The sky’s the limit for The Glowcery
Written by Marianne Olaleye, JAIKU.
From receiving a cease-and-desist notice from Chanel to setting up an award-winning skincare brand, Roshanne Dorsett is making waves with her natural approach to beauty.
Photographed by Krystal Neuvill
Not many people can say they’ve won a Women’s Health Award just six months after launching a sustainable beauty brand. But Roshanne Dorsett is no ordinary woman.
“We launched The Glowcery in March 2020, and by September, Clean Greens had won Best Facial Oil,” she beams.
But really, the first step towards The Glowcery’s success was in 2017 when, after a career in criminal law, Dorsett retrained as a natural skincare formulator when her frustration with the beauty industry’s approach to ingredients reached its peak. “I just noticed a lot of the products I was using were filled with microplastics and ultra-processed ingredients.” She continues, “I thought, why can’t I apply the same nutritional values I live by to my skincare?”
Burnt out by her former career, this new venture gave Dorsett a chance to look after herself and tap into the wants of conscious beauty consumers.
But The Glowcery wasn’t her first venture. CocoLem (short for Cocoa and Lemon) was a brand that sought to provide juicy, all-natural lip balms. “Then two weeks before launch, I got a cease and desist from Chanel,” she says. Despite having different brand logos, values and products, Chanel was worried about the affiliation. “I thought I was being punked. But in hindsight, The Glowcery is a much stronger brand.”
Admitting that she rushed into launching CocoLem, the forced closure in 2019 was a blessing in disguise. Dorsett went on to rebrand and launch a series of best-selling serums and cleansers that naturally combat issues like acne and hyperpigmentation.
Fast forward to 2023 and The Glowcery set its sights on another opportunity to expand. As one of the first winners of the Black Beauty Grant Programme – set up by Black Girl Fest with Glossier – Dorsett had the opportunity to immerse herself in a 12-week learning programme.
“To have an established brand say, ‘There’s something here’ was extremely validating,” she says. “Yes, the capital was helpful, but more so the connections and the learnings.” The opportunity enabled her to expand her product line, and soon she’s due to release three new cosmetics. For anyone who’s thinking of applying, Dorsett’s advice is don’t think twice! “If you’re not in the game, you’re not going to win,” she continues. “Start where you are – even if it’s not perfectly rounded.”
So, how does Roshanne Dorsett see her brand evolving? “The end goal? A Glowcery spa… somewhere stunning, maybe Jamaica. A whole wellness vibe.” It’s the entrepreneur’s loyal fan base and guiding principles that keep her motivated to grow her business. “One customer said Clean Greens helped her feel confident in her skin for the first time,” she says. “That’s why I do this.”
