Empowering Black and Brown Female Founders in Beauty
After months of anticipation and a rigorous selection process, Rare Beauty Brands, JCPenney, and key partners like the Black Beauty Collective (BBC) are proud to announce the winners of the 2024 LIFT Beauty Accelerator. This groundbreaking program was established to uplift female-identifying beauty brand founders from underrepresented communities by providing them with critical resources, mentorship, and funding to scale their businesses.
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Rare Beauty Brands, JCPenney, and key partners like the Black Beauty Collective (BBC) are proud to announce the winners of the 2024 LIFT Beauty Accelerator. (Graphic: Business Wire)
The 2024 winners are:
- Chéribé (Founder: Salwa Petersen)
- Daybird (Founder: Veena Krishnan)
- Deon Libra (Founders: Devin McGee Kirkland, Brit Kirkland)
- Naturally Drenched (Founder: Jamila Powell)
- Ourside (Founder: Keta Burke-Williams)
These five innovative beauty brands stood out among a record number of applicants, showcasing visionary approaches to beauty and a dedication to inclusivity. The LIFT Beauty Accelerator provides each winner with a $10,000 USD non-dilutive grant, exclusive retail opportunities, mentorship from beauty executives, and in-kind services such as product testing and retail support software.
The founders share their excitement for the opportunity:
- “We are incredibly grateful to have been selected by the LIFT Beauty Accelerator. The support, along with the invaluable mentorship tailored to our specific needs, means the world to us and will be instrumental in helping us achieve our goals.” – Salwa Peterson, Chéribé Founder
- "Daybird is thrilled and honored to join the 2024 LIFT Beauty Accelerator. The mentorship will be invaluable as we grow. We're especially excited for the opportunity to pitch JCPenney—an incredible ‘pinch me’ moment! We’re grateful to Rare Beauty Brands, Black Beauty Collective, JCPenney, the Independent Beauty Association, and all the accelerator sponsors for supporting underrepresented founders." – Veena Krishnan, Daybird Cofounder & CEO
- “As Black, female, LGBTQIA+ founders in the early stages of our journey, securing the right funding and support has been challenging. We are deeply grateful for the backing of the LIFT Beauty Accelerator, which will enable us to strengthen our brand, tell a more compelling product story, and support the continued growth of our business.” – Devin McGhee Kirkland and Brit Kirkland, Cofounders of Deon Libra
- "Being chosen as one of the five LIFT Beauty Accelerator grant recipients is a transformative moment for me and my brand, Naturally Drenched. This grant not only provides crucial funding to fuel my passion, but also opens the door to invaluable mentorship from industry experts. I’m excited to receive personalized coaching that will accelerate my brand’s growth, as well as opportunities for retail expansion, product validation, and access to game-changing resources like the Good Face Project, BeautyFluent, and IBA. This opportunity will truly elevate Naturally Drenched, and I am incredibly grateful." – Jamila Powell, Naturally Drenched Owner & Founder
- “This grant and mentorship come at a pivotal moment for Ourside, propelling our vision for fragrance to new heights. We are deeply grateful to the LIFT Beauty Accelerator for recognizing and embracing our passion, and we’re excited to push forward with their invaluable support.” – Keta Burke-Williams, Ourside Founder
As part of their prize, winners will have the opportunity to reach a wider audience by pitching their brands for potential retail distribution at JCPenney Beauty. Furthermore, they will receive a one-year membership in the Black Beauty Collective (BBC) and opportunities for placement in BBC's physical stores in Chicago and Los Angeles. These benefits are designed to help scale their businesses swiftly and sustainably, allowing them to thrive in the competitive beauty market.
In addition, Scent & Fire was selected by public vote as the People’s Choice winner. Scent & Fire, a clean and inclusive fragrance brand, creates allergen-free scents for both body and space, inspired by self-love and cultural roots. Scent & Fire Founder, Monisha Edwards says, “Winning the People’s Choice Award is a powerful reminder of the incredible support I’ve received from my community, family, and customers who believe in my brand and its vision. Being recognized by those who truly matter—the people who love and use my products—means everything to me. This honor fuels my passion to keep pushing forward, knowing that my brand is one to watch, and my journey is just beginning.”
Chris Hobson, CEO of Rare Beauty Brands, emphasizes the impact of this initiative. "At Rare Beauty Brands, we believe that diversity and innovation are the future of beauty, and the LIFT Beauty Accelerator embodies this vision. Supporting these incredible founders is not just about providing funding or mentorship—it's about helping them break barriers and elevate their brands to new heights. This year’s winners represent the cutting edge of beauty, and we’re excited to see how they will continue to redefine the industry."
Leslie Roberson, Founder and CEO of the Black Beauty Collective, adds, “It has been a profound honor to be a part of the LIFT Beauty Accelerator. Watching these visionary, diverse female-identifying founders channel their passion into building innovative businesses has been deeply inspiring. Collaborating with Rare Beauty Brands and JCPenney on this initiative has been an extraordinary experience, and I am grateful for the opportunity to help elevate these remarkable entrepreneurs and their transformative work.”
Lisa Green, Vice President, Division Merchandise Manager for Beauty and Salon at JCPenney, expresses her excitement for these founders as they continue to grow their businesses. “We’re so proud to be part of the LIFT Beauty Accelerator program and to help amplify the work of these talented entrepreneurs. We look forward to learning even more about these founders and their products as they pitch their brands for JCPenney Beauty, and we can’t wait to see what they do next.”
The LIFT Beauty Accelerator, now in its fourth year, continues to grow in prominence, attracting incredible talent and providing an unmatched platform for beauty entrepreneurs. The success of this year’s winners exemplifies the program’s commitment to creating opportunities for diverse founders and reshaping the beauty industry for the better.
To learn more about the LIFT Beauty Accelerator and this year’s winners, visit https://rarebeautybrands.com/lift-beauty-accelerator/.
About Rare Beauty Brands
Rare Beauty Brands’ mission is to develop and scale unique brands with a positive impact. RBB is the parent company of skincare-meets-selfcare brand Patchology and dermatologist-developed nail health brand Dr. Dana Nails. The LIFT Beauty Accelerator is a core part of RBB’s commitment to diversity and empowerment.
About JCPenney
JCPenney is the shopping destination for America’s diverse, working families. With inclusivity at its core, the Company’s product assortment meets customers’ everyday needs and helps them commemorate every special occasion with style, quality and value. JCPenney offers a broad portfolio of fashion, apparel, home, beauty and jewelry from national and private brands and provides personal services including salon, portrait and optical. The Company and its 50,000 associates worldwide serve customers where, when and how they want to shop – from jcp.com to more than 650 stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
In 2022, JCPenney celebrated 120 years as an iconic American brand by continuing its legacy of connecting with customers through shopping and community engagement. Please visit JCPenney’s Newsroom to learn more and follow JCPenney on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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