Desiree Rogers, CEO & Co-owner of Black Opal Beauty 

 Why does BLK/OPL care about sustainability?

 Beauty consumers are becoming increasingly aware of sustainability and the importance of eco-friendly products. At BLK/OPL we are continuing to look for innovative ways to join the movement. As a smaller makeup and skin care company focused on the ethnic market, we have more limited options but we are determined to do our part to protect the environment. Our key areas of focus include manufacturing, substantiable product ingredients, decreasing layers of packaging and manufacturing predominately in the US to decrease our emissions footprint.  

 How is BLK/OPL participating in the sustainability movement?

 In 2019,  Cheryl Mayberry McKissack and myself, Desirée Rogers , acquired BLK/OPL formally known as Black Opal. This marked the first time that the company was Black-owned. We immediately began to build on the legacy of high quality products while focusing on more eco-friendly ingredients as well as eliminating unnecessary packaging.  Additionally, we committed to producing the majority of our products in the US.

Over the past four years, we have begun to reduce the packaging associated with each product to avoid “over packaging”. We have found that consumers love to see the products that they are buying especially in the mass marketplace where testers are not necessarily possible. We are also looking at ways to use the same component for multiple products.

Why is it important to manufacture in the US?

Approximately 90 percent of our products are created in the US. When we visit our manufacturing partners, we have noticed that many of the workers look like us and this is our way of helping to ensure that we indirectly support employment in our communities. US manufacturing also helps us to reduce our emissions footprint.

Are there any other important initiatives?

We worked closely with a Black dermatologist to develop a “do-not-use” list for the new products we developed. Our goal is to continue to develop products that adhere to this list, using more natural ingredients. studied and found healthy for consumer usage.

Currently, the U.S. cosmetic industry does not have an industry standard regarding clean beauty but there is hope created by company owners, who are committed to making changes. We will continue to implement sustainable practices. Check our new product launches including  lip, blush, eye and setting products for BLK/OPL.  

BLK/OPL is sold at select Walmart, ULTA, CVS, Rite Aid and Target stores.

 This blog is based on excerpts from an Essence GU Article by Sherdell Baker on May 2024