WE ARE DISRUPTING THE INDUSTRY WITH BOLD MOVES & IMPACT.

Dr. Astrid Williams | Principal Consultant

Redefining the Standard of Beauty at the Intersection of Culture & Impact

The beauty industry is not only culturally influential, but it is also economically powerful. Over the past decade, consumers in the United States have spent more than $500 billion on beauty products. In a single recent year, the U.S. beauty market was valued at approximately $60 billion and, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 5 percent, is projected to reach roughly $73 billion.

Spending within the ethnic consumer market is particularly significant. Black consumers — a diverse and growing population of approximately 41 million people — continue to drive substantial purchasing power in beauty. In 2021, Black consumers spent an estimated $6.6 billion on beauty products, representing about 11.1 percent of total U.S. beauty spending. This share tracks closely, though slightly trails, Black representation in the overall U.S. population at approximately 12.4 percent.

Despite this meaningful economic contribution, equity within the beauty industry remains limited. Research indicates that Black consumers, entrepreneurs, and brand founders often face disproportionate barriers, resulting in a more fragmented and challenging experience compared with non-Black participants in the market. These disparities highlight both a structural gap and a significant opportunity for innovation, inclusion, and growth.

Beauty products marketed to Black women have been found to contain a disproportionate number of potentially harmful ingredients— including chemicals associated with breast and ovarian cancer, uterine fibroids, and other reproductive health concerns. This elevated exposure is especially significant because Black women purchase and use more beauty products per capita than any other demographic. In the United States, Black consumers spend more than $7.5 billion annually on beauty products and nearly nine times more on hair care than the average consumer, increasing the potential for cumulative chemical exposure.

We partner with lifestyle brands, organizations, and nonprofits prepared to challenge outdated norms, strengthen representation, and advance a more transparent, health-conscious forward ecosystem. Our mission is clear: equip brands to make better decisions, craft authoritative narratives, and drive enduring transformation through creative campaigns, compelling storytelling, and influential brand activations, converting communities into confident and engaged consumers.

We provide cultural intelligence and strategic counsel to brands pursuing meaningful and measurable change. We help leaders and brand founders develop safer products, execute high-impact campaigns, and build inclusive, trusted brand experiences that drive impact and lead to brand loyalty and trust.

Sources: McKinsey & Company, “Black representation in the beauty industry,” and related analysis; Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.