What you need to know
Makeup should be for everyone. This is a simple sentiment that Goloria has been trying to emphasize for years.
The influencer, who boasts over 4.5 million followers in all walks of life, is originally from South Sudan and immigrated to the United States as a child. As she got older, it became increasingly difficult to ignore the lack of inclusivity around her, including the makeup industry.
“As a kid, I was always the darkest person to walk into any room,” Goloria, 24, exclusively tells PEOPLE. “It was also a time when racism and colorism were at an all-time high and normalized. People are going to be mean to you just because you look different. I had to restrain myself.”
In high school, she began to develop her personality and explore her passions. Once I started accepting myself for who I am, I found that by setting boundaries and focusing on the things that bring me joy, I became happier.
It wasn’t until her college days that she discovered her love for makeup, when she found a group of like-minded women and they all got together while preparing for an event on campus. However, there weren’t many makeup options for people with her darker skin tone.
Courtesy of Goloria
While attending school and working, I saved up money to go to a beauty store. That’s when she discovered Fenty Beauty and “that’s when my life changed.”
“There was something inside me that said, “This is fun,’ and it felt like the first time I felt like I was actually participating in something,” she said. “I thought, ‘If I feel this way, I’m sure a lot of other dark-skinned women feel the same way.'”
Then she picked up a camera and started documenting her experience. Since then, she has built a large community around her beauty content, where she shares makeup products that match her skin tone.
In her series “Does it Glo?”, Goloria tests out the darkest shades of foundation and contour at new product launches to see if it suits her. Through this series, she hopes to raise awareness about makeup product options, or lack thereof, for people with darker skin. She calls for improvements in brands and encourages them to expand their shades to include everyone, not just a few.
Goloria points out that some brands are starting to take note and create broader and deeper shade ranges as a result of her content.
“We’ve seen a clear shift in some brands. We’ve seen brands come out with new things and go deeper than before,” she says. “It’s really beautiful to see it grow into something that can actually spark tangible change and make brands think and be aware. Advocacy is a beautiful form of resistance.”
“Some people don’t really understand the videos I make and say I’m just complaining. Some people have never been in a position of not being seen or represented in a certain industry,” she emphasizes. “Representation is much deeper than product. It’s great that I make brands think twice before launching something, and that’s so important. We’re always going to celebrate progress, so let’s keep doing that.”
One easy way for brands to make sure they’re releasing products for everyone is to “make sure you have a Black person on your team,” Goloria suggests.
“The team includes not only Black people, but also Black cosmetic chemists,” she explains. “When brands look behind the scenes, that’s where real change happens.”
“I can’t say I want to start a beauty brand, but I’ve never taken the time to explore deep shades, bright shades, and different undertones. We need cosmetic chemists who aren’t afraid to play with things we’ve never seen before,” she continues. “The problem is that brands aren’t making these products. We don’t really see what contour and bronzer should actually look like on dark skin.”
She also says, “It’s important to know how exhausting it is, especially for Black women, to constantly have to be on the front lines of these movements for inclusivity.”
The work “has to be very intentional and rooted in the integrity of the brand’s pillars,” she added.
“As brands continue to grow and new brands continue to emerge, we’re starting to put inclusivity at the forefront, and that’s the way it should be.”
Critical to the success of her content is her community.
“Community is one of the biggest pillars of being a content creator. My community is so beautiful because over the past year, I’ve realized that I don’t have to deal with rude comments as much anymore,” she says. “Those who know why I do this understand it and will continue to defend me.”
“I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the people who supported me, who lifted me up, who kept pushing forward, kept talking, kept pushing me despite all the backlash,” she continues. “This is a great reminder that people see and understand you. You’re not in this alone. You have to remember that there’s a bigger purpose here.”
Courtesy of Goloria
While a larger purpose is essential, Goloria always takes care to weave humor into his videos.
“It’s a pretty serious subject matter, but I’m a girl who likes to play with makeup brushes. This is a fun space where we can laugh. I hope people watch my ‘Darkest Shade’ video and get some laughs out there, even though it’s serious,” she tells PEOPLE. “I try to spread good energy and happiness, and I hope that’s reflected through my videos. I also hope that it’s reflected to the people and new people who want to come see me and be with me.”
Recently, Golloria was selected as one of 25 winners of Instagram Rings, a new creator award that recognizes and recognizes creative opportunities on the platform. The judges included Adam Mosseri, Grace Wales Bonner, Marc Jacobs, Pat McGrath, and several others.
As one of the winners, influencers will receive a digital gold ring around their profile photo, a physical ring from Grace Wales Bonner, and a special in-product feature from Instagram.
Goloria said she hopes other “Black voices continue to be amplified” through her platform.
“We live in a world where Black voices are often misunderstood. I hope that in the coming years people can understand where all these trends are coming from,” she says. “The more we understand that, the better it will be for everyone. So many trends come from Black voices. If we start amplifying Black voices instead of silencing them, everyone will be a little bit happier.”
Goloria said she’s “not just doing this” for who she is today, but to “heal a part of my inner child” and be an inspiration to other Black women.
“It shows other dark-skinned black women that you deserve to be here and that you deserve to break into a system that was never created for you,” she added. “And do it proudly, loudly, and as blackly as you can. That’s a constant reminder.”
“I have to do it every day. It’s discouraging to keep trying shades that don’t work or to constantly be reminded that I’m not included,” she says. “I know nothing will change and a closed mouth will not nourish me. I have to keep talking.”
