Aveeno awarded the winners of the second installment of the brand’s Skin Health Accelerator Startup, in partnership with ESSENCE. The program, the company explains, is dedicated to helping create a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable skincare industry, and recognizes the power of Black female-identifying entrepreneurs in offering new solutions for all skin and hair types.

This year, Aveeno and ESSENCE have named a winner and runner-up for the 2022 Skin Health Accelerator Startup: 

• New Orleans-based Arielle Brown, Founder of Bea’s Bayou is the winner of the competition. Bea's Bayou Skincare was launched in August 2020 to help those with highly sensitive scalp and skin get natural and quick relief from stubborn itch and dryness. The products help calm itch, flakes and flare-ups and are multibiotic care for the scalp and skin.
• Washington D.C-based Dr. Anne Beal, Founder of AbsoluteJOI is the runner-up in the competition. AbsoluteJOI is a clean beauty brand that offers people with all skin types and tones simple but effective skincare for renewed radiance and healthy balance. Using scientifically based active ingredients, combined with soothing botanicals, the products are designed to balance and nourish the skin, while addressing common issues for melanin-rich skin.

Both Arielle and Dr. Anne will receive $100,000 grants to help fuel their businesses and grow their product pipelines to ultimately help advance their wellness offerings for Black consumers. In addition, they will receive hands-on business guidance and mentorship from the best and brightest business thought leaders with expertise ranging from package design, marketing, accounting and more.

Arielle Brown will use the grant to build awareness for skin issues linked to mental health and diet, launch new products, and apply for certification from MyMicrobiome an independent control body that rigorously tests products and single ingredients for their impact on the skin’s microbiome.

Dr. Anne Beal plans to use the grant to support the launch of a new Vitamin C serum formulated to fade dark spots. Special packaging is needed for the serum to address oxidation and the funding will continue the development, prototyping, and testing of unique packaging designs, rounding out the total collection. Dr. Anne has the goal of securing distribution in at least one national retailer this year.