Caribé is putting tanning products for Black women on the map
Written by Marianne Olaleye, JAIKU
Reshaping beauty norms, the brand has already gone viral on TikTok and been co-signed by British TV royalty, Alison Hammond and it only launched a year ago.
Photographed by Krystal Nuevill
Phoebe and Leah Ellis were getting glammed up for the races when they first had a dodgy encounter with some fake tan. In a period of what they call “peak paleness” the Caribbean sisters picked up some ultra dark mousse. The result? Streaky, smelly and it transferred onto their clothing. Long story short, it was a disaster, but it sparked an idea for a beauty business – reliable tanning products designed for women of colour.
Scroll forward seven years and that product still hadn’t materialised on the market.
“We said to each other, someone should bring something like this out,” says Phoebe, “Then Covid came around and no one still had.”
2022 was the perfect opportunity for the sisters to regroup and think strategically about how this tanner would look and exist in the beauty space.
Spending two years formulating the product, they officially launched Caribé in April 2024. Both juggling full-time jobs, Phoebe works on operations, finances and the big ideas, while Leah (who has the more creative brain) works on product development and the brand’s aesthetic.
With a simple tag line “everyone deserves to glow” the sisters found a way to embrace their heritage and create a brand that redefined inclusivity in beauty.
“There are rising cases of skin cancer in the Black community and now, you can get your tan back without having to compromise on your skin health,” continues Phoebe.
Sounds like an absolute win, but it’s been a challenge getting everyone on board. “We were at the Afro Home Beauty Show the other day and some women came over to our table and said: ‘But why would I want to get darker?’” She says, “It gives us a lift. And that's something people who don't have that experience don't understand.” Setting up the brand and hearing varying reactions has brought up a lot of questions around race, colourism and what messaging they should share, but what the pair believe is crucial is that they remain celebratory, advocating for Black and Brown women of all shades.
That’s why BGF and Glossier are the perfect partners to help amplify the brand. Winning the Black Beauty Grant in 2024, for them the most beneficial experience has been the visibility and access they have gained. “It helped us hugely,” says Phoebe.
“We were in a room with Sabrina Elba, Funmi (Fetto) from Vogue, beauty influencers – people we’d never reach with just an email… it felt like we were finally in the spotlight.”
Speaking of the spotlight, just a few months into launching the brand, Caribé had a prime time spot during a tanning segment on This Morning, with none other than powerhouse Alison Hammond wearing and championing the brand. “That was a great PR moment,” adds Phoebe. “We were literally three or four months in. It was perfect.”
Thinking big picture, the duo want to be like the new Saint Tropez in the tanning space. Stocked in Boots, gaining traction in the US and with a 10-person operational team. And while the focus at the moment is on Black women tanning, they want to extend the range to appeal to the Asian community and beyond. “We want to fulfill our quota and become the go-to for any person of colour tanning.” Sign us up.
Thank you so much to Phoebe and Leah for sharing their journey with us.
Connect with Phoebe and Leah or read more about the Black Beauty Grant programme here.
We’re eager to learn, collaborate, and share knowledge, so if you’re interested in working with us, say hello@blackgirlfest.com
BGF x
