GO FRENCH YOURSELF IS COMMITTED TO CONTINUE AMPLIFYING BLACK VOICES, BLACK CULTURE, AND BLACK BUSINESS OWNERS AND CREATORS.

It took me awhile to take all of my beauty regimens seriously, but as I’ve gotten older (and less lazy), I’ve started to see the importance behind each of them. And I am here to tell you that our nails need just as much attention as the rest of your body. In moments of isolation with this pandemic…I had to give up my bi-monthly manicures and pedicures and do the whole shebang myself at home! I kept my hands clean and moisturized at all times and paid attention to my cuticles. Yet, I was still struggling with something: making the nail color last for more than a day. I’ve done the gel coats, topcoats and base coats and still, my nails would end up brittle, weak and ultimately, my nail polish chipped.

It all came down to the nail polishes I was using. Turns out nail polishes are filled to the brim with chemicals that are harmful for both you and the environment. EEEK! I’m going to be real here and admit that I never thought to read the ingredients on the label of nail polishes, as I do with my other beauty products.

Spoiler alert: I recently did and half of the words I can’t even pronounce, let alone know what they mean.

So next time you’re shopping for nail polish like me let’s buy from black-owned People Of Color! The hues are just fantastic and Jacqueline is just the sweetest person! I am so fortunate that she took the time to answer some questions for us for this lovely GFY feature!!!

INTERVIEW WITH FOUNDER OF PEOPLE OF COLOR

-Can you introduce yourself and your company to our readers?

My name is Jacqueline Carrington and I’m the founder of People of Color. People of Color is a non-toxic, vegan, and cruelty-free (Leaping Bunny certified) nail polish brand made to complement the various shades of brown skin as the first thought, not an afterthought. Our slogan is ‘nail polish for People of Color and those who live in color’.

-Outside of being the founder of People of Color, who are you? (Where are you from? Where are you now? What do you enjoy?)

Outside of being the founder of People of Color, I am a wife, mom of 3, daughter, and sister! I was born in Pittsburgh, PA and grew up in Southern California. I currently reside in Southern California after moving away for about 10 years when leaving for college and then living on the east coast after college. I enjoy sports (I grew up playing basketball), traveling, hanging out with friends and family, and love all things talking and learning about business and real estate.

-Prior to launching People of Color®, you worked in the hospitality industry for 6 years and then the property management industry for another 6 years until leaving that job in October 2019. Was this a difficult decision and do you ever miss it?

Yes, my professional background prior to starting People of Color was in hospitality, which I have my Bachelor’s in Lodging and Resort Management from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. After 6 years of working in the hotel industry, I gained interest in real estate and transitioned into property management, working as a property manager for the next 6 years. It was not a difficult decision (although a bit scary) to leave my job because ever since I was a child, I knew I was an entrepreneur and that I did not want to work for anyone. When I think about my previous positions versus working for myself, I don’t miss it. However, I do miss some of my old co-workers and some of the fun memories I have from over the years.

-Where does the name People of Color come from?

People of Color is both literal and figurative when it comes to our brand. Growing up, I skipped wearing nail polish because I played basketball and because I never saw nail polish colors shown on brown hands. When my daughter started to show interest in nail polish at a young age, I looked at her and thought about my own family and said to myself, “there’s so many shades of brown skin in my family, let alone, around the world. What if someone made a nail polish brand called People of Color that picked out colors to complement the various shades of brown skin?” The brand literally celebrates People of Color and we think of various shades as the first thought in choosing colors, but it also is figurative because we all live in a world OF COLOR as well! That’s how I got the slogan ‘nail polish for People of Color and those who live in color’.

-All of your products have very witty names like “Mother of Earth” and “Walk of Fame.” I love the way your brain works! Do you have a particular name you’re especially proud of? (Maybe a favorite?)

Thank you so much! It’s so funny you picked those two names, “Mother of Earth” and “Walk of Fame”. “Walk of Fame” is my personal favorite color (although I like them all) and was inspired by the Hollywood stars on Hollywood Blvd (aka the Walk of Fame). Also, I’m most proud of “Mother of Earth” because it is my way of paying homage to the woman who birthed civilization and her beautiful brown skin from the earth. I want people who wear the color and be proud in what it represents and be in awe at its beauty.

-Your products are ECO conscious in many ways. What motivated you to create a product with those elements?

I wanted to have a nail polish brand that was non-toxic, vegan, and cruelty-free for various reasons. For being non-toxic, people are more conscious about what they put on and, in their bodies, including myself. I also had a young child interested in wearing nail polish and didn’t want her wearing toxic polish from such a young age. For being vegan, I wondered, why would animal product or by-product need to be in a nail polish? For being cruelty-free, it fell in line with being conscious of things that are important to me as a consumer, so I wanted the same for my brand.

-What nail polish colors do you see trending for summer?

For summer, bright colors are always in. However, nudes and non-typical summer colors like mauve and other muted tones are still doing well.

-How long will an application of polish generally last?

A regular home manicure paired with our top and base coat generally lasts up to 2 weeks based on feedback from our customers. Personally, mine will last 5-6 days depending on how careful I am with my nails between working on the business, packing orders, and running around the house with 3 toddlers.

-Do you have any nail secrets or regimens you swear by?

No major secrets! My top two regimens are drink lots of water and use cuticle oil daily!

-I love that you have nail salons that use your products! I really enjoy getting manicures, but most nail salons use polishes with toxic ingredients. There isn’t a salon in my area that carries People of Color, so have you ever brought your own polish to a nail salon? Is there a right way to do this without offending or confusing the nail salon technician?

Believe it or not, I’ve never been to the nail salon to get my nails done! Remember, I grew up not wearing nail polish and only started wearing it and rekindling my interest once I had the idea of starting this business last year. Shocking, right?! However, for those interested in bringing their own nail polish to the salon, always check your salon’s policies and/or ask first. There are some salons who work with different nail brands upon contract and can only use their products. Another reason you should check first is because when a client brings their own products, a nail technician cannot guarantee the integrity of that product or wear like they can products that they offer, which are normally vetted and tested prior to becoming something that is offered to their client base.

-We often think of beauty as a surface quality — how do you nurture your inner beauty?

I nurture my inner beauty spiritually. I know that I am fearfully and wonderfully made by the Creator of the universe. Positive affirmations are also important to nurturing my inner beauty and celebrating my uniqueness in the world—each person is truly one of a kind.

-What’s next for the brand? Any new products launching or secrets you can spill?

What’s next? We are gearing up to launch our fall collection in September! I cannot share the theme just yet; but it is definitely going to be something fun and educational!

Thank you Jacqueline! We cannot wait for that!

https://www.peopleofcolorbeauty.com/