When Golloria George joined TikTok last January, she never expected to become a viral sensation as quickly as she did. “I really wanted to immerse myself in the beauty space,” she shares with the Cut. Now, with just over 1 million followers, the 21-year-old Texas State psychology major dedicates her platform to beauty-product reviews and testing different foundations to see which brands are truly providing inclusive shade ranges for all skin tones. “The hardest part about what I do is dealing with people who minimize my experience as a dark-skinned Black woman,” the creator says. “Talking so heavily about tone inclusivity in the beauty industry usually leaves my comments section flooded with statements like, ‘It’s not that serious,’” she says of the harsh reality. “However, the upside is that I get to connect with a group of people who have been excluded from the beauty industry for as long as I can remember. I do this for dark-skinned Black women. I noticed how many others were feeling left out, and it just was my sign to keep going.”
Looking back, “it took a lot of self-work and reflection to become unapologetically myself,” George shares of her journey. “For a really long time, I was extremely insecure, specifically when it came to my darker complexion.” Over the years, she’s found joy and confidence in the world of beauty and makeup. “It’s an art, a form of self-expression. There are no rules,” she says. “I didn’t think it would have such a huge impact on who I’ve become, but it has made me a stronger person.”
Giving so much of herself to her platform and community — on top of being a full-time student — means knowing when to pull back and pour into herself. For George, she does this via prayer, morning runs, facials, and a mélange of Drunk Elephant and Fenty skin-care products.
7:30 — When I wake up in the morning, I pray. Starting my morning off with prayer sets my day up for success. I typically will go for a run in the morning as well, just to exert some energy.
9:00 — Byoma Face Cleanser: I love this because it’s affordable and doesn’t strip my skin or make it feel dry.
9:02 — Dermologica Mutli Active Toner: This is great because it’s hydrating, and I love the spray-bottle applicator.
9:05 — Drunk Elephant Hydrating Serum: Like its name suggests, it’s super-hydrating and leaves me glowing every time.
9:07 — Drunk Elephant Vitamin C: For glow-y skin and a brighter complexion.
9:10 — Drunk Elephant LaLa Whipped Moisturizer: This is easy to apply and super-hydrating.
9:12 — Drunk Elephant Shaba Complex Eye Cream: It doesn’t burn around my eyes, and it also reduces the look of dark circles.
9:13 — Fenty Skin Sunscreen: This is amazing because it doesn’t leave a white cast like other sunscreens I’ve tried on my skin tone.
9:15 — Fenty Plush Puddin’ Lip Mask: This will leave you with hydrated lips for days.
8:30 — Before bed, I pray again and drink some tea, take a shower, and just relax.
9:15 — I use the Byoma Face Cleanser and Dermologica Multi Active Toner again.
9:20 — Drunk Elephant Glycolic Night Serum: This smooths texture out over time.
9:22 — I layer the Drunk Elephant Hydrating Serum, Drunk Elephant Lala Whipped Moisturizer, Drunk Elephant Shaba Complex Eye Cream, and Fenty Plush Puddin’ again.
“Making complexion-shade swatches look darker online, when in reality the shade is giving the complete opposite. It’s dishonest and quite frankly way too normalized in the beauty industry. Instead of making your shades look darker online, practice tone inclusivity in all aspects of your company.”
“I’m proud of all the Black women in the beauty industry. We are the blueprint and have revolutionized the beauty industry for the better.”
“I hope to see the beauty industry include more Black women in this space and give us equal opportunities to flourish.”
“As of right now, I’m really loving the bright under-eye trend and seeing more Black women incorporate it into their makeup routines with concealers that work for our complexion.”
“I gravitate toward products that have sunscreen. Sun damage is real, and I went a really long time without wearing it. I’m also a huge fan of vitamin C; my skin has never been more glowing.”
“Usually I test products that most beauty influencers rave about or have been raving about to see if they’re dark-skin-friendly. ”
“Fenty Matchstix in the shade Caviar. This was the first-ever contour to work on me. I’ve been using this product for a while now, and when I first picked it up, I was hesitant, because there was no contour on the market that was deep enough for me. Ironically, testing this product was my first viral video, rightfully so. This one’s for the dark-skinned girls!”
“Danessa Myricks Yummy Glow Serum. My makeup started looking even more phenomenal when I began to use this product. I just can’t go back to any other product. I need a Yummy glow!”
Facials. “Sometimes your skin just needs a deep spring cleaning. I go to my best friend, Jasmin — @sagebeautyatx across all platforms, Instagram, and TikTok. Also I’m into shaving the peach fuzz off my face — doing so aids in a smoother makeup application.”
“Fenty Plush Puddin’. I hate when my lips are dry, and it’s a lip mask but looks like a gloss.”
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