When Niambi Cacchioli founded Pholk Beauty, she wasn’t just launching another skincare line. She was giving voice to centuries of overlooked beauty traditions and connecting her American Southern roots with her academic background and the African Diaspora. What started as a personal quest to find effective products for her own combination skin evolved into a brand that celebrates melanin, embraces culture, and offers what Pholk calls “soul food for the skin.”
Growing up in Kentucky among gardeners and green-thumbed neighbors, she developed an early appreciation for the healing power of plants. Later, as an academic studying African Diaspora cultures while living in Europe, she encountered local markets brimming with botanical remedies similar to those from her childhood. Yet, she struggled to find mainstream skincare that met her needs, especially as someone with melanin-rich, reactive skin. That struggle planted the seed for what would become Pholk Beauty. The WeLoveUs.Shop partner is rooted in natural, plant-based ingredients drawn from Cacchioli’s southern Black heritage and the African traditions she encountered abroad.
From its Jersey City base, Pholk Beauty has carved out a distinctive niche in a crowded industry by making education as much of a priority as producing products. Pholk’s offerings are crafted without harsh chemicals, instead prioritizing gentle botanicals and nutrient-dense extracts that soothe, balance, and help skin thrive. This approach reflects Cacchioli’s belief that true skincare should work with the body’s natural defenses, not against them.
The skincare brand’s formulations are ingredients drawn from across the African Diaspora and the American South, each chosen for their cultural significance and skin-nourishing properties. Cold-pressed hibiscus oil from Senegal brings natural alpha-hydroxy acids that refine and brighten, moringa from Ghana supports overall skin health with vitamins and amino acids, and Kalahari watermelon seed oil from South Africa untangles excess sebum without irritation. Aloe vera and honeysuckle waters from the United States offer calming hydration. Meanwhile, rosehip seed oil delivers antioxidants for a radiant complexion. Collectively, these botanicals treat skin concerns and embody a lineage of knowledge passed down through generations. The results include the Aloe Lemon Balm Face Mist ($20), Glow Replenish Face Wash ($20), the Okra Infused Flexnectar Roller ($15) and the Goldenbod Barrier Balm with Chaga Phyto-Melanin ($26).
Pholk Beauty’s identity is tied to its founder’s mission to uplift and educate. Cacchioli, often described as an “academic turned beauty activist,” has positioned her brand as a gateway for women of color into the natural skincare world. This is critical considering it’s a space that has historically excluded women of color in both product development and narrative representation. By sharing the stories and traditions behind her ingredients, she invites consumers into a deeper understanding of where beauty wisdom comes from and why it matters.
Today, Pholk Beauty stands as more than a collection of vegan, cruelty-free products; it’s a testament to what happens when heritage and innovation collide. Cacchioli’s dedication to honoring Black beauty cultures has helped the brand resonate far beyond its Jersey City roots. Through Pholk, she continues to reshape the beauty industry’s conversations, encouraging us all to see skincare as a practice of cultural celebration.