Actress Gabrielle Union and her husband Dwyane Wade have announced the launch of their new skincare line, “Proudly,” — created with ” melanated skin tones” in mind.
“As we continue to work on new endeavors together, our goal is to always center our work around being the change we want to see while championing diversity, equity and inclusion. With Proudly, we’re proud to have a range of products that caters to the unique skin care needs of children of color that are so often overlooked in the mass market,” the couple said in a joint statement.
“Effectively, 50.2 percent of kids born after 2013 have one non-white parent. There are so many people in this category of children that have melanated skin with unique properties. It’s interesting we call it a white space when it’s in support of such a big population,” Proudly’s president, Pamela Cholankeril, added.
So far, the couple has turned their talents to writing books, developing haircare products, ownership stakes in the NBA. A skincare line was always going to happen.
In 2017, Union first launched her hair care line, “Flawless.” Unfortunately, the product was pulled from shelves before the relaunch in 2020.
Speaking to Glamour, she said that the fact that the product was only “Black-fronted” did not sit well with her.
“It was not a Black-owned company,” Union tells said at the time. “The problem with only being a Black-fronted company is that the voices and the needs of Black women are not always centered.”
The relaunch ensured that Union was keeping it real all the way.
It’s clear that everything the couple does is with their people in mind.
In April, Wade announced that he had purchased a stake in the Utah Jazz team, which has the best record in the NBA. Wade said he made the move to benefit his community.
“This goes way beyond the dream I had to just play basketball in the NBA,” Wade said. “… Unfortunately, people in my community don’t get this opportunity, and I do not take it lightly to have this opportunity. To make real change, this is where you have to be — at the top — and Ryan knows that. I’m thankful for him, and I know too that I bring a lot to this partnership outside of just my basketball knowledge and skills.”
