NYABJ Visits The Black Beauty Club's 'Beauty on the Block'

By: Mana Faye

Photo credit: Darryl Jones

This past Juneteenth weekend, The Black Beauty Club transformed the plaza at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building into a vibrant marketplace for its inaugural "Beauty on the Block" event.

More than 4,000 attendees gathered for the outdoor celebration, which featured booths from more than 20 Black-owned beauty brands, including Dosso Beauty, Good Weather Skin, KOBA Skincare and Harlem Perfume Co.

Founder Tomi Talabi launched The Black Beauty Club on the Clubhouse app during the COVID-19 pandemic as a safe space for Black women to connect over shared beauty rituals. Since then, the organization has hosted more than 100 events and cultural experiences around the world.

Photo credit Jacques More

"To see more than 4,000 people come out, meet these founders, try their products and purchase from them was incredibly powerful," Talabi said. "Several brands sold out, consumers discovered products and services they had never experienced before, and Harlem showed exactly what can happen when culture, community and commerce come together with intention."

The event also featured interactive activations, including the JolieDen Braiding Pop-Up, the Cash App Nail Shop and complimentary hand massages at the KOBA Skincare booth.

One of the day's highlights was a live braiding competition hosted by JolieDen, where hairstylists showcased their artistry and technical skill. Albany-based hairstylist Shataya Scott, known online as @braids4grades, won the competition's top prize.

Through her Braids4Grades initiative, Scott provides free professional braiding services to local K-12 students who earn A or B averages on their report cards.

"Harlem is more than a venue; it is a cornerstone of Black beauty culture," Scott said. "To be celebrated there, among so many talented Black women gathered in the name of artistry and heritage, was both humbling and deeply inspiring."

Attendees also praised the event. Fatou Barry, founder of PR Girl Manifesto, described it as both a meaningful celebration and an important addition to New York City's cultural landscape.

Photo credit, Darryl Jones

"I'm a fan of everything The Black Beauty Club does, and it feels especially meaningful to celebrate Black beauty here today," Barry said. "This event is no exception, and I'm so excited to be here and show my support."

Talabi closed the event by emphasizing its broader mission.

"Black beauty does more than influence trends. It builds businesses, shapes consumer behavior and moves markets," she said. "More than a celebration, Beauty on the Block showed what is possible when Black-founded brands are given the space, infrastructure and audience to be discovered and supported at scale."

Following its successful debut in Harlem, The Black Beauty Club will bring "Beauty on the Block" to Chicago on Aug. 8.