We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Quiana Johnson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Quiana , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?

Inclusivity is one of the biggest trends I’m seeing within the beauty industry, specifically sun care. I find this interesting because being inclusive shouldn’t be a trend it should be the standard. Before Black Girl Sunscreen, people of color were completely ignored from being consumers of sun care products. Our deeper complexions and skin care concerns weren’t a priority for the leading brands at the time. Not only that, but some of us may not have been raised wearing sunscreen, have never gotten sunburned, or weren’t educated about the benefits. Now that Black Girl Sunscreen has entered the chat, we have opened up a part of the market that caters to all who were ignored by providing sun care that works for us!

After Black Girl Sunscreen was created I began seeing an uprise in ad campaigns featuring people of color applying sunscreen. While it’s amazing to see us finally being recognized within the industry, it’s intriguing to see how quickly brands have changed their marketing techniques to suddenly be inclusive. I’ve also seen an uprise in content creators sharing education and incorporating SPF application methods into their routines. While others are catching up to the trend of inclusivity, Black Girl Sunscreen has been and always will be inclusive!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Quiana Johnson from Tacoma, WA.

I’ve always been passionate about beauty and business which led me to focus on a career involving both. I was introduced to the beauty industry while attending the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in LA where I received my Associate of Arts Degree in Beauty Marketing & Product Development and my Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management. Attending FIDM introduced me to professors with extensive beauty industry backgrounds and passionate peers. During my time at FIDM, I got to experience hands-on learning when it comes to all aspects of managing a beauty-focused business. From there I jumped into different roles that helped elevate my career. From being a Marketing Intern at a start-up to a National Accounts Intern at a corporate office, I was able to wear many hats and discover what I like to do best – Product Development!

Upon graduating college in 2019, I networked with the Creator & Founder of Black Girl Sunscreen, Shontay Lundy. Black Girl Sunscreen is a sun care brand made specifically with people of color in mind as it leaves no white residue on deeper skin tones. Not only do we offer sunscreen lotion, but we also have Sungloss, Mattifying Gel, Spray, and a Kids line – BGS Kids. Black Girl Sunscreen is elevating the sun care market as we offer premium formulas in our sleek, timeless black and gold packaging so you won’t miss us on the shelves.

While the brand was still up and coming, I was able to help assist in growing the brand through monumental moments like Target & Ulta placement, photoshoots, and product launches. During my time at Black Girl Sunscreen, I’ve witnessed a massive amount of growth from handwriting thank-you notes for each order to now having a robust fulfillment center. Not only that, but my skills have grown as I went from being a Marketing Coordinator to a Product Development Specialist within the company. Today my role consists of creating products from concept to reality working on everything from the packaging to the formula inside.

Working in product development is rewarding as I play a major role in the success of the projects. Since I am passionate about the brand and what we are creating, it means a lot to me to create products that will align with our consumers & retailers. One thing that’s very imperative within my role is trend forecasting as we must stay up to date on what’s going on within the market while forecasting the future. Many people don’t know the hard work it takes to develop a sunscreen as it’s regulated by the FDA and there’s an abundance of testing required along with our high standards to comply with. While we are non-stop innovating at Black Girl Sunscreen, it’s motivating as we get to see the final product become a reality!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal and mission driving me on my creative journey is to simply be happy doing what I love. As I continue working within product development I get excited when it comes to creating because I get to test samples, source packaging, and work alongside chemists to formulate something that was once an idea.

When I am happy doing what I love, that’s what drives me to be more creative and think outside of the box. I find it helpful to immerse myself in aspects that motivate me like trend research, attending trade shows, and experimenting with what’s currently on the market. Working alongside a diverse team of predominantly Women is also very inspiring and motivational for my creative journey as our team is collaborative. Overall, being happy and excelling in my career is the goal and mission which in turn will lead to financial freedom, growth, and success!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Our commitment to excellence and high-performing products helped build the reputation of Black Girl Sunscreen within the sun care market. Here at Black Girl Sunscreen, we never take no for an answer and we’ll always find a way to succeed. Everything from the packaging to the marketing campaigns is thoroughly thought out and executed. Not only that, but our audience who was once ignored now has a line of products that works for them and the testimonies speak for themselves!

Within the market, we’ve seen the same traditional brands lead in the past with little to no innovation. We’ve changed that narrative at Black Girl Sunscreen and are making room for ourselves at the table by offering both a product and a message that hasn’t been seen before. The excitement of finding a black-owned sun care line in your favorite retailer that performs well, is affordable, and is aesthetically pleasing is what’s building our reputation. Alongside notable reviews from a variety of press including Beyoncé and Janet Jackson, we take pride in creating products that cause anticipation for the next ones!

Contact Info:

• Website: blackgirlsunscreen.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackgirlsunscreen/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackgirlsunscreen
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/quiana-johnson
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlkGrlSunscreen
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@blackgirlsunscreen
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/bgskids/