Diversity and inclusivity in beauty are often judged by what brands present to the world. In other words: campaigns featuring diverse faces, expansive shade ranges, and buzzword-laden mission statements. But true inclusivity isn’t just about what can outwardly be seen—it’s about who is making the decisions.
Who’s in the rooms shaping these products and strategies? Do these brands have diverse teams that reflect the consumers they claim to serve? Are Black employees given the same opportunities to lead, grow, and thrive within these companies? And beyond mere representation, are these brands fostering environments where those voices are heard, valued, and empowered to drive real change?
For Black women in corporate beauty, the path forward is often more complex. They must excel at the highest level—not as an option, but as a necessity—to advance. Unlike many of their counterparts, coasting isn’t an option, and even with exceptional performance, opportunities for leadership and promotions can remain elusive.
Black women frequently overachieve just to receive a fraction of the recognition and are often expected to balance confidence with humility. Speak up, and they’re labeled aggressive. Advocate for what they deserve, and they risk being dismissed or sidelined altogether. It’s a constant battle of proving their worth while carefully managing how others perceive them, simply for daring to take up space.
Additionally, because Black women remain underrepresented in corporate leadership, they are often tasked with leading diversity efforts—shaping DEI strategies, and advising on Black consumer insights—all in addition to their core responsibilities. While brands recognize the power of the Black consumer, ensuring that Black professionals have the authority, resources, and compensation to lead these conversations is an ongoing challenge. At the VP and C-suite levels, representation remains disproportionately low, limiting opportunities for Black women to shape the industry’s future at the highest levels.
Despite these challenges, Black women continue to be catalysts for progress, innovation, and cultural shifts in beauty. They are not just participants in the industry—they are defining it. Their leadership, expertise, and vision deserve to be recognized not only in brand campaigns, but within the teams and leadership structures of the companies that profit from Black culture.
To further explore these realities, we spoke with several Black female beauty professionals who are navigating these dynamics while shaping the industry’s future. Here’s what they had to say.
Jasmin Ramsey, Director of Beauty & Lifestyle Comms
On her career path:
My love for beauty from an early age, combined with a natural passion for storytelling and culture, drew me into this space. As I got older, I became increasingly frustrated by how little we were represented in an industry that we’ve long been driving creatively and I wanted to be a part of that industry to create more. As a Black woman, I have an innate understanding of these gaps in representation and the importance of authenticity in brand messaging.
On diversity in the industry:
I’ve seen brands push diversity to appear diverse solely in their campaigns while failing to invest in long-term inclusivity within their internal teams and leadership. When there are Black professionals on the team (often just one) they’re typically only consulted for multicultural initiatives. And that’s the larger issue: many agencies still treat diversity as a checkbox rather than a core value woven into their 360 strategy.
With the current administration, I worry that instead of progressing, we’re taking 100 steps back, undoing what little progress has been made. The disconnect is clear in who gets to lead conversations around diversity behind the scenes. Black professionals in PR and marketing play a crucial role in shaping inclusive narratives, yet their voices are often overlooked at the decision-making level.True change requires more than optics. Agencies must push brands to embed diversity into every aspect of their business, not just in marketing, but in leadership, hiring, and long-term strategy. It’s not just about representation in campaigns; it’s about who has a voice to shape them.
Her advice to aspiring beauty PR professionals:
What you can do is acknowledge the reality [that you might have to work twice as hard] but don’t let it define your worth. Therapy and a strong support system will keep you from breaking. Find mentors and sponsors who recognize your talent and can help open doors and advocate for you in rooms that you are not in. I had a client tell me to always save the wins, contributions, and compliments you receive throughout your career to ensure your impact is visible when opportunities arise and empower you when your confidence is running low.
On advocating for herself:
I’ve had to, and to be honest it’s always something I get worried about and it only gets easier with preparation as do most things in life. Research market salaries and be prepared with data when negotiating. I think keeping track of accomplishments and frame the conversation around the immense impact of your work can really help you showcase the value to bring.
On the changes that need to be made:
Agencies need to invest in mentorship and leadership pipelines for Black talent. Hiring is step one and then there needs to be clear paths to senior roles and a culture that fosters belonging. A hire that feels valued and part of the team will stay. We want to feel valued and appreciated and I think a lot of the times agencies fall short here.
Brittany Heath, Beauty HR Professional
On industry barriers:
The number one question I get from my network and peers is how to pivot into the beauty industry—even from those with years of highly transferable skills. What continues to surprise me is the stark contrast between Black consumers’ spending power and industry representation: Black consumers drive billions of dollars in beauty sales annually, yet make up only 5% of the professionals who are part of the workforce and influence product innovation and insights.
From my perspective, the biggest barriers to entry for Black professionals are the lack of representation in companies, which creates limited access to networks and perspectives that are needed to make the corporate beauty industry feel more accessible, attainable, and relatable. Without these connections, the industry can feel exclusive rather than accessible. That’s why I’m continuously inspired by the growing number of networking organizations that not only upskill their communities but also create essential bridges for career pivots—opening doors to conversations, referrals, and opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.
On lack of diversity in executive roles:
It amazes me that still, in this day and age, Black professionals hold only around 3.2% of executive or senior leadership roles in large companies and represent a very small percentage of leadership positions in the US, with less than 1% of Fortune 500 CEOs identifying as Black. In my perspective, I believe organizations must continue to actively listen to the needs of their employee base and develop mentorship and sponsorship programs that prioritize skills, invest in custom training opportunities, and build programs that promote stronger relationships between people managers and their teams to better guide them to their full potential.
The industry changes she hopes to see:
I hope to see a continued focus on nontraditional skill and competencies as the unlock to inclusive and equitable beauty workforce and innovation. It’s been so encouraging to see recruiter teams continue to conduct diverse candidate sourcing and remain conscious of bias in recruitment tools and experiences, as well as focus on the power of internal mobility and retrofitting existing talent with in-demand skills. Finally, addressing the inequities and systematic barriers through optimized professional development programs, outreach, and mentorship and sponsorship.
On her impact:
A lot of the talent partnerships and pipelines I’ve supported were created through genuine relationships, and I hope to continue making a positive impact by simply being available as a resource and guide to my peers and networks. As a first-generation corporate professional, my motivations around mentorship, professional development, and intrapreneurship have stemmed from my own experiences and obstacles that I either hope to help the next Black girl avoid or navigate through. As an HR professional and content creator, I’m excited by the level of accessibility and information talent have around recruitment, and I hope to leave a legacy of progress for underrepresented talent like myself.
Hannah Agyeman, Beauty Product Marketing Professional
On inclusivity in product development:
I start with what I would want to see from the brand I’m working on or in the market as a whole since I’m a very active beauty consumer myself. Mainly identifying a white space in the existing product portfolio. I ask myself, “is there a reason for this to exist?” Then, it’s all about the size of the prize and building the concept and unique positioning. In the context of beauty, brands have to ensure that their ranges truly work for all skin tones, specifically deeper ones. And, during my time working on a drugstore brand, I’m also always advocating for prices to remain accessible as well.
Her thoughts on the current state of the industry:
We’ve made great strides in creating a deeper breadth of shade and model campaign inclusivity. We need more change makers at the mid to senior levels on staff of these brands. Black women are still quite underrepresented in these spaces. For me, it’s about being able to have more access to people who look like me and have overcome the potential pitfalls of the corporate beauty world that often keep us stuck in one place. Without that kind of mentorship, I’ve found it’s really difficult to navigate this world and make bigger strides in your personal and professional life.
On navigating challenges:
I was in a junior position getting junior pay yet doing the work of someone more advanced. The brand I worked on didn’t see the value of my work and any conversation about promotion was basically shut down due to the team structure. It was either I move to another brand and repeat the same cycle in the hopes they would finally promote me or I left. What helped me in that moment was tapping into my network of leaders who overcame those hurdles and helped me decode and demystify the process in moving forward into a prominent leadership position. I left that space and got the promotion I deserved in another organization. In these instances, I’ve realized it wasn’t that I was asking for too much, I was just asking the wrong person!
Anonymous Beauty Marketing Professional
On her journey in global brand management:
I entered the beauty industry because I saw a gap—one that didn’t fully represent or cater to people who looked like me. Once I started my career, I realized that these gaps weren’t accidental—they were the result of systemic oversight. My experience as a Black woman has given me a deep understanding of what true inclusivity looks like, beyond just campaign imagery. It has shaped my approach to brand management by ensuring that marketing is not performative but rooted in authenticity. When I develop products or go-to-market strategies, I push for consumer representation at every stage, from product development to leadership conversations. To me, inclusivity isn’t just a trend—it’s a responsibility.
On navigation challenges:
The reality is that Black women in beauty often have to work twice as hard to prove their expertise, only to then be unofficially tasked with “fixing” a brand’s diversity gaps. I’ve experienced being the only Black woman in leadership discussions, where my perspective was sought after but not always valued when it came to decision-making power.What has helped me push through is a combination of strategic positioning and community-building. I’ve made sure to align myself with leaders who genuinely champion inclusivity, and I’ve been intentional about mentoring others to increase representation at the table. I’ve also learned the power of advocating for myself—whether that means negotiating my salary with confidence or speaking up when I see performative diversity efforts. At the end of the day, navigating these challenges requires resilience, but it also requires organizations to do better.
On pay disparities:
While there has been some progress—particularly in terms of brands expanding their shade ranges and making more visible commitments to diversity—there’s still significant work to be done when it comes to leadership representation and pay equity. The reality is that Black women are still severely underrepresented in executive roles, and salary transparency remains a taboo topic, which only perpetuates pay disparities.
My advice to Black professionals striving for leadership positions is to advocate for yourself at every stage. Know your worth, do your research on industry salaries, and negotiate without hesitation. Additionally, seek out sponsors, not just mentors—people in positions of power who will actively advocate for your career advancement. And finally, don’t be afraid to leave a company that refuses to recognize your value. There are brands that truly want to do better, and we shouldn’t settle for less.
On creating inclusive workplaces:
It starts with leadership. If the decision-makers at the top don’t reflect the diversity of the consumers they serve, then inclusivity will always be surface-level. Beauty companies need to do more than just hire Black talent—they need to invest in their career growth through mentorship, sponsorship, and equitable pay.Additionally, salary transparency needs to be normalized.
Pay secrecy only benefits corporations, not employees. Companies should also implement unbiased hiring and promotion practices, ensuring that diverse candidates are not only brought in at entry-level roles but are given clear pathways to leadership. Finally, accountability is key. Brands should be transparent about their diversity metrics and progress, just as they would be with sales goals.
On ensuring diversity is embedded on all levels:
Beauty Marketing Professional: True inclusivity starts long before a product hits the shelves. It begins with diverse teams making decisions at every level of the business. In product development, that means having Black chemists, product developers, and shade testers involved to ensure deeper skin tones are considered, not just as an afterthought but as a priority. In marketing, it means ensuring that storytelling is authentic and not just checking a box during Black History Month. And in leadership, it means having executives who reflect the diverse consumers they serve—because representation in decision-making directly impacts product innovation, campaign messaging, and overall brand authenticity.
The fight for true inclusivity in beauty goes beyond shade ranges and campaigns—it’s about who holds power in these companies. Black women are not just advocates for diversity; they are architects of innovation, driving authentic representation, ethical hiring, and equitable leadership. Yet, despite their impact, they remain underpaid, underpromoted, and overburdened, forced to navigate microaggressions, bias, and the expectation to shrink themselves for white comfort.
But let this be clear: it is not on Black women to tailor themselves to fit an industry that already profits from their influence. They should not have to soften their voices, dim their presence, or work twice as hard for half the recognition. True progress means creating spaces where Black women can lead unapologetically, be compensated fairly, and show up fully as themselves.
If beauty brands truly want to honor the Black consumers who drive billions in revenue, they must invest in Black talent, close pay gaps, and prioritize diversity behind the scenes—not just in marketing. The women featured in this piece are already reshaping the industry from the inside out, proving that progress isn’t about optics—it’s about power, opportunity, and real change.
So to every Black woman navigating corporate beauty: Stand in your power. Take up space. The industry moves because of you.