Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Johnson
Hi Brittany, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story starts with my roots and biggest inspiration – my mother. A natural beauty with glowing skin, born and raised in the Jamaican countryside, where life is 100% natural. After immigrating to the U.S., her first job was at the beauty counter for a major brand at Macy’s. That same brand later became a client of mine. Talk about a full circle moment. My mother went on to become a licensed aesthetician. It’s funny how our family journey has always had beauty at the center of it.
My personal journey with beauty, however, has been a bumpy one. Unlike my mother, I’ve battled severe eczema my whole life. As a young girl growing up in Palm Beach, where light clothing is the norm, I would often hide beneath layers of clothes, feeling ashamed of my dry, flaky skin. Every dermatologist’s prescription, from the priciest to the cheapest, would conceal but never heal. Not seeing girls or women who looked like me in the media made it even harder to feel confident. That lack of representation became my biggest motivation to study Advertising at Florida State University and be part of the change.
With eight years of experience in advertising, beauty, tech and championing DE&I across all three, I’ve seen firsthand how tough it is for women to feel happy in their own skin. Especially in a world where beauty standards feel impossible to meet. My own struggle with eczema made it even harder to feel comfortable in mine.
As a Jamaican-American woman, I’ve reclaimed my healing journey by reconnecting with my roots. I turned to the OG beauty queens in my life – my mother and aunties – who taught me Caribbean healing practices and natural beauty secrets passed down through generations. I immersed myself in chemical composition through formulation classes, worked closely with leading chemist Marquita Robinson Garcia and sourced the finest Jamaican ingredients. I poured all this knowledge into creating my own organic skincare line – Irie Glow.
Fast forward to today, after launching our first collection and website on “Black Friday” we helped shift the narrative from a day of generic discounts to celebrating black-founded businesses such as our own.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This whole venture was born from a challenge, sparked by what felt like the ‘end of the world’, when COVID brought everything to a halt. After years of traveling for work, nothing makes you question your life’s purpose like being forced to sit still with your own thoughts in a tiny NYC apartment. As global interest in skincare grew, the idea hit me: I could create a natural, Caribbean-infused line to tackle skin concerns for fellow eczema warriors. The process started off exciting, with online courses and kitchen experiments. Then imposter syndrome hit, making me question if the vision was too big. But as I kept making products for myself, the healing and transformation I witnessed in my own skin made it clear that this was something I needed to share with the world.
The following year, a mentor introduced me to ‘BFF’ (Black Female Founders), a community that gave me a sense of belonging, valuable knowledge and monthly calls that kept me going. I quickly realized from the BFF’s stories that no woman is an island and I needed a team.
Thankfully another mentor connected me with our brilliant Creative Director, Kia Moses, a fellow Jamaican-American woman who helped bring the Irie Glow vision to life. Together, we shaped the brand’s ethos, product collection and everything in-between. With the help of our incredible designer, Lindsey Willis, the 70’s Caribbean visual identity was fully realized and we now have a growing team of ‘Irie Glow Gyals’. The finishing touch came from our diverse team of Caribbean photographers, makeup artists, stylists and models, who all brought their unique creative flair to the brand.
The biggest challenge? Production. It took years of trial and error to navigate manufacturing and packaging, while trying to ensure everything was non-toxic and environmentally conscious. Not to mention the guts and faith required to self-fund it all, working in tech to support my new life’s passion.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Irie Glow is a 100% natural, eco-luxe skincare line, rooted in generations of Jamaican beauty secrets and healing recipes. With ingredients sustainably sourced from Jamaica and crafted in the USA, each product is lovingly bottled in eco-friendly glass and wrapped in recyclable packaging.
Irie (pronounced eye·ree) is a Jamaican slang, meaning intense peace; a state of well being or contentment. It embodies the uniquely laid-back, Jamaican approach to life that goes beyond ‘feeling good’. It’s a deep knowing that ‘every likkle thing will be alright’. The ‘Glow’ in our brand name is holistic – it’s about radiant skin and shining from the inside out with pure joy and vibrant health.
Irie Glow centers around feel-good products, made with organic ingredients that are good for you and the planet. Free from chemicals, perfumes and dyes, all our products are hypoallergenic, pregnancy-safe and specially formulated for sensitive skin. With regular use, they actually help heal skin and scalp conditions like eczema, acne, dandruff and psoriasis.
Our first ‘Glow Essentials’ Collection features whipped ‘Mango Shea Body Butter’ and ‘Castor Rose Glow & Grow Oil’ for skin and hair. Infused with potent ingredients such as Jamaican Black Castor Oil, Annatto Extract and Mango Butter, these exotic blends bring plant-powered Caribbean remedies to the global beauty industry. We’ve also created limited-edition merch that captures the vibrant spirit of island culture.
What are your plans for the future?
We’re on a mission to expand our product line and help even more people heal their skin. Our goal is to evolve as a holistic brand and foster an inclusive community that empowers others to live ‘Irie’. To further our impact, we’ve committed to partnering with creatives and farmers across the diaspora. One day we hope to also cultivate an Irie Glow farm, where we’ll grow our own natural ingredients, create local jobs and a sustainable, full-circle production flow. We invite you to glow and grow with us @irieglowskin. Visit Irieglow.com for the latest drops and updates.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Irieglow.com
- Instagram: @irieglowskin
Image Credits
Pedro Thomas @bwoypedro
Destinee Condison @cedestial
