This episode is brought to you by Cartier.

Welcome to Who Outwear with Hillary Kerr. Your direct line to the designers, stylists, beauty experts, editors and

and tastemakers who are shaping the ever evolving world of fashion. I'm your host, Hillary Kerr, and today I'm chatting with a major game changer within the beauty industry,

Niqueo Grico. Niqueo's latest venture, Thirteen Loon, is an online retailer that highlights black and brown-founded beauty brands.

In addition to their beautiful online destination, Thirteen Loon is currently expanding into over 300 JC Penny Stores by the end of the year so you can shop the incredible products IRL.

Niqueo is also the founder of her own, eponymous skincare brand, plus she's giving us a sneak peek at a new line she has on the horizon.

We talk about a lot of amazing products in this episode and you can find them all in the story that's linked in the show notes of this episode.

It's all coming up on Who Outwear.

I am so excited to have you on this show today. It is so nice to see you, my dear. Thank you so much for coming back.

Oh my gosh, I'm so excited. I feel like it's been a whole lifetime since we got to do this last.

I know for anyone who's listening, we have an amazing episode of Second Life that you can check out, but we are here today to talk about some different stuff.

Yes.

For anyone who doesn't know, you are the founder of Two Beauty Companies, your eponymous brand, and then also Thirteen Loon, which I just adore, founded in 2020 with Patrick Herning.

It's an online beauty destination that is beautifully laid out. The user experience is impeccable, just FYI.

Thank you.

It highlights BIPOC founders and brands so great. For anyone who hasn't gone yet, first of all, you should immediately.

Second of all, could you explain a little bit about the impetus behind it, how you got it off the ground, because I just remember watching in awe when you were launching.

And it's been so phenomenal. So tell me everything.

Oh my gosh. Well, first of all, that means the world to me, and I'm so grateful for your support. And yeah, so the impetus for starting Thirteen Loon.

As you mentioned, I've had a beauty brand for 20 years, NKO Beauty, and 120, 20 happened to all of us, whether it be the global pandemic or the pandemic of systemic racism, really hitting the most heightened moment of our lifetime.

Like so many others, I was shook to the bone. And, you know, as a result of everything was happening after the murder of George Floyd, I found myself.

And the NKO Beauty brand showing up on all of the list, you know, top black owned, black founded beauty brands to follow, to watch, to shop, and while it was such a huge honor to have that recognition.

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