This is what inclusive beauty looks like

As a kid growing up in the late 70-80’s in Paris. I got used not to see myself (or girls who look like me) portrayed by the medias; I remember me at 5 years old, watching my reflection in the mirror, touching those soft hair that seemed to have a life of their own, trying to make them move (and it didn’t work)… I used to steel my mother’s scarf to create some sort of long hair… My cousin still laughs at me remembering it, but it says something sad… I didn’t feel validated.

It took all the wisdom of my parents to search all around Paris for a black doll that would become my favorite! She had an afro like me, she was dark skinned and looked so good. I thank them so much cause it participated to my self confidence.

I was that only black girl in an all white parisian school and it was OK, cause daddy said I was pretty and smart. As a teenager and young adult, things changed, black references were african-american and west indian, it was cool but I wanted to add my african part to it. I was french, culturally a bit afro-american, but very african too, and that appeared nowhere. All I ever done since had that mixed identity, that afro-french touch.

For me, it’s a vision of beauty, everyone should feel legitimate. Nobody should be saying “why am I not blond”, “why am I not thin”, “why am I not that fly afro-american girl”?

As I was building my first brand, I was dreaming about making every people with curly hair feel confortable. Smiling faces, curvy women, short kinks, dark skin, all those types you never see. And I did it, I conveyed those images through my brand in France, at my level (and people thank me for that).

For Frenchica, we wish to go further than only addressing efficiently people’s needs. It’s not just about having super products for black or brown people. It’s about being able to respond to diverse beauty needs while being culturally relevant AND economically fair, using great african ingredients and french savoir-faire to provide the best products. To reach that goal, we need you to precise your beauty needs along the way, while I build the future collections, tell us about your indispensable products, … how can we make your hair and skin routine clearer and simpler, a real no bullshit routine?

We wish to provide essential, clean and efficient products, highlighting those who harvest the raw material. We strive to partner with them and bring them to the beauty table, celebrate their beautiful work 🙂 This is my conception of a noble beauty, the one that respects and represent everyone, and gives credit to the traditions that made it possible, we celebrate authentic beauty. The one that comes from inside out!

Speak soon people 🙂