My Brand Story – The evolution of Genuine Glow
As an avid traveler who has been everywhere from Ethiopia to Beverly Hills, I’ve been able to see a plethora of beauty routines first-hand.
But it was the amazing skin of people who primarily used natural and organic ingredients that always stood out to me. After 10 years of working a fast-paced and stressful job for a Fortune 500 company, I started having my own skin issues like cystic acne, hyperpigmentation, a dull complexion, and scaly stress patches. So I decided to turn to natural and healthy ingredients to improve my complexion, but had trouble locating products that were both an easy and clean solution. It’s not that they didn’t exist, but it was tricky to narrow down all the messaging and isolate 1 product that offered results instead of just being ‘natural.”
Talking to holistic practitioners, dermatologists, and through my own independent study, I identified the core nutrients the skin needs to become its healthiest version. After partnering with an organic farm on the West Coast, the first Genuine Glow exfoliator (Brio) was born out of the knowledge that healthy food and healthy eating are the foundation for overall physical health; therefore healthy skin care ingredients are the foundation for overall skin health
After success running Genuine Glow as a small, local business, I was able to turn Genuine Glow into my full time job and expand the company. In the first few years Genuine Glow received some notable mentions in magazines and blogs and was nominated for 3 CEW Beauty Awards (Best New Indie Skin Care, Best New Cleanser/Scrub (Brio), and Best New Indie Beauty Brand) as well as being mentioned as a Top 50 breakthrough beauty brand.
Just as it felt like Genuine Glow was taking off by landing a contract with Ipsy, my Mom suddenly passed away and I had to step away from what I built. If you’ve ever lost someone incredibly close to you, you know it shakes you at your core. You aren’t the same person anymore. Your priorities shift – and mine did, so I needed to take time to heal and really evaluate what my priorities now were, and what would be the next step for me.
In May 2019 I started to become deliberate about what I wanted to do next and what was important to me, and I decided to rebrand Genuine Glow as an inside-outside beauty company. While we still manufacture our hero product (Brio Exfoliator) because it’s an incredibly effective product that delivers results, it’s paired with an equal focus on inner wellbeing. I’ve learned it’s impossible to discuss true beauty without acknowledging the importance of our mental health and wellbeing.
On the outside my Mom was beautiful and successful, but she suffered from depression for years. And after she passed away, I experienced my own struggle with depression. It’s estimated that 1 in 10 people over the age of 12 take anti-depressants, and it’s been reported that Americans are the unhappiest they’ve been in 50 years.
Because of my years in the beauty industry as a customer and brand owner, I’ve witnessed how the images we see and the words we hear effect our psyche; and it’s my mission to promote the importance of recognizing inner beauty when it relates to what we as a society consider to be beautiful. We can’t operate as if a lipstick shade, rosy cheeks, an ideal weight, or a great selfie are enough for us to achieve happiness and satisfaction.
Rebuilding Genuine Glow from the ground up, Brio’s packaging colors were chosen because they promote confidence. The light citrus scent of the exfoliator has been proven to make people feel happy, and exfoliating is one of the easiest things we can do to improve our complexion. On top of that we take a positive approach to explaining our skin care and refrain from using words traditionally seen in beauty advertising that can promote self-doubt and insecurity. No one should hold back from sharing their gifts and talents with the world because of insecurity. Lastly I launched a blog that highlights stories of connection so there’s a dedicated focus on the things that matter – the things that connect us. It’s a place for people to read personal essays, contribute their own stories, and feel a sense of community.
Now in our 5th year, Genuine Glow is ready to expand our message, audience and reach!
Nicki Carrea believes that true beauty is synonymous with well-being. In 2015 she established Genuine Glow, an inside-outside wellness and skin care brand, and is a published beauty and wellness writer and speaker. Drawing on her life experiences she conceptualized and launched the Genuine Glow blog, which spotlights authentic voices, and creates a platform for shared experiences and human connection. Nicki is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and currently resides in New York City. You can connect with Nicki here: LinkedIn
Genuine Glow is a wellness and skin care brand that creates nutrient-rich exfoliators and specializes in inside-outside health and beauty. Established in 2015, Genuine Glow has been nominated for 3 CEW Awards (Best New Indie Beauty Brand, Best New Indie Skin Care Brand, and Best Exfoliator/Scrub) and chosen as a Top 50 Breakthrough Beauty Brand. You can connect with the brand here: Website, Instagram, Facebook
“Genuine Glow™ products and blog are not intended to cure, treat, prevent, mitigate or diagnose any disease, and are not intended to affect the structure or any function of the human body. The Genuine Glow blog is based on anecdotal wisdom and the experiences and research reported by others. We are not medical professionals and we have not independently tested these claims. Always consult your physician or mental healthcare provider if you have questions about a medical or psychiatric condition or if you seek medical advice.”