
How The Founder Of MOODEAUX Turned Self-Worth And Fragrance Into Tools For Empowerment

When Brianna Arps, founder of the indie fragrance label MOODEAUX, was laid off from her role at a women's media publication in 2018, the loss impacted her confidence and state of mind. “As someone who had always wanted to be a writer and to be in beauty, I thought I had reached such a pinnacle, and then my world came crashing down,” she recalls.
Unsure of how the next chapter of her life would unfold, Brianna turned to the accessory in her beauty ritual that faithfully pulled her out of even the darkest moment: perfume. “There's a connection between our sense of smell and its ability to make us feel things, whether that's empowered, motivated, inspired, or like ‘that girl,’ she tells xoNecole. “When you put on your favorite scent, you just feel something.”
Each day, her favorite fragrances would serve as a daily reminder that while things were tough at the moment, she was still worth betting on. “I'm still worth giving myself a shot, and I'm not going to just lay down and die. I'm gonna get up and fight for a new reality.”
After recognizing the lack of visible, Black-owned fragrance brands in the industry, Brianna decided to merge her love of beauty with her marketing and editorial savvy to create a clean, luxury perfume label herself — and in October 2021, MOODEAUX was officially launched.
Risa Dexter
Her signature scent "Worthy" has garnered a devout following for its unique and calming notes that adorn your senses in white tea, orange blossom, lavender, vanilla, amber, and rose, complete with the earthy, raw pairing of musk.
This cozy, yet inviting fragrance has been coined “a hug in a bottle” by its customers, a title that Brianna lovingly accepts. “'Worthy' is so special because all of the notes inside the fragrance have meaning,” she says. “I designed 'Worthy' to smell and feel like a big hug to yourself. It's warm and wraps your senses in a cozy blanket, but also gives off some sex appeal. It's a sexy, warm scent.”
MOODEAUX is disrupting the fragrance industry by putting the intention and meaning back into the space. With a message that encourages its customers to “Flaunt How You Feel,” Brianna shares that MOODEAUX has become the physical manifestation of walking in one’s full power, unapologetically. “It carries the sentiments of self-expression, individualism, and not being afraid to go against the status quo, regardless of what people may say or think,” she says.
In January, MOODEAUX released its highly anticipated IntenScenual™ Fine Fragrance Collection. Blending ‘intentionality’ and ‘sensuality,’ Worthy IntenScenual™ Eau de Parfum ($98 USD) is the same scent that you’re grown to know and love, only bigger, long-lasting, and pairs perfectly with the best-selling Worthy SuperCharged SkinScent™.
“Everyone deserves something different. A sophisticated signature scent that reminds us how powerful we truly are.”
xoNecole: When I think about the name of your perfume, ‘Worthy,’ it sounds like a daily affirmation when putting on your favorite fragrance. Could you share why you chose the name ‘Worthy’ for your product?
Brianna Arps: It's kind of twofold: When I lost my job, it was really tough. I was depressed for a really long time and struggled for a really long time. The notion was in reminding myself through a daily affirmation that I'm worthy of giving myself a shot, I'm worthy of picking myself back up, I'm worthy of creating the life of my dreams, regardless of what might happen out there.
"Worthy" started out personal but it’s the notion that you are worthy of clean, luxury beauty. You are worthy of all of these things that, in pockets of the beauty industry, we don't really see. We're all about helping people flaunt how they feel, and at the very least, people need to know their worth and that they are worthy of all they desire.
"'Worthy' started out personal but it’s the notion that you are worthy of clean, luxury beauty. You are worthy of all of these things that, in pockets of the beauty industry, we don't really see. We're all about helping people flaunt how they feel, and at the very least, people need to know their worth and that they are worthy of all they desire.
Risa Dexter
xoN: You’ve been the recipient of a number of awards like the Sephora Accelerant Program and others. With funding being one of the biggest hurdles for Black founders in particular, what advice you would give to new founders who may be looking to apply for grants in the future?
BA: I started MOODEAUX and the initial stages with my savings account, I didn't have a job anymore, but I was passionate and convinced that this was something special. I really exhausted a lot of my options to get this MOODEAUX off the ground.
There is a lot of opportunity out here; it sounds so cliche, but it's so true. But with so much opportunity comes increased competition to get your name out there and be seen. The biggest piece of advice that I have is to own your story and to really understand what makes you unique. Really understand how you're going to tell not only your founder story but your brand and product story too. How you convey them to the general public and to someone who is primed to give you a big check matters.
It's not enough to talk about the product because in reality, especially in the beauty industry, everything can be reverse-engineered. So instead of leaning on the product, these people want to know who you are, what your brand is about, and how you're changing lives and building community. If you can tell that story in a compelling and unique way, you are light years ahead of others who aren't thinking that way and you have a better shot of reaping the success that you wish to see.
"I started MOODEAUX and the initial stages with my savings account, I didn't have a job anymore, but I was passionate and convinced that this was something special. The biggest piece of advice that I have is to own your story and to really understand what makes you unique. Really understand how you're going to tell not only your founder story but your brand and product story too."
Ryan Stokes
xoN: What was one of the biggest challenges you experienced while building MOODEAUX and what did you learn from it?
BA: When I first started Moodeaux, it had a totally different name called Moode Beaute. In hindsight, it makes me laugh because I hate that name now, but I was gungho about it at the time. I consider myself to be a creative person and people who are creative often dive right in with visuals, colors, and fonts but get so consumed by the creative aspect, we completely neglected the legal aspect.
When I got down to the trademarking, my lawyer was like, "I am so sorry to tell you, but someone has filed for a very similar name, two weeks before us." I was devastated. We had spent thousands of dollars on marketing, branding, and content creation that will never see the light of day because we didn't have our legal house in order first. It's something that I learned from, so now every time I have an idea, I’m looking to see if it's trademarked. I'm always taking that initial lesson and keeping it at the forefront of my mind.
xoN: In many ways, your brand is a pioneer and among the “firsts” within the fragrance industry. How are you looking to use your platform and brand to leave the door open for others looking to enter the space?
BA: There's a lot of pressure to be a ‘first’ but, if I don't empower, inspire, or convince someone to take up this type of career path, then I failed. No matter how many bottles of perfume I sell or retailers I’m in, it doesn't matter if I don't show someone who never saw this as an opportunity that is possible.
We have a service component of our brand called, Black In Fragrance, where we provide, resources, education, and support to Black women in the fragrance space. We've even provided three grants last year to Black women who have fragrance labels to help kickstart their dreams. The presence of Black entrepreneurs within the fragrance industry is growing, but there's still not enough. If there's something that I’m going to do, it’s tell somebody to pick up this career. I'm going to tell them that it's possible that they can do it and I'm going to be there for them. You're not a good first if you're the last.
xoN: What do you hope your customers will experience when they pick up a bottle of perfume from MOODEAUX?
BA: I want them to feel seen, heard, and represented. Intentionality is something that’s at the core of everything we do. We want to remind you to take up space because so often. Black women shrink themselves to fit into boxes and molds that weren't even designed for us to fit into as a survival tactic, but in reality, we don't have to. There's so much value and uniqueness that we can bring to the world when we are simply ourselves; when we simply flaunt how we feel.
That's what I want people to feel when they come across us. I don't want it to feel like an ‘It Girls Only’ club or anything like that. Whatever you identify as I want you to feel as though you have the room to take up space here.
For more of Brianna, follow her on Instagram @Briannaarps.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image courtesy of Brianna Arps
Aley Arion is a writer and digital storyteller from the South, currently living in sunny Los Angeles. Her site, yagirlaley.com, serves as a digital diary to document personal essays, cultural commentary, and her insights into the Black Millennial experience. Follow her at @yagirlaley on all platforms!
On her debut album,CTRL,SZA crooned about her desire to be a “Normal Girl.” Now, nearly eight years since its release, her Not Beauty line represents her commitment to existing outside of traditional beauty norms.
The singer whose real name is Solána Imani Rowe first teased the idea of a lip gloss line during Super Bowl LIX in February, noting that the release would be happening “very shortly.” Not Beauty debuted simultaneously with the Grand National Tour, which she co-headlines with Kendrick Lamar, in Minneapolis on April 19.
Each Not Beauty pop-up would offer fans the opportunity to purchase the glosses, learn more about the brand, and have the opportunity to meet the superstar in the flesh regardless of their ticket status.
During the Los Angeles tour stop, which spanned three dates on May 21, May 23, with the finale on May 24, xoNecole had the opportunity to test out the glosses included in this soft launch, as SZA revealed in a statement that "this is just the start of other lip products, including plans to launch stains, liners, and creams all inspired by SZA's “infamous layered lip combinations.”
Courtesy
So, what is included in the first Not Beauty launch?
The current Not Beauty products available are lip glosses that come in three shades: In the Flesh, Strawberry Jelly, and Quartz.
During my visit to the first LA Not Beauty pop-up activation, I not only had the chance to purchase all three glosses but also took a peek inside the blow-up log tent. Inside, fans got to experience SZA’s love for nature and her fascination with bugs, which are prominently featured in her performances for this tour. At one point, she even had human preying mantis prancing across the stage y'all.
There were blow-up photos of the beauty that is SZA for fans (myself included) to take photos, but in wooden-like tree trunks were a deeper dive into some of the ingredients featured in her products and their benefits.
For example, the glosses feature Hi-Shine Lip Jelly and Shea Butter as key ingredients and some of the listed benefits included are:
- Shea Butter - “A powerhouse ingredient, offering both functional and nourishing benefits.”
- Hi-Shine Lip Jelly (featured in the In the Flesh shade) - “Formula glides on with perfect adhesion to the lips without stickiness).
Courtesy
What are in the products?
Featured in an orange package, with images of a bug and flower on the side, the back of the box reads: “It’s NOT BEAUTY, it just works. Developed by Solána “SZA” Rowe.
As someone who never leaves home without a good lip gloss, I loved how compact the wood panel packaging is. Perfect to slip into my purse, or in the case of the show at SoFi Stadium, into my pocket when I’m not carrying a bag.
Because I’m a sucker for a good black and brown lip liner and clear gloss combo, I decided to wear the Quartz flavor on night one of the Grand National Tour LA stop, and it did not disappoint. I’ll admit, it’s light weight feel made me nervous because it felt like there was nothing on my lips. However, when I checked my lips in my compact mirror several times throughout the night, I was shocked to find that my gloss was still intact. I only reapplied once out of the habit of looking cute and applying my gloss, but not necessity.
Here are some of the ingredients featured, but not limited to, in the Quartz flavor.
- Polyisoubutene
- Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea)Butter
- Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
- Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil
- Tocopherol
Courtesy
Lip prep
I’m a simple girl who loves to stay true to her roots. So ahead of the show, I stopped by a local Inglewood Beauty Supply store and grabbed a Black and Brown shade lip pencil for just under $2 a piece.
Shading the outline of my lips with the black pencil first, I used the brown to lightly fill the inside of my lips before applying my Quartz Not Beauty shade gloss.
How to apply
There’s truly no right or wrong way to apply lip gloss (in my opinion), with this being a brush applicator sort of product, I simply untwisted the top and swiped the gloss around my top and bottom lip generously.
Courtesy
Results
Again, my Not Beauty Quartz product stayed on my lips from the start of the show, which began with a fire DJ set from LA’s very own, Mustard, to the conclusion when Kendrick and SZA reunited on stage to send us home to their duet, “luther,” featured on the rapper's GNX album.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image courtesy
It’s almost always “annoyingly fun” to have conversations with super churchy folks. Example? Recently, I had on an anklet that a particular woman took notice of. When she complimented it and asked what it was made of, I said, “Moonstone, which is one of my birthstones.” Oddly enough, she then turned up her nose and said that stones and crystals were tied to witchcraft, to which I casually replied, “Then I guess you hate Aaron’s breastplate, huh?” She paused and turned her nose up again — this time, though, because she just experienced a good old-fashioned “checkmate.”
This article is about crystals not Scripture, so when it comes to the latter, I’ll just briefly say that if you mosey on over to Exodus 28, you’ll see that a high priest breastplate is referenced; one that contains precious gems including topaz, sapphire, agate, onyx and jasper (and that’s just for starters!). Yeah, it really is important to not just throw judgments around like confetti — know of what you are actually speaking of first (because that’s what Matthew 7 is really all about).
I did think it was important to mention that for potential skeptics about why this article even exists. Because although there are Scriptural and evenscience-based individuals who roll their eyes at the power of what gemstones and crystals can (possibly) do, I’m pretty sure that some of you are not surprised that the holistic and Ayurveda worlds see it all very differently.In those realms, energy plays a big role in physical, emotional, and mental health, and crystals are believed to cultivate balance or intensify certain feelings or experiences through that said energy.
That said, when it comes to sex, specifically, there are certain stones (which are basically what crystals are;in fact, all gemstones are a type of crystal) that are believed to help make intimacy even more satisfying. If you’re curious about which ones are, I’ve got 10 for you below.
10 Crystals That May Enhance Your Intimate Life
Unsplash
1. Garnet
Garnet is a rich shade of red that happens to be January’s gemstone. It’s considered to be one of the oldest gemstones around, one that Egyptians believed was a symbol of life and something that they oftentimes wore in their signet rings. As far as symbolism goes, garnet also represents love and vitality as well as energy, passion and even self-confidence — all of which are quite relevant when it comes to having an active and fulfilling sex life.
2. Amethyst
Queen Cleopatra and Leonardo da Vinci are just two powerful figures who were big fans of the purple gemstone amethyst. Interestingly enough, it is February’s birthstone — the month that Valentine’s Day falls under. Another interesting fact is many early Christians relied on this gem in order to increase their spirituality while many Greeks used to see it as a stone that provided protection. When it comes to intimacy, amethyst is also associated with love and devotion as well as feelings of calm and reduced anxiety — and since the less calm you feel, the easier it is to climax…well. #wink
Unsplash
3. Orange Carnelian
Looking to experience more joy and happiness? Or maybe you want to strengthen your friendships. Or perhaps it’s time to increase your pleasure levels or to go into deeper levels of sensuality. For all of these things, orange carnelian is a top-tier pick. As I did a bit more research on this stone, it’s considered to be a royal one and something that can bring forth peace. One of my favorite things about orange carnelian is it comes in different hues of orange — the deeper the color, the more passion it exudes. Just an FYI.
4. Rose Quartz
If you want to take your romantic relationship to another level, rose quartz has a solid reputation for helping to make that happen for you. In fact, this pink crystal is oftentimes referred to as being the stone of unconditional love because it encourages the wearers of it to both give as well as put themselves in the position to receive love too. Since rose quartz is also tied to things like emotional healing, restored trust and harmony, if you’re looking to make a much deeper intimate connection with your partner, this just might be the stone for you.
Unsplash
5. Rhodochrosite
Rhodochrosite is a red-rose colored stone that I personally hold dear. I say that because, as a survivor of sexual abuse, it is one that helps recovering individuals to work through sexual trauma (and trauma, in general). It is associated with love, compassion and strength as it helps you to process your emotions in a positive way, so that you are able to effectively release past pain and deal with any PTSD that you might have. You know, I know a wife who sexually struggled in her marriage for years because she had been sexually assaulted in college and never told her husband.
A stone of compassion is a precious one — including when it comes to dealing with sexual trauma and intimacy challenges and learning how to face them. Salute to this stone right here.
6. Citrine
Citrine is November’s birthstone and its rich yellow color explains why it represents things like abundance, prosperity, radiance and happiness. Aside from this, whether you’re seeking clarity, you’d like to be more creative or you’re interested in becoming more sensual, citrine encourages all of this. Sensuality is a dope word because it’s all about appealing to all five senses; especially during intimacy. To learn more about how to do that, check out “How To Incorporate All Five Senses To Have The Best Sex Ever.”
Unsplash
7. Red Jasper
While doing my own research on what red jasper represents, what I liked the most is it’s something that encourages emotional stability which is always a wonderful thing to have. Although it is a fiery red color, it also contains grounding properties and it symbolizes strength, courage and, another word that can always make sex more pleasurable: stamina. Since stamina is what helps both men and women to last longer during sex, anything that is a “stamina hack” earns an automatic mention when it comes to sex-themed content — including this.
8. Clear Quartz
A fun fact about quartz is it’s one of the most common minerals on this planet. When it comes to clear quartz, specifically, I like the way that it looks because it’s either a cloudy white or something that you can see straight through. As far as its symbolism is concerned, if you want to reduce physical discomfort, remove distractions and focus more on heightened levels of yourself, this crystal represents all of that. Clear quartz also encourages healing, spiritual growth and balance. To me, it seems like if you want to cultivate a spiritual or meditative (check out “What Exactly Is 'Orgasmic Meditation'?”) experience with your partner, clear quartz is a stone to try.
Unsplash
9. Shiva Lingam
I ain’t got no lies to tell you — when I first happened upon this particular stone, the first thing that came to my mind was an article that I penned for the site back in the day entitled, “Blow Your Man's Mind By Giving Him This Tantalizing Massage.” That’s because it explains what a lingam massage is and, as you can see, this crystal has that word all up in it. The history of lingam is a bit layered (you can read about it here); however, because it is considered by many to be a phallic symbol and that typically represents the penis — shiva lingam is a neutral-colored crystal that represents both sexuality as well as fertility. Shocking, right? #sarcasm
10. Pyrite
It doesn’t escape me that it’s kind of funny that I’m closing this out with a crystal that has the nickname “fool’s gold.” That’s due to its appearance. That said, it’s also a stone that has some interesting symbolism to it. Since it comes from a Greek word that means fire — of course, it’s a crystal of passion. Since it also taps into things like heightened energy, self-esteem, creativity, awakened senses and the removal of toxic thoughts — if any stone should be in your “let’s get it on” crystal collection, pyrite would be the one!
___
Know what’s kinda wild? While I was on Etsy’s site looking for another moonstone, a sake popped up in my feed on what the merchant calls their “libido crystal set” — and six of the 10 stones that I’ve mentioned throughout this article are featured in the collection.
Yeah, I’ll take that as a confirmation that whether you purchase a piece of jewelry that has one (or more) of these stones or you buy a piece of crystal itself to place somewhere in your bedroom — just putting your own energy into wanting a better sex life is a powerful step in the right direction to achieving it.
And what science can’t refute is the benefits of positive thoughts and actions — crystals or not.
So, if precious stones are totally your thing — enjoy, sis. Enjoy!
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Giphy