The Power of Play: How Letting Yourself Experiment Changes Everything with Darcei Giles

#321: If you've ever felt like you had to choose between the beauty trends you love and the ones that were "meant for you," this conversation will feel like permission to explore it all. Today I'm sitting down with Darcei Giles — the award-winning content creator who's been pioneering inclusivity in beauty since before it was an industry buzzword.

Darcei shares her journey from making webcam videos in 2010 to becoming a bridge between Korean beauty innovation and Black beauty consumers. She opens up about the viral series that changed everything, the moment a brand actually listened to her feedback, and why she's spent over a decade refusing to delete her early content.

This episode is for you if:

• You're navigating spaces where you don't see yourself reflected
• You're curious about what real brand inclusivity looks like behind the scenes
• You want to understand how to build longevity in a constantly changing industry

We talk about…

• How a lighthearted video concept became a movement that gave thousands of Black women permission to experiment
• The real reason Korean beauty brands are getting inclusivity right (and what American brands can learn)
• Why Darcei made three TikToks a day for 90 days straight — and gained 100K followers
• What happened when she told a foundation brand "call me" and they actually did
• The difference between creating 30 shades and creating 30 good shades
• Going into the lab to create foundation shades that had never existed before
• Why she keeps her earliest videos up despite the cringe factor
• What it takes to stay relevant for 15 years without losing yourself
• Her plans to merge Korean skincare innovation with Black beauty needs in her own future brand

Episode Links:

• Follow Darcei on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missdarcei/?hl=en
• Follow Darcei on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@missdarcei?lang=en
• Check out Parnell Serum Cushion Foundation: https://parnellbeauty.com/products/parnell-serum-cushion
• Get your She’s So Lucky Merch: https://shop.dearmedia.com/collections/shes-so-lucky

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Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

Produced by Dear Media.

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