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How The Founder Of MOODEAUX Turned Self-Worth And Fragrance Into Tools For Empowerment
When Brianna Arps, founder of the indie fragrance label MOODEAUX, was laid off from her role at a women's media publication in 2018, the loss impacted her confidence and state of mind. “As someone who had always wanted to be a writer and to be in beauty, I thought I had reached such a pinnacle, and then my world came crashing down,” she recalls.
Unsure of how the next chapter of her life would unfold, Brianna turned to the accessory in her beauty ritual that faithfully pulled her out of even the darkest moment: perfume. “There's a connection between our sense of smell and its ability to make us feel things, whether that's empowered, motivated, inspired, or like ‘that girl,’ she tells xoNecole. “When you put on your favorite scent, you just feel something.”
Each day, her favorite fragrances would serve as a daily reminder that while things were tough at the moment, she was still worth betting on. “I'm still worth giving myself a shot, and I'm not going to just lay down and die. I'm gonna get up and fight for a new reality.”
After recognizing the lack of visible, Black-owned fragrance brands in the industry, Brianna decided to merge her love of beauty with her marketing and editorial savvy to create a clean, luxury perfume label herself — and in October 2021, MOODEAUX was officially launched.
Risa Dexter
Her signature scent "Worthy" has garnered a devout following for its unique and calming notes that adorn your senses in white tea, orange blossom, lavender, vanilla, amber, and rose, complete with the earthy, raw pairing of musk.
This cozy, yet inviting fragrance has been coined “a hug in a bottle” by its customers, a title that Brianna lovingly accepts. “'Worthy' is so special because all of the notes inside the fragrance have meaning,” she says. “I designed 'Worthy' to smell and feel like a big hug to yourself. It's warm and wraps your senses in a cozy blanket, but also gives off some sex appeal. It's a sexy, warm scent.”
MOODEAUX is disrupting the fragrance industry by putting the intention and meaning back into the space. With a message that encourages its customers to “Flaunt How You Feel,” Brianna shares that MOODEAUX has become the physical manifestation of walking in one’s full power, unapologetically. “It carries the sentiments of self-expression, individualism, and not being afraid to go against the status quo, regardless of what people may say or think,” she says.
In January, MOODEAUX released its highly anticipated IntenScenual™ Fine Fragrance Collection. Blending ‘intentionality’ and ‘sensuality,’ Worthy IntenScenual™ Eau de Parfum ($98 USD) is the same scent that you’re grown to know and love, only bigger, long-lasting, and pairs perfectly with the best-selling Worthy SuperCharged SkinScent™.
“Everyone deserves something different. A sophisticated signature scent that reminds us how powerful we truly are.”
xoNecole: When I think about the name of your perfume, ‘Worthy,’ it sounds like a daily affirmation when putting on your favorite fragrance. Could you share why you chose the name ‘Worthy’ for your product?
Brianna Arps: It's kind of twofold: When I lost my job, it was really tough. I was depressed for a really long time and struggled for a really long time. The notion was in reminding myself through a daily affirmation that I'm worthy of giving myself a shot, I'm worthy of picking myself back up, I'm worthy of creating the life of my dreams, regardless of what might happen out there.
"Worthy" started out personal but it’s the notion that you are worthy of clean, luxury beauty. You are worthy of all of these things that, in pockets of the beauty industry, we don't really see. We're all about helping people flaunt how they feel, and at the very least, people need to know their worth and that they are worthy of all they desire.
"'Worthy' started out personal but it’s the notion that you are worthy of clean, luxury beauty. You are worthy of all of these things that, in pockets of the beauty industry, we don't really see. We're all about helping people flaunt how they feel, and at the very least, people need to know their worth and that they are worthy of all they desire.
Risa Dexter
xoN: You’ve been the recipient of a number of awards like the Sephora Accelerant Program and others. With funding being one of the biggest hurdles for Black founders in particular, what advice you would give to new founders who may be looking to apply for grants in the future?
BA: I started MOODEAUX and the initial stages with my savings account, I didn't have a job anymore, but I was passionate and convinced that this was something special. I really exhausted a lot of my options to get this MOODEAUX off the ground.
There is a lot of opportunity out here; it sounds so cliche, but it's so true. But with so much opportunity comes increased competition to get your name out there and be seen. The biggest piece of advice that I have is to own your story and to really understand what makes you unique. Really understand how you're going to tell not only your founder story but your brand and product story too. How you convey them to the general public and to someone who is primed to give you a big check matters.
It's not enough to talk about the product because in reality, especially in the beauty industry, everything can be reverse-engineered. So instead of leaning on the product, these people want to know who you are, what your brand is about, and how you're changing lives and building community. If you can tell that story in a compelling and unique way, you are light years ahead of others who aren't thinking that way and you have a better shot of reaping the success that you wish to see.
"I started MOODEAUX and the initial stages with my savings account, I didn't have a job anymore, but I was passionate and convinced that this was something special. The biggest piece of advice that I have is to own your story and to really understand what makes you unique. Really understand how you're going to tell not only your founder story but your brand and product story too."
Ryan Stokes
xoN: What was one of the biggest challenges you experienced while building MOODEAUX and what did you learn from it?
BA: When I first started Moodeaux, it had a totally different name called Moode Beaute. In hindsight, it makes me laugh because I hate that name now, but I was gungho about it at the time. I consider myself to be a creative person and people who are creative often dive right in with visuals, colors, and fonts but get so consumed by the creative aspect, we completely neglected the legal aspect.
When I got down to the trademarking, my lawyer was like, "I am so sorry to tell you, but someone has filed for a very similar name, two weeks before us." I was devastated. We had spent thousands of dollars on marketing, branding, and content creation that will never see the light of day because we didn't have our legal house in order first. It's something that I learned from, so now every time I have an idea, I’m looking to see if it's trademarked. I'm always taking that initial lesson and keeping it at the forefront of my mind.
xoN: In many ways, your brand is a pioneer and among the “firsts” within the fragrance industry. How are you looking to use your platform and brand to leave the door open for others looking to enter the space?
BA: There's a lot of pressure to be a ‘first’ but, if I don't empower, inspire, or convince someone to take up this type of career path, then I failed. No matter how many bottles of perfume I sell or retailers I’m in, it doesn't matter if I don't show someone who never saw this as an opportunity that is possible.
We have a service component of our brand called, Black In Fragrance, where we provide, resources, education, and support to Black women in the fragrance space. We've even provided three grants last year to Black women who have fragrance labels to help kickstart their dreams. The presence of Black entrepreneurs within the fragrance industry is growing, but there's still not enough. If there's something that I’m going to do, it’s tell somebody to pick up this career. I'm going to tell them that it's possible that they can do it and I'm going to be there for them. You're not a good first if you're the last.
xoN: What do you hope your customers will experience when they pick up a bottle of perfume from MOODEAUX?
BA: I want them to feel seen, heard, and represented. Intentionality is something that’s at the core of everything we do. We want to remind you to take up space because so often. Black women shrink themselves to fit into boxes and molds that weren't even designed for us to fit into as a survival tactic, but in reality, we don't have to. There's so much value and uniqueness that we can bring to the world when we are simply ourselves; when we simply flaunt how we feel.
That's what I want people to feel when they come across us. I don't want it to feel like an ‘It Girls Only’ club or anything like that. Whatever you identify as I want you to feel as though you have the room to take up space here.
For more of Brianna, follow her on Instagram @Briannaarps.
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Featured image courtesy of Brianna Arps
Aley Arion is a writer and digital storyteller from the South, currently living in sunny Los Angeles. Her site, yagirlaley.com, serves as a digital diary to document personal essays, cultural commentary, and her insights into the Black Millennial experience. Follow her at @yagirlaley on all platforms!
This Black Woman-Owned Creative Agency Shows Us The Art Of Rebranding
Rebranding is an intricate process and very important to the success of businesses that want to change. However, before a business owner makes this decision, they should determine whether it's a rebrand or an evolution.
That's where people like Lola Adewuya come in. Lola is the founder and CEO of The Brand Doula, a brand development studio with a multidisciplinary approach to branding, social media, marketing, and design.
While an evolution is a natural progression that happens as businesses grow, a rebrand is a total change. Lola tells xoNecole, "A total rebrand is necessary when a business’s current reputation/what it’s known for is at odds with the business’s vision or direction.
"For example, if you’ve fundamentally changed what your product is and does, it’s likely that your brand is out of alignment with the business. Or, if you find your company is developing a reputation that doesn’t serve it, it might be time to pump the brakes and figure out what needs to change.
She continues, "Sometimes you’ll see companies (especially startups) announce a name change that comes with updated messaging, visuals, etc. That usually means their vision has changed or expanded, and their previous branding was too narrow/couldn’t encompass everything they planned to do."
Feature image courtesy
The Brand Doula was born in 2019, and its focus is on putting "the experiences, goals, and needs of women of color founders first," as well as brands with "culture-shifting missions."
According to Lola, culture-shifting is "the act of influencing dominant behavior, beliefs, or experiences in a community or group (ideally, for the better)."
"At The Brand Doula, we work with companies and leaders that set out to challenge the status quo in their industries and communities. They’re here to make an impact that sends ripples across the market," she says.
"We help the problem solvers of the world — the ones who aren't satisfied with 'this is how it's always been' and instead ask 'how could this be better?' Our clients build for impact, reimagining tools, systems, and ways of living to move cultures forward."
The Brand Doula has worked with many brands, including Too Collective, to assist with their collaboration with Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty and Balanced Black Girl for a "refresh," aka rebrand. For businesses looking to rebrand, Lola shares four essential steps.
1. Do an audit of your current brand experience — what’s still relevant and what needs to change? Reflect on why you’re doing the rebrand in the first place and what success would look like after relaunching.
2. Tackle the overall strategy first — before you start redesigning logos and websites, align on a new vision for your brand. How do you want your company to be positioned moving forward? Has your audience changed at all? Will your company have a fresh personality and voice?
3. Bring your audience along the journey — there’s no need to move in secret. Inviting your current audience into the journey can actually help them feel more connected to and invested in your story, enough to stick around as changes are being made.
4. Keep business moving — one of my biggest pet peeves is when companies take down their websites as soon as they have the idea to rebrand, then have a Coming Soon page up for months! You lose a lot of momentum and interest by doing that. If you’re still in business and generating income, continue to operate while you work on your rebrand behind the scenes. You don’t want to cut existing customers off out of the blue, and you also don’t want so much downtime that folks forget your business exists or start looking for other solutions.
While determining whether the rebrand was successful may take a few months, Lola says a clear sign that it is unsuccessful is negative feedback from your target audience. "Customers are typically more vocal about what they don’t like more than what they do like," she says.
But some good signs to look out for are improvements in engagement with your marketing, positive reviews, press and increase in retention, and overall feeling aligned with the new branding.
For more information about Lola and The Brand Doula, visit her website, thebranddoula.com.
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‘It Was Her’: Blair Underwood Opens Up About Marrying His Longtime Friend Josie Hart After Divorce
At 60 years old, Blair Underwood has never lost "it." It was a thought that came to me frequently as I indulged in the 1-hour listen that was his recent interview with the fellas of Nice & Neat The Podcast. I must admit, for the entire duration, the veteran actor had me utterly entranced.
In episode 124, aptly titled "BLAIR UNDERWOOD," the Three Women star detailed his more-than-30-year career journey, the male heroes who have helped shape who he is in his masculinity, being the "good guy" versus the "bad guy" on screen, and walking into the most recent chapters of his life with an unapologetic demeanor that comes with wisdom and age.
Blair also played coy when asked to rank himself among the quintessential fine 90's Black men like Morris Chestnut and Shemar Moore. "I can't quite answer that. That's not really for me to answer," he said in the podcast. Sure Blair, sure.
The actor has had more than 30 years in the game with his fair share of leading man roles alongside actresses like Jada Pinkett Smith and Julia Roberts has also showcased versatility in villainous turns in his portrayals in films like Madea's Family Reunion and the thriller Just Cause. The duality of the types of complex roles Blair has taken on as an actor can sometimes be so far removed from who he is as a man and how he defines his masculinity.
Blair credited the "male heroes" in his life, like his father, Sidney Poitier, and his pastor for helping him understand what masculinity looked like to him and in turn what he brings to his characters on-screen. "It's not just being strong physically," he said when talking about masculinity. "It's not just being...even 'strong' in a relationship, it's about being able to listen and hear. Hear your partner, hear your family, hear your kids."
Blair also touched on some rumors that started to swirl since his private life had become the talk of public fodder. For much of his time in the public eye, he was married to Desiree DaCosta from 1994 to 2021 when news of their divorce was made public. The couple shared three kids (two sons and a daughter).
A divorce after 30 years can be shocking, but what made the split controversial was Blair's second marriage to his long-time friend Josie Hart that quickly followed. Blair and Josie married on June 24, 2023. When asked how he navigated the divorce from his first wife, Blair revealed, "You know, I've found in life, in this industry, in this business, but especially in marriage that you have to be so often intentional. Be specific, particular, and intentional about what you want to accomplish."
"My ex-wife, at the time of the divorce, what we wanted to accomplish was for us to be in a healthy place, coming through a divorce, and most importantly, our kids would be in a healthy place," he continued.
"So, what was intentional was how we speak to them. Once we had decided that it was time, that our marriage had kind of come to a natural conclusion, and we both agreed that, you know, after 27 -- 30 years together, 27 years of marriage -- it was time."
Blair Underwood and Desiree DaCosta
Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Tyler Perry Studios
Blair shared that he felt the pandemic further punctuated the fact that their marriage had come to an end. He would later detail in the same interview that he felt he and his ex-wife stopped growing together in their marriage in 2012 when he went to New York to do Broadway in A Streetcar Named Desire. The bottom line was, who they were in the present no longer aligned. They were different people.
They decided on the divorce together and then decided how they would tell their kids. Their solution was to write "almost like a script" where each of them handled different aspects of breaking the news of their decision to their kids.
He called it one of the most difficult conversations he has ever had in his life. "These are my children. These are my hearts," he explained. "These are my hearts beating outside of me." He recalled their kids needing time to process before coming back to the table and having another heart-to-heart where they answered questions openly and honestly. Blair said he didn't care about the "tabloid of it all" as much as he cared about his "three human beings" and "the integrity to my ex-wife."
"There was no screwing around, no behind-the-scenes stuff, so I could hold my head high because I honored that relationship and I honored my three kids," he shared.
Blair lightly addressed some of the rumors swirling out there about him and his current wife's relationship, saying, "What everyone else might speculate or think, because my wife now, we've known each other for 43 years. We've been great friends. But you can be great friends... You can be friends without having to cross that line."
Even though Blair admitted that he and his ex-wife were on the same page about getting a divorce, they didn't take the decision lightly. The former couple sought counseling and prayer. "The therapy was about, let's see where God leads us. If there was another answer to stay together, I wanted that answer. If the answer was, it's not meant to stay together, I wanted- that was the answer I got. But we both came to that answer."
Fast-forward to today, Blair was aware of the narrative of him supposedly leaving his ex-wife to get with his best friend but allowed it to just fall off his shoulders. As far as he was concerned, he knew the truth. His kids also knew the truth. His ex-wife knew the truth. And for him, the truth was what mattered most. Not the tabloid rumors.
He also knew the collective disappointment the public might have in him for having a marriage that lasted so long and a marriage that might have been upheld to a certain degree as "goals." But he had to live his life for him, not for the public. "I'm not playing a role. This is my real life," he said.
Blair revealed he had no idea that another marriage would be on the horizon for him, let alone a marriage to his great friend Josie. He was open. "It was her," he stated simply of his revelation. At that point, he had been dating for six months and Josie had been divorced for seven years.
"Four decades of friendship, of family, of understanding each other, you know? We're- she's godmother of my son. I'm the godfather of her daughter. My brother's the godfather of some of her kids. You know, we have nine kids between us so there's history in the friendship. I see her ex with all her kids and the grandkids. You know, we're cool.
"It's taken time and process. But the reason that can be now is because there was such a history before. But most importantly -- and what I do want to say for people to understand this -- most importantly... it was important that I honor everybody in the process. I honor my ex-wife in the marriage and in the divorce. I honor my children. So you can hold your head high when you've done those things."
He repeated his reasoning for getting married so quickly after a divorce, "It was her." He listed more things that revealed her to him as his second wife. She knew him before he was Blair Underwood when the actor was 16 and had no fame. "She knew me and has known me. And I consider our relationship- I categorize it as a 43-year unfinished conversation."
Watch the full episode of the podcast below:
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Featured image by John Lamparski/Getty Images