WE Global Studios, VestHER, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc..

Robin is a 25-year beauty industry veteran with successes as a writer, editor, public relations/media expert, and entrepreneur. Following a bucket list trip to India in 2020, she witnessed how Western consumerism impacts developing nations – and decided she didn’t want to perpetuate this cycle any longer. With a passion for beauty, travel, learning about cultures, and media savvy, Robin created Beautyologie.com in 2021, an online beauty marketplace catering to conscious beauty consumers who want their dollars to make a difference. Since Beautyologie’s inception, Robin has secured 50+ brand partnerships with global producers, and garnered favorable press in media outlets (including Bloomberg, Byrdie, and The Good Trade). Beauty Independent recently awarded Beautyologie an Honoree Retail Award for “Audience Educator.” She has been recognized as one of “40 Social Entrepreneurs to Watch for in 2022” by Cause Artist. Additionally, Robin has opened 3 brick-and-mortar shop-in-shop locations across Southern California. Robin received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of California – Irvine. During her undergraduate degree, she fueled her love of travel by completing a study abroad in South France. Eager to continue exploring the world, she secured internships in London and began working as a freelance writer for several media outlets, including Entertainment Weekly magazine. In 1998, she landed her first beauty editor position at teen magazine Jump.  The daughter of an entrepreneur, Robin has always had the drive to create. In the early 2000s, she conceptualized and launched two retail businesses. Wrap Star, a hair accessories company, sold products in 200 retailers across the U.S. (including Fred Segal and Henri Bendel) and was featured in InStyle, Glamour, and People magazines. She also co-founded Innies ‘n Outies, a children’s clothing line, which launched 2 successful seasonal collections.

Desiree Rabuse is an entrepreneur and founder/CEO of lifestyle brand and media company, STYLEFOX. Just months after launching, STYLEFOX quickly gained traction online and became known for its solutions-focused content, unique articles, and sage career, life, and beauty advice. Eventually, what started as a women's lifestyle media brand branched out into skincare and e-commerce. As a seasoned magazine editor (who has tried "practically every product on the planet"), wellness advocate, and environmentalist, Desiree has always been passionate about health focused topics and mindful living.  She was inspired to launch STYLEFOX Beauty when she found many popular, chemical-laden products irritated her sensitive, reactive skin, caused breakouts, and contained environmentally toxic or unsustainable ingredients, animal testing, and wasteful packaging. She wanted to create skincare products that were effective, but also plant-based and environmentally friendly in both ingredients and packaging. In 2021 STYLEFOX expanded on their efforts for sustainability by acquiring a 10 acre farm where they're starting to cultivate our own ingredients. Additionally, they have launched their #flowersfortheplanet initiative that builds flower gardens to help repopulate vulnerable pollinator species including bees and butterflies while also sending out free flower seed packets with every order to inspire others to do the same. Not only are their products "flower powered" but they also create a circular eco-system to give back to our planet.

I have been providing clients within the fashion, beauty, lifestyle, ecommerce, travel, wedding, and wellness industries with high converting media services for more than 12 years. These services include (but are not limited to), editorial management, content strategy, content marketing, copywriting, content optimization, and content writing.I am the managing editor for Exhibit A Magazine, who has been one of my clients since 2017. They have become a popular women's lifestyle magazine, and I am always looking to help products grow through discovery in the magazine.This year I will be launching an entrepreneur lifestyle magazine, which will also be an incredible opportunity for products to get discovered! More details on that soon! I look forward to working with all brands here, and helping in your growth journey!

Lucy worked globally as a hair and make-up artist for over two decades with celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Claudia Schiffer, Elle McPherson and Johnny Depp. Magazines she has worked on include: Vogue, Elle, GQ, Vanity Fair, Allure and Marie Claire. She has been a contributor to many beauty and health articles with her beauty and health tips and is an accredited yoga and meditation teacher.She co-founded Hydra Bloom Beauty as a channel of Californian Health and Wellness for women everywhere. We are passionate about the health & wellness movement to inspire woman to more Love, Sleep & Happiness.We infuse confidence enhancing flower essences into all our products to help women feel their best daily