Business of Beauty: A Celebration of Culture, Care, and Conscious Beauty

There are few things more powerful than a room full of visionaries, storytellers, and change-makers—all gathered to uplift, affirm, and educate. The Business of Beauty was exactly that.

In honor of the CROWN Act’s anniversary, we brought together a panel of industry trailblazers redefining what beauty means—on our terms.

Moderated by the brilliant Janine Rubenstein, Editor-at-Large at PEOPLE, the conversation featured:

✨ Felicia Leatherwood, natural hair whisperer and global educator
✨ Larry J. Sims, celebrity hairstylist and co-founder of Flawless by Gabrielle Union (joining virtually)
✨ Hannah Diop, founder of Sienna Naturals and co-creator alongside Issa Rae
✨ Akilah Releford Gould, founder of Mary Louise Cosmetics and creative director behind Bloom Ranch and Casa Loće

Together, they unpacked the intersections of clean beauty, cultural identity, and entrepreneurship—from navigating industry gatekeeping to challenging outdated standards with products that actually center us.

And in the spirit of community-led policy change, we honored the work of Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, whose leadership helped bring the CROWN Act to life. Because yes—how we wear our hair is political. It’s also deeply personal.

We curated this event not just as a panel, but as an invitation:
To embrace what grows from us naturally.
To honor our elders’ rituals and our own routines.
To talk about beauty not just as a product—but as a birthright.

From the headwraps to the headshots, this was more than a celebration. It was a commitment to self-respect and collective liberation—rooted in care, culture, and community.