CRWN on the Move: Project Beauty Expo in NYC
In the midst of this past week's tragic events, the CRWNMAG team was fortunate to have a weekend filled with love, support, and sisterhood. Immediately following our Saturday stint at The Black Owned Market in Times Square, we had the opportunity to spend Sunday spreading love at Project Beauty Expo in Chelsea.
Founder of PBE, Brittany Brown.
Project Beauty Expo, or PBE, was founded by Brittany Brown, a natural beauty enthusiast who started Moneé Cosmetics. After starting her own business, she was frustrated by the lack of multicultural women in the beauty industry. She started PBE as an effort to create a support network for women of color who are interested in natural beauty, wellness, and healthy living. In a short amount of time, the project has grown into a substantial platform not only showcasing indie beauty brands, but offering opportunities for women, bloggers, natural beauty enthusiasts, and customers to connect, collaborate and share ideas.
This past Sunday's event, held at White Space Chelsea, proved to be a resounding success: brands such as Base Butter, Golde Turmeric Wellness, Lauren Napier Beauty and more shared tips, stories, and products with everyday women and beauty influencers alike. Attendees enjoyed complimentary hand massages, manicures by Sundays NYC, hair and makeup tutorials, while sipping on fresh juice and wellness water. The good vibes were only enhanced by the healing sounds of Solange, SZA, and India.Arie that the DJ was spinning throughout the day. At 3:30, a panel consisting of 'Black Girl Bosses' Lauren Ash, Lauren Napier, Vic Styles, and Selma Idris spread wisdom and answered questions about their experience starting their own beauty empires.
PBE founder, Brittany Brown, poses with Keyanna Sawyer-Jones, founder of Bleum Creative.
The CRWN table was directly across from the family affair that is The Brown Crayon Project. Watching Selma Idris' husband and kids run that table was a beautiful reminder of the importance of supporting Black and brown businesses in our political climate and economy: our dollars matter. Our dollars can contribute directly to children and families. Our dollars can ensure that there are images of ourselves that we want to see ― that we NEED to see ― both in the media and beauty industries. One of the most frequent statements I heard on Sunday was: "If this were around when I was a kid, my whole life would have been different."
Both theBOM and PBE were perfect examples of Black and brown women doing what we do best: surviving, loving, and supporting each other in the wake of a world that doesn't want to. It was an unbelievable privilege to be a part of such impactful events, and in the presence of such inspiring women, during a weekend that many of us don't want to think about.
If you want poppin' lip color, healthy curls, and a wealth of other beauty benefits ― all while directly pooling your money towards taking back the beauty industry, check out these brands, and feel free to reach out. Our network is important:
Eden BodyWorks
Alaffia
Farmacy
Sundays NYC
Lauren Napier Beauty
The Brown Crayon Project
Curls Courtesy Of...
Girl + Hair
Rooted Treasure
Kaike
SKÔT Beauté
Butter + Nectar
Limegreen
Bloomsbury Sq.
Hi Wildflower
Lymph Candy
Forever Wild
Base Butter
Smoothie Beauty
Cinta
GOLDE Turmeric Wellness
NINI
RXBAR
Urbanstems
Photos by Rai Smalls:
