So many of you have been on this journey with me for over a decade. I started LoveBrownSugar back in 2009 with the hope of creating a space for women of color to feel seen, appreciated, and empowered. I’ve shared so many chapters of my life from working in magazines and PR to quitting my job for the first time in 2013 to pave my own path into entrepreneurship. Having my two beautiful children, Cadence and Colton. And even when I moved across the country to Los Angeles with the kids, I shared that journey with you all too. I’m really honored to have a community like this. You’ve supported me over the years with everything from my community events to my career moves.
Now, 12 years later, I’m embarking on a brand new journey. Last summer, as the pandemic was in full effect and stay at home orders still plagued the world, I had my own struggles at home managing a new job that was work-from-home, a potty training toddler, a Kindergartener who needed hour by hour assistance with virtual school, and so much more. My saving grace was having a dedicated and consistent bedtime routine with the kids. I noticed they slept better and were most comfortable when I used products on them that worked really well for their skin. They would not sleep well if their skin was itchy or dry. But I had to be picky about their products because they have sensitive skin, and they also suffer from eczema and dryness. Scouring the shelves at my local retailer, I realized there were very few clean, conscious product lines that were geared toward families like mine.
Most of what’s sold to us wasn’t created with brown skin in mind. It might be clean, but not moisturizing enough for us. Or effective, but filled with toxic ingredients. So, in that moment, I decided to explore how I could fill the gap. That’s when I started working on BabyBrownSugar.
Named after the amazing mom-led community I created when I first got pregnant with Cadence, my goal is to create products I know multicultural mommies will love using, and to build community around the Black motherhood experience. We are such a valuable part of society, but are so often overlooked. Especially in the consumer product goods industry. So this is my way of serving my community. Creating something I can stand behind that celebrates us, and was created FOR us.
I’m not going to lie – I thought about not pursuing it at all. “There’s so much already out there! It’s going to be really hard! What if no one buys it?” These are all things I told myself before taking the first steps. Because what would life be without a little imposter syndrome? But I pushed past my initial fears and have started working on it. And now I’m doing something even scarier – telling you all about it before it even launches!
If you take anything from this, I hope it’s that your crazy dreams are valid. And you can do anything. I’m rooting for you, and I really hope you’re rooting for me too. To learn more about the collection and to follow my journey ahead of the product launch, join the BabyBrownSugar VIP Newsletter here: https://babybrownsugar.com/
I can’t wait to tell you more! Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing mommies in this community. I love you and thank you for being part of my village.
Special thanks to the amazing creative team who helped capture my family for this announcement shoot \\Photos by Taylor Baldwin \\Styling by Simone Gittens \\ Makeup by Sisi Nike\\ Hairstyling by Hair by Ness
