To close out the 30th anniversary of ESSENCE Festival, the Beautycon stage began with cosmetic chemists Javon Ford and Sister Scientist debunking beauty’s biggest myths. Taking us In The Lab, they let us know “clean beauty” is not as clean as we may think, how ingredients are sourced, and all about the Youthphoria foundation scandal, moderated by our senior beauty editor Akili King.
Next, we learned what Beauty After Motherhood looked like for new mothers Aimee Simeon and Chanen Johnson. “I had all the time in the world, and then I found out I was pregnant,” Aimee Simeon told senior lifestyle editor and moderator Victoria Uwumarogie. From deep tissue massages to interrupted five-minute showers, and the harms of “bounce-back” culture, learning how to find a moment for self-care is at the center of their busy day-to-day routines.
Then, beauty guru Uche demonstrated a matte look on model Ayana Forbes. In the masterclass demo, Forbes shared her top tips and tricks, including the secret behind the base of her flawless looks.
To end the day, Essence Ventures chairman Richelieu Dennis sat down with PDC Brand CEO Tarun Malkani for our Passion To Profit series. There, they discussed the next generation of Black beauty entrepreneurs, what it takes to scale a business, and the challenges they faced along the way. Although Beautycon has come to a close, the 2024 ESSENCE Festival is not over yet. Tonight, headliner Janet Jackson will shut down the Superdome to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the festival––so don’t miss it.