“Ten Toes Down” and Self-Care as Resistance: Meet The Influencer Who Can Make – or Break – a Beauty Brand Right Now, Golloria George

24:04And yeah, I should have done better. And I didn't. And I want to do better. And how can I do that in a way that is also reflected in all of the other products that I drop moving forward? And that like just hearing that line from her, knowing that it wasn't just like, oh, I'm just trying to fix this one product now. Like, I actually want to make sure that everything, everything color that I drop in the future works for people that look like you. your shade and darker, like that is just something that like you're not going to hear from a lot of CEOs and also just like not even just, you know, coming to me specifically.

24:37She also went to Tony Bravo and Tony's a few shades lighter than me because she realizes like the spectrum is such a large spectrum. But again, she's not a dark skin woman. Like this was not something that was going to be on her radar because it's not something that she would have ever experienced. She did her best. Right. But even with her best, she was still able to be like, yeah, my best was still not enough. And I'm sorry it wasn't enough and you deserve to be included. And moving forward, I'm going to do my best to do that. Yeah. And that's like the number one reason why I continue to work with Road because Haley, like when I get a product, when she sends me a product and I'm like, I don't know if I like this.

25:11I don't know if I love this or even if it's a product that I really love, but I just feel like it should have like minor tweaks. It's done. It's done. She figures it out. She goes back to the chemist. She gives them the feedback back. And she is so willing to learn. And on top of that, aside from the products, even this recent World Lip Liner match, her darkest three shades were modeled on a South Sudanese model. We have never seen that type of representation in any beauty campaign, really, ever, in years, decades. and it was so interesting and so beautiful to see that aside from the product itself she also wanted the values of the companies and just like the brand in itself to show that hey we love people of all shades honey we want you dark you want you light and we want you even darker you know and yeah I think it's beautiful she's just a really good a really good example of how you should lead in this space and I hope Ro continues to grow and flourish because she's doing everything right And she's continuing to make sure that she is doing everything right.

26:12And that is what matters. And she has a black chemist as well. Yes. I don't know how much makeup he wears, but she does. Yes. Consulting you. The girls didn't know. She has a black chemist. I'm pretty sure his name is Ron. Yes. Yes. He's been on our show. Ron Robinson. Yes. He's the best. He's the best. Taffy and guys. And I do want to clarify, you know, you have a lot of good in your heart, but I'm sure you're not volunteering. I'm sure Haley is also paying you for your expertise. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And that was like. As it should be. As it should. Because a lot of brands will want you to do it for free.

26:43That's right. Yeah. They'll want you to do it for free. They'll like want you to hop on call. They'll try to get like questions out of you. Be sneaky. Yeah. And Haley was just like. Yeah. No. What's your rate? No. She literally was just like. This is work. And I don't want you to feel like. This is work that you're having to do for free. Because I know that it's exhausting. And it's taxing to constantly have to advocate. It's your time. Yeah. And she was like. And I'll pay you. And you know what? I'll make sure that every other consultant that I bring on that is on the dark range, I'll pay them too.

27:11Yeah. And that's what she's doing. So yeah. Okay. Come through. Any content creator should be paid. I mean, your time is like, you could do that or you could make a video that has 43 million views. Literally. Right. So you let me know what you want to do. Now, is there a brand that you haven't talked about yet that, you know, maybe needs a wake up call? Maybe not that I haven't talked about. but I feel like I don't talk about them often. Right. But I've talked about them a few times. Anastasia Beverly Hills. Uh-huh. Anastasia Beverly Hills has been around for decades. I mean, the OG YouTube girls, like, you know, like they did the videos with Anastasia.

27:52They reviewed the products. I don't know what it is with Anastasia, but even I think like the recent foundation that was like 15 shades, like don't call me on that, but there wasn't a lot of shades on there. yeah it was just so disappointing the contour stick I made a video like a month or two ago it was literally white gray on me and I'm just like Anastasia has so much pull in this industry like I feel like a lot of people are constantly using their products but her products do not work for I don't even want to say dark skin but like black skin like she is missing the mark on a lot of aspects and I think it's just you know you've been doing it for so long I think it's just that you don't want to be inclusive because you're continuing to launch products that aren't working and not even just like working but we're also seeing it in like your campaigns as well like you're not making sure black people are included in your campaigns that's like the number one brand like I don't I have no interest of anything that ever drops because it's just like you know like I know it's not going to give anything but like if you want me to review it okay like I might I might not get to it but also it's just like there has to it comes a point Do you think that we're in a different era, sort of a brands being canceled in 2025?

29:08Like, do you think people are getting a bit more of a pass or a longer leash in 2025 versus 2020, 2021 for inclusivity? You know, in terms of like how it was like in 2020, I think people were like even 10 years ago, the girls were calling out brands like we had the Jackie Hinas. Like the girls were, you know, they were cooking. We were loving it and they were cooking. But I think that in 2025, moving forward, I think brands do have a little bit more of just like just a little leeway because I think people are starting to just like just be a little bit more forgiving, giving a little more grace.

29:48And I wouldn't say necessarily that it's Black people giving the grace and accepting the apologies. I would say that it's white people. Yeah. I would say that it's white people just like being like, you know what? It's OK. We forgive you. You guys just can do better next time. And speaking for black voices. And that's where the issue lies, because I feel like a lot of black people and black creators, like, I don't really think we let much slide. You know what I mean? Like, I think we really are like 10 foot down, put our toes down and are just like, yeah, no, well, it is what it is. It doesn't work.

30:18But, you know, I think, you know, the girls, the girls love to forgive and take that as you will. Yeah. Talk to us about the wage gap. You've been vocal about this. Yes. Is there an example you can give us where you've seen this like firsthand? Because it makes no sense. And listen, racism exists and we know that. So it's not denying that. But it's like, as a marketer, let's say you have 3.2 million followers on TikTok. Somebody else has 3.2. Like it just doesn't even make sense that they would pay somebody any less when you have the same size audience. They have the same buying power. So tell us about like what you've seen.

31:00Honestly, like I've always known that I'm not getting paid as much as like the Alex Oros, you know, and that is OK. Like, I think that's OK. I continue to stay in my own lane and know that like my path is my path, you know, and whatever comes from it is going to be written for me. And if it's not, it's not. However, I do just from hearing from my peers and like watching the videos, like and even just like naturally growing to where I'm at now, like I just constantly remember it was a fight for me to get paid. Like my management was fighting. They were advocating to even get me a cent in the beginning.

31:35And it was so hard for me to grow to the point where I was just like, I don't even, do I even want to do this anymore? Like, this is actually so, so insane. And just knowing that like, it was that hard for me to like, even just get a penny in the beginning. Like, I can see why there are so many Black creators now that are just like, I don't even think I want to do this. Like, this is so hard. This is unfair. We're at a disadvantage. And it's because we are. Because even though the pay gap is so low, we have to work 10 times harder in everything that we do. I'm talking about the content that we make.

32:08I'm talking about just constantly having to like make sure that we're pushing out great content 24-7 and like being perfect. Like the standards that we're held to in comparison to our white counterparts is like so insane. And it's reflected not only in just like the pay gap, but even, you know, further on just the campaigns, the brand trips. You can always count on two fingers how many Black people are invited to these brand ships on these campaigns. And that tells you everything in itself. Like this is actually a systemic issue. And it's a systemic issue that I feel like a lot of people, unless you've experienced it, you're never going to understand.

32:46Yeah.

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34:48To all the Black creators that are fighting right now, continue to fight. Like, put your foot down, you know? It's a battle. Yeah. Like you're battling to get the money you deserve, to get the respect you deserve. And, you know, these videos are they take a toll, I'm sure, too. Right. So recently you stepped away from social media for several months. I believe it was after the YSL video. I really respected that a lot. So share a little bit about that decision and why you were just like, yeah, I'm good at the moment. Yes. You know, there comes a point. You know, I feel like I was at the forefront of inclusivity movement.

35:23I feel like even now I'm still at the forefront of this movement. With that and the hyper visibility that I was reaching, like 43 million views on a video overnight, basically, and it's multiple videos in a row. You know, that type of racism and colorism to experience at such lengths, while knowing that what you're doing is solely just truthful. It doesn't work for me. I'm being excluded. People that look like me are also being excluded and farther beyond. This goes farther beyond dark skin. This also goes towards Black people, right? Our experiences are so unjust and not just this space, but every space.

35:58I am not going to continue to be the work mule. I'm not going to continue for you guys to like watch my content, absorb the 30, 60 seconds, get entertainment from it. Well, at the end of the day, I go home traumatized. Absolutely not. That's not what I'm going to do. Me taking my break was a beautiful form of resistance. It was a beautiful form of saying like, hey, I have boundaries. I'm human too, whether you want to acknowledge it or not. And I'm not here to entertain you. I'm not here to fight battles that aren't my battles. The racism and the colorism. I was like oh how bigoted are we still in 2023 2024 there has to be a point where you're just like yeah it's not healthy to absorb at such capacity and for me it was just like I'm not a dog I'm not a dog I'm very human and you can like me you can hate me but at the end of the day I don't do this for anyone that doesn't look like me and if you don't look like me I don't care about your input and that being said put the phone down and I'm gonna go take care of myself my mental and my psyche.

36:58And it took me actually sitting down with myself and being like, you know, you're a human, right? You know, you actually don't have to deal with this, right? You know, you can actually turn your phone off and not come back on the internet, right? And I know for a lot of people, they were probably like, oh my gosh, well, you're losing out on deals and money and this and the third. Okay. And like, for me, it was really just an okay. And because the money will never be worth your psyche. Yeah. Go to therapy, go on a walk, make a good snack and take a nap. Yeah. You have to maintain your joy. And I love I love that you are that you it's it's apparent it radiates out of you.

37:36And that's so brilliant. Can you share a little bit about your self-care what you find you're leaning into most right now? I know you mentioned working out, but yeah, it's definitely just like the health and wellness and really just making sure that like, aside from my mind, my body is also in a place where she can feel good and like wake up in the morning and have energy and have energy to process things that are bigger than me sometimes. Because a lot of this content that I make, it is bigger than me. Like, I don't have the questions to everything. I'm only 23, you know? And so I feel like I'm constantly processing so much.

38:07And so just taking a step back and like prioritizing that and journaling and cooking and like just doing the little things around the house, making sure my space is clean. I think that's what's always going to be important for me because I think content creators sometimes get lost in the fact that like everything is chronically online. And for me, like practicing boundaries this year is like, it's really thick. Like I do not share anything. I don't want to share. I don't really share about a lot about like anything. If I, you, a lot of people think I live in LA, you know, literally the girls don't really know a lot about me.

38:41And I think that is so healthy. Like, I don't think that you should chronically share everything online, your personal life, people in your life, your family, it is okay to be quiet sometimes because once you share it, it allows for the entire internet to nitpick it. Yeah. We leave it and we let it go. Well, we are a beauty podcast after all, so people need to know your skincare routine. We talked a lot about makeup, but do you have skincare faves? Yes. I really like the road glazing milk. Okay. I love the Laneige milk spray as well. The So good. So good. The water bank is also equally as good.

39:21Oh, interesting. See, I don't love that one, but I like the water bank. I'm not young like you. You know, my skin is like... Literally. I love the water bank. I don't know what it is, but it's always worked for me. Love it. The Dermalogica multi-toner. Oh. The spray one. The spray. Oh. Fire. It's just easy to like go and grab. Okay, wait. The active mist? Is that what it's called? Yeah, I think it's called like the multi-active mist or something. What a throwback. I used to be obsessed with that. I need to get that again. You need to get it again. I think it even got better. I'm not going to lie.

39:51Really? It might have. Okay. I love a spray. Yes. I love a spray. Power 28 spray. Also really good after working out. Like if I'm in the car and have to go to the grocery store, we'll do a little quick little spray. And then I'll top it off with like, ooh, my road lip peptides are in my bag all the time. I love the road lip peptides. And then what else is like skincare hybrid that's like not skincare hybrid? What about body care? Guys, Josie Moran's body butter and the argan oil. You're the throwbacks today. Miss Josie in that lab. Like, I don't know what it is. I also love that it's unscented.

40:32Like, because sometimes. Yeah. The trend right now is everything smells like floral, tropical, whatever. And she fully rebranded. too. Her packaging's cute now. It's very cute. Miss Josie Moran is eating on the body. I also am really enjoying the Skin Fix. I think they're like the body pads. It's like the green container. Oh yeah. Yeah. But if you have, I think salicylic acid, but if you have like acne or like you just kind of break out hormonally throughout the month, like girl, I just get in there, wipe the pad. It comes with a spray too. You spray it. It gives you a little sting, but it works.

41:07It's worth it. Okay, we're going to do a quick rapid fire. Let's get into it. Okay, what's the most prized possession on your top shelf? Ooh, probably my Danessa Myrick's Blurring Bomb Powder in shade 11. Okay. We love her. The yummy skin? It's so good. It's also good. Okay, the number one sunscreen that you swear by? Ooh, sunscreen that I should probably wear a little bit more sunscreen, I won't lie. But I really enjoy, what is a good sunscreen? The glow recipe. It's the stick. Oh, yeah. The pink clear stick. On the go. I'm lazy, guys. I just like, let's go. I have one in my bag and I'm out the door.

41:52And it's good. It blends in well and all of that. It's clear. We love it. That's really good to know. What's your ride or die foundation? Oh, that is honestly such a good one. One that I've been constantly picking up is probably the House Labs Triclone Foundation. Lady Gaga. Yeah. Yeah. That one mixed with the Danessa Myricks Blurring Bomb, that's a force. Really? Yeah. I mean, my makeup will stay on all day, like a beautiful base. And also, I feel like Lady Gaga just did an amazing job with the ranges. Like, I have a summer shade and I have a winter shade. That's like almost impossible in most of these beauty brands because nobody wants to work.

42:32Yeah, yeah. butt. Yeah. What's the lip combo you're wearing right now? Oh, OK, guys, this is Marviano Cosmetics. It's the black with Giordana Tisha's darkest. I think it's called like Midnight something. I don't know. Midnight boom. Don't call me. But it's a darkest Giordana Tisha. And then I'm using the Amicole. It's like the light baby pink. And then a little bit of the Fenty stick in. I literally have it with me. Let me check. I love it. What's in the bag? Yeah. Is it the Fenty Stick? No, it's actually the House Labs. I didn't do the Fenty Stick today, but usually I'll do the Fenty Stick. It's the House Labs in Fig and the Ami Kole in Bliss.

43:10Okay. Tap into Ami Kole, guys. She's really that girl. I love, I love, I love that brand. She pulled it out of her Jacquemus brown bag. You know, you'll see me. The low-key amazing product that no one knows about but should? I wouldn't say no one knows about it. I wouldn't say no one knows about it. I feel like I've talked about it a lot. If you know, you watch my videos, you know that I love the Jordana Tisha bronzer duo. Okay. Yeah. Jordana, it's a UK brand, but that lady is in that lab with every product, every launch. Like she is amazing. She does amazing makeup on dark skin. The bronzer duos, I didn't even know that like, you know, cream bronzer is one thing, but like the powder.

43:52Yeah. I didn't even know we could go that deep with powder bronzer because I had never seen it before Jordana Tisha did it. Right. She's that girl. We're going to link to everything that Gloria is recommending. Yes. By the way. And who's the top creator right now bringing you joy? Hmm. I think I'm watching a lot of Simi. Simi, I think her last name, girl, if I, and we're friends, that's what's so crazy. I might butcher her last name. it is let me go to the insta right now uche notore i'll give that uche my favorite uk girl and then simi moonlight is her instagram that is my girl she does style travel beauty lifestyle and she honestly just puts it on and she speaks freely and she's dark skinned and she's beautiful and she exists and she lives unapologetically for herself and she's just like everything that I want amplified in myself is her.

44:49Like she's really that girl and I will continue to support and watch her. And like, you know, fashion is cute too. Like she, sometimes I see an outfit from Simi and I go and buy it just because it's on Simi. Because hey, influence. True influence. True influence. What's the first thing you would say if you met Naomi Campbell, given that you have runway aspirations? You know, I feel like I would ask her how it feels to look this good. But I feel like Naomi in every stage of life, she just looks good. She looks fab. And I just like she walks the walk. She talks the talk. And that's that. You know, every runway.

45:25But aside from Naomi, Adu Akek, that's who I really want to meet. Adu Akek is the South Sudan girls model, runway model. She does it. Anok Yai, model, my model of the year. Yeah. Love it. Love it. OK. And do you have a perfume you're obsessed with? yes Louis Vuitton Symphony I feel like that's like my most complimented perfume and also I really love Exalte by Foumi Monet okay yeah all right oh because she's the perfume content creator wait I've never tried her brand oh it's fire really honestly like if I could get for her flowers I would because that perfume lasts all day I get so many compliments on it it turns heads every time I gotta get my hands on that I love I love fragrance you must Okay.

46:13And your greatest self-care practice that brings you joy? Oh, probably journaling. You know, you have to get it out sometimes. And once you journal, you actually write down your thoughts. I feel like you're able to just go about your day with so much more peace and just like calmness. Journal, guys. It's worth it. It might be like a little old school. You're picking up a pen and a paper, but like just taking the time out of your day to really get your thoughts down, the perfect way to do it. Yeah. So many successful people on our show have said that. And I've yet to pick up a pen. A ballpoint.

46:45Yeah. I feel like I need a quill. Like, you know, you could like, yeah, make it very dramatic if I'm going to do it. Or like Meghan Markle and her perfect calligraphy in her show. I was like, what? Anyway, it was her best life. Living her best life. I absolutely love it. Well, thank you so much for joining us. Thank you for having me. Spending time. We know you are in demand. So we really appreciate you spending time with us and sharing your journey. and we wish you so much success. You're already killing it. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you for having me. Breaking Beauty, guys. Braked.

47:15Yay. Love it. Thank you. Thanks for listening. You can find details on every product mentioned in today's episode, along with our exclusive promo codes on our blog at breakingbeautypodcast.com. While you're there, be sure to sign up for our newsletter. Every episode will be delivered directly to your inbox so you won't miss a single thing. And get social with us. Let us know what you think of the episode You can follow us on Instagram at Breaking Beauty Podcast. And did you know we also have a private Facebook group? Just search Breaking Beauty Podcast chat room. You can even leave us a voicemail at any time with questions or feedback at 1-844-227-0302.

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48:22Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.