Christina Brown’s the Influencer You Need to Know About

Christina Brown of LoveBrownSugar is having a moment right now.

The style blogger is featured in Dove’s 60th anniversary Beauty Bar campaign, which embraces unconventional beauty standards. Lena Dunham just gave her a shout-out in her “73 Questions” interview with Vogue. She’s on her way to earning her first Shorty Award, which recognizes the best of social media. And she inspires women of color in her online empowerment communities, BrownGirlsLove, which encourages confidence in diversity, and BabyBrownSugar for mamas.

We caught up with the Wharton School alumna and mama to beautiful 3-year-old daughter Cadence to glean some genius, friendly advice and, of course, for some beauty chatter.

Yahoo Beauty: You’re the face of a new Dove campaign in part because your blog, LoveBrownSugar, challenges traditional beauty standards. Can you tell us more about how you do that through your platform?

Christina Brown: On LoveBrownSugar.com, I aim to empower multicultural women by affirming to them that they’re absolutely beautiful just the way they are. So much of the media is about how you can look “better” by being skinnier, lighter, or not-like-you-are-right-now. I think what makes a woman unique is what makes her beautiful. I strive to push that message on my site.

Why did you want to become a voice that challenged traditional beauty standards?

It was necessary. And I simply didn’t see enough of it. Every magazine I picked up or television ad I watched, it was the same type of beauty. My intention was to be true to myself and to provide a platform for other women who were tired of not seeing themselves represented. And over time, my audience and my platform grew because it turns out most women were tired of it. They just didn’t have a platform.

Lena Dunham just gave you a shout-out in her Vogue “73 Questions” video. How did you find out, and what was your reaction?

I actually heard about it on Twitter. One of my followers tagged me in the video, and I was like, “Hmm, what’s this?” I clicked and watched the whole thing because, naturally, I think Lena is hilarious, and I’m a fan. When I heard her shout out my name, I literally squealed and rolled over on the ground, like an infant’s first time seeing jack-in-the-xox! I was so excited and bewildered and surprised all at the same time. It was awesome. I can officially cross “Lena Dunham #shout-out” off my bucket list. Thank you, Lena, if you’re reading this!

You were one of the first bloggers to be a voice for curvy girls in the beauty space. What do you want to tell your curvy sisters?

You are beautiful. And your curves are beautiful too. Also, I want them to know, “You’re not alone!” You may notice that curvy bloggers, celebrities, and social influencers have some of the most highly engaged and active audiences online. That’s because curves are everywhere. They are the norm. They are relatable. As long as you’re healthy and happy, curves are nothing to be embarrassed by or ashamed of. We’ve just sadly been underserved in the fashion industry for years, and that’s what leads to the disappointment and shame. I’m so glad that’s changing.

What are your thoughts on being so influential as a single working mom?

I do everything I do to empower and inspire. So though being a “mompreneur” is not easy at all, I try my best to be transparent about the challenges, and I think that’s why people like hearing my story. I’m constantly juggling my workload and reprioritizing, and I’m honest about that. I’m happy to have a positive co-parenting relationship with my little one’s father, and we strike a balance that works well for us, with the assistance of close friends and immediate family. Everyone’s story is different — single, married, or in-between. To be honest, there are some married moms who don’t have the same support system that I do as a single mom, so I think overall it’s about being honest and asking for help. I want moms everywhere to know it’s possible, if you equip yourself with the right resources and make sure you have a village.

Now some beauty talk! What beauty looks and trends are you most excited about right now?

I love that the “no-makeup” makeup trend dominated the runways this season. Shout-out to celebs like Alicia Keys for making it cool again. We saw the “no makeup” look at shows like Jason Wu, Michael Kors, and Altuzarra. I personally have never been a huge fan of superheavy makeup. On a typical day, you’ll see me with barely-there makeup. I opt for a clean face, a bit of tinted moisturizer or light barely-there foundation, some concealer for these dark circles, and that’s it. If I’m fancy, I’ll throw on a red lip. So I love that the “no makeup” trend is strong this season.

Have you used the Dove Beauty Bar for a long time, or did you recently discover it?

I’ve been a fan of the Dove brand for years. And they’ve been a beauty staple in my bathroom since childhood. As a brand that supports making real women feel confident and supporting diversity, I was beyond happy to partner with them. What I discovered on set at the commercial is that the Beauty Bar stacks up to some of the premium beauty bar options on the shelf. As a beauty enthusiast, you tend to assume the more expensive the product is, the better the ingredients, therefore the better it’s treating your skin. That’s not always true. And as a blogger, it’s my duty to uncover some of those myths for my readers. So I was happy to participate. And beyond that, I’m happy to be a face that represents diversity on the small screen. It’s exciting to know that little brown girls across the country are seeing someone like me in a commercial and thinking, “Wow, that could be me one day.”

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