Black Beauty Expo helps beauticians uplift melanated beauty

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Before a crowd of eager observers, Syracuse University sophomore Fatumata Sow began an “IG Baddie Brow” tutorial on a student volunteer. With Anastasia Beverly Hills DIPBROW Pomade, an angled brush and different hues of concealer, Sow described each meticulous step to creating perfect, camera-ready brows.

Sow was one of six cosmetologists who was a part of this year’s Black Beauty Expo held in Schine Student Center Underground. Hosted collectively by the Black Student Union, National Association of Black Accountants and Office of Multicultural Affairs, the event was a celebration of Black expertise and entrepreneurship.

“The Black Beauty Expo is a place for student entrepreneurs to showcase all of their amazing and wonderful talent and to highlight the importance of Black beauty and Black cosmetology here on campus,” said SU sophomore Aria Green.

On Feb. 1, Syracuse University welcomed Black History Month 2024 with the theme “Existing Outside the Lines: The Colors of Resistance.” The Black Beauty Expo was one of a variety of events spotlighted this month and open to all members of the SU community.

Booths for each cosmetologist filled the Underground. The list of specialists included students like Sow, Bilhissa Fadiga, Motolani Oladitan and Jess Aimunmondion, as well as professionals like Shayla Maewather and Shakera Kemp. The creatives invited students, faculty and staff to learn about the spectrum of Black cosmetology and experiment with new techniques and products on display.

This was the second year the Syracuse native and natural hair stylist Kemp participated in SU’s Black Beauty Expo. As a fourth-generation hair stylist, Kemp started @cusecurlfriend five years ago. She said being a part of entrepreneurship, specifically in cosmetology, means she is continuing to leave a legacy.

Throughout her career, Kemp said she has especially loved supporting college students who are not from the Syracuse area and may not know where to find natural hair care. By surrounding herself with student entrepreneurs who are also knowledgeable about the field, she can continue her mission of making a difference.

“It means a lot for somebody to take care of their hair, and I just love helping them do that,” Kemp said.

Oladitan, @tabeautie on Instagram, was another cosmetologist at the event. In 2013, Oladitan developed Tà Beauty in Bird Library’s Blackstone LaunchPad. Tà Beauty is a virtual marketplace that allows African entrepreneurs to sell their products easily and efficiently to the United States and the United Kingdom, she said.

“It means a lot to be here as a Black entrepreneur because entrepreneurship as a Black person can look incredibly different,” Oladitan said. “Having these spaces where our products and our time and energy and our passions can be highlighted is so amazing.”

Her booth attracted several interested Expo attendees. Oladitan said she has a lot of anxiety posting on social media, so being able to host a booth like this and get visibility amongst her peers, many of whom are people of color, and who Tà Beauty serves is extremely helpful.

While the Black Beauty Expo celebrates artistry, the event also reflected on how Black beauty is perceived by society. Sow said people often assume Black makeup is monolithic.

Society is conditioned to believe certain styles, like “soft makeup,” don’t work on darker skin tone, Sow said. She added that a lot of times people don’t realize Black people set a lot of the trends that happen within the makeup industry.

“Recently there was a brownie lip liner trend, but a lot of Hispanic and Black women have been doing brown liner and lip gloss since the beginning,” Sow said. “People used to say that it was hood and ratchet, but ultimately it became a trend that we see everywhere today that was initially popularized by women of color.”

Fatima Sangaré, a representative of the Syracuse chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants, said the Black Beauty Expo allows Black students to promote their businesses, which is very important because they are underrepresented in a lot of areas.

“To see something like this on campus is lit, it’s fun and you come and you’re like ‘Alright, look at black beauty all around me, the different shades of brown looking good,’” said SU senior KeAra Blanton. “You get to see products made for you by people who look like you. It’s nice, it makes you feel good.”