Meet Sylvia Burlock, the creator of Hello Beautiful! Body Care. I met her a few weeks ago while working on a work assignment to learn more about a new organic lipstick line she is creating specifically for women of color.
Sylvia Burlock
The original story I wrote on Hello Beautiful! is following and originally appeared on IndianapolisRecorder.com.
When searching the aisles of the makeup department in her community, 23-year-old Sylvia Burlock noticed one simple product was missing — organic makeup lines for women of color. That is when she developed the idea to create her own non-toxic lipstick line for women of color, Hello Beautiful!
“I learned about the lead in lipstick and the other toxins it contains through Campaign for Safe Cosmetics,” said Burlock. “I did a lot of research and development to come up with a product that didn’t have titanium dioxide, which is a chemical people can be allergic to and many people don’t know they ingest a lot of product by licking their lips.”
The name of the line, Hello Beautiful!, derived from a friend of Burlock, who constantly uses the phrase to greet others. She felt the name would inspire women to be their best and feel beautiful.
The lipstick line, which features three shades — Ruby, Coral and Garnet — is said to be a cross between Bobbi Brown cosmetics and Ilia Beauty. Each color can be worn on its own or they can layer upon one another to achieve vibrant shades.
Currently, Burlock is seeking to raise $6,500 on Indiegogo to fund manufacturing and new packaging. The idea is to create eco-friendly packaging for the lipstick, which will cut down on the brand’s carbon footprint, mentioned Burlock.
Donators of $60 of more to the campaign receive Hello Beautiful! Lipstick colors Ruby, Coral and Garnet, a mixing guide, and a fair trade cosmetic bag. The donation period is open now through Dec. 22.
According to Kline, a marketing consulting group, in 2014 the multicultural beauty products market grew 3.7 percent in the U.S., outpacing the growth of the overall market for cosmetics and toiletries.
A study by the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia found the U.S. multicultural demographic makes up over a third of the population, and their spending power is growing more quickly than the country’s average.
“Today a woman almost expects to go to a brand she wants to buy and find her shade. It’s offensive to her when she can’t find her shade. It makes her feel like she’s not being recognized by the company,” said Sharon Collier, Cover FX’s president.
Several brands have emerged promoting beauty products for women of color, such as Mixed Chicks and Tyra Beauty, but Burlock said her products will differ as they will concentrate on organic ingredients.
“A lot of multicultural women don’t understand the impact those chemicals can have on their body over time,” explained Burlock. “It may cause cancer, and we may not know, but I really want to get into local stores to reach them and explain to them the product is specifically for them. I think once people understand the quality of the product, they will invest.”
Once the money is raised, Burlock hopes to gain product reviews from YouTube vloggers and beauty bloggers to help push the product to a national audience.
“I want to be able to create a product that reflects how diverse communities truly are,” said Burlock.
