Dark & Lovely is a brand that has been in Black women’s homes since 1972. History was made when they became the first brand to create a hair relaxer without lye. This active ingredient is one of the main reasons for scalp irritation when processing the relaxer. The brand was acquired by L’Oréal in 1998 and continued on its journey to revolutionize Black hair care. Now, almost 50 years later, Dark & Lovely is not only a brand Black women choose when looking to spice up their hairstyles but they’re adding a focus to creating better futures.
The Building Beautiful Futures initiative launched in January of 2022. It is a multi-year commitment that helps bring educational and career equity to Black, female college students and young professionals. For its launch, the brand tapped actress and activist Storm Reid to help inspire and uplift young women throughout the program. This year, Dark & Lovely has introduced their newest brand ambassador, Meagan Good! 21Ninety attended the exclusive announcement event in NYC.
Dark & Lovely’s ‘Making Bold Moves’ Mentoring Event
“With Building Black Futures, the conversation we’re having around it is celebrating Black women across the board, empowering them, reminding them that they’re the most exotic beings on this planet,” Meagan mentioned while speaking with 21Ninety. “I just hope that I’m able to give back with mentioning, powering into, giving resources, uplifting and making young women know that you can do anything you set out to do, even though we’ve always been told that we cant.”
In 2023, the program will further its commitment to creating opportunities for young, Black women. Dark & Lovely is committed to providing more masterclasses, scholarships, and mentorship opportunities. Good will serve as an ambassador for the brand’s Fade Resist collection and full product range. She will also help spread awareness about Building Beautiful Futures as it kicks off its second year by lending her voice and time to inspire and support young Black women.
The event itself was centered around a conversation between Good and digital creator, DonYé Taylor. The discussion, moderated by Dark & Lovely’s Marketing Director Tenaj Ferguson, covered an array of topics. The two touched on beauty standards in today’s society, mentorship, and tackling new obstacles.
During the event, the brand also revealed the winner of their recent pitch competition. Janell Muhammad, Founder and CEO of SelfiēSkín Co walked away with a $5,000 grant and a trip to Dark & Lovely’s headquarters in NY for business mentorship.
Meagan Is Back, With A New Look!
Not only did Meagan Good show up for the announcement of her new role, she debuted a new look! The award-winning actress, bestselling author, and producer also flaunted the return of her signature blonde hair. Good has credited Dark & Lovely’s Fade Resist collection for bringing back that color we all love.
This all comes at the perfect time for Meagan. The actress is gearing up for the return of the hit Amazon Prime series “Harlem,” which will drop its second season on Feb. 3. She will next be seen reprising her role as Super Hero Darla in “SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS.”
She has recently opened up about her life after divorce from DeVon Franklin. She has even credited Whoopi Goldberg as someone who helped her through those times. In an interview with the cast of “The View” she gave Goldberg her recognition. Whoopi was very instrumental in that, because we had some really good conversations I needed to have that were illuminating for me and eye-opening for me.”
When speaking with 21Ninety at Dark & Lovely’s event, she shared what she hopes young women can learn from her and her experiences. “Along the way, people are going to tell you who they think you should be and what they think you should do,” she said. “Nobody can duplicate or replicate what you bring to the table… So be the fullness of who you are, unapologetically. Love yourself, love what you see when you look in the mirror.”