The Heart of Chelsea or the Heart of Italy?
Guests were welcomed into a lush floral installation from the moment they arrived at Docks Off Fifth in Manhattan. Cascading blooms and greenery lined the staircase leading into the venue, setting the scene for the 2026 Beauty Guru Awards.
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The Black Beauty Club hosted its first-ever Beauty on the Block event at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Plaza in Harlem during Juneteenth weekend.
Guests gathered for the outdoor celebration and had the opportunity to purchase products from over twenty of their favorite Black-owned brands, including Dosso Beauty, Good Weather Skin, KOBA Skincare, and Harlem Perfume Co.
Photo by Jacques Morel
Tomi Talabi, founder of The Black Beauty Club, has hosted over 100 global events and cultural experiences since the organization’s start in November 2020, and her dedication to building community events within the beauty space keeps her going everyday.
“To see more than 4,000 people come out, meet these founders, try their products and purchase from them was incredibly powerful,” said Talabi. “Several brands sold out, consumers found products and services they had never experienced before, and Harlem showed exactly what can happen when culture, community and commerce are brought together with intention.”
The block party also included activations where guests had the opportunity to get braided at the JolieDen Braiding Pop-up, their nails done at the Cash App Nail Shop, and a free hand massage at the KOBA Skincare booth.
Photo by Darryl Jones
One of the event’s highlights was a live braiding competition hosted by JolieDen, which allowed talented hairstylists to show off their artistry and braiding technique. Albany-based hairstylist Shataya Scott, known online as @braids4grades, an initiative where local K-12 students who maintain an A or B average on their report cards can receive free professional braiding service, took home the top prize.
“Harlem is more than a venue, it is a cornerstone of Black beauty culture, and to be celebrated there, among so many talented Black women gathered in the name of artistry and heritage, was both humbling and deeply inspiring,” said Scott.
Attendees also expressed their excitement for the event, including Fatou Barry, the founder of PR Girl Manifesto, who described the gathering as a meaningful celebration and a necessary staple of New York’s cultural scene.
“I’m a fan of everything The Black Beauty Club does, and it feels especially meaningful to celebrate Black beauty here today,” she said. “This event is no exception and I am so excited to be here and support.”
Talabi closed the eventful day with a few words about the event’s purpose.
Photo by Darryl Jones
“Black beauty does more than influence trends. It builds businesses, shapes consumer behavior, and moves markets,” she said. “More than a celebration, Beauty on the Block showed what is possible when Black-founded brands are given the space, infrastructure, and audience to be discovered and supported at scale.”
The Black Beauty Club will bring the second installment of Beauty on the Block to Chicago on August 8.
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