MEET EYE 2 EYE

How long must we wait?  How far must we march? People of color make up 40% of the population yet only account for 20% of business ownership. From cuisine to cosmetics, Black communities are top consumers in numerous product categories and are instrumental to the financial stability of various industries, yet reap little reward in the process. Worst still, Black communities are often disproportionately exposed to toxic ingredients. We don’t want to wait anymore. We don’t want to march anymore. We want change now. We want equality now.

Eye 2 Eye was founded to combat these trends and to empower the left out and looked over with the access, resources, and opportunities needed to look eye to eye with those who don’t have to wait and don’t have to march.  Disrupting the norm of cultural exploitation, Eye 2 Eye is on a mission to empower Black communities to reclaim their global space. The Black-owned business aims to understand which products are being disproportionately consumed, increase Black ownership across the supply chains of these products, and, in doing so, empower disenfranchised communities from within. By establishing greater ownership of these supply chains, Eye 2 Eye seeks to enable Black communities to reclaim their roots from soil to soul.

Representing just 13% of the population, America’s Black communities have been shown to hyper-prioritize and out-consume other groups in hair, beauty, and personal care. Therefore, Eye 2 Eye seeks to increase Black ownership and influence in the cosmetic industry by engaging in the wholesale trade of high quality, ethically sourced, African cosmetic ingredients. In doing so, Eye 2 Eye empowers Black communities by: (1) working exclusively with African suppliers that engage in socially responsible (and not exploitative) practices and increasing these suppliers’ access to global markets; (2) offering Black-owned beauty brands a reliable supply of high quality, competitively priced, ethically sourced cosmetic ingredients; and, (3) ultimately improving Black consumer access to safe cosmetics.

In contrast to other suppliers, working with Eye 2 Eye is easy. Eye 2 Eye is a full-service solutions provider that is genuinely interested in listening to and meeting the needs of customers. Their soil to soul empowerment process promotes greater compassion, control, and competitiveness for everyone from small business owners to major manufacturers. Through direct relationships with farmers, socially responsible suppliers, and local government officials, and boasting team members on the ground in Africa, Eye 2 Eye is optimally positioned to offer a reliable supply of African cosmetic ingredients that are consistent in quality, competitively priced, and produced in a manner that empowers (rather than exploits) local communities.

Eye 2 Eye’s flagship products include ASBI-Certified Premium Grade-A Unrefined Shea Butter, Organic Shea Nilotica, Moringa Oil, and Baobab Oil––though the company is constantly expanding their offering. They currently work with eight socially responsible suppliers across six African countries with capacity to offer a wide range of cosmetic oils, butters, and plant extracts.

Customers can be confident that every purchase from Eye 2 Eye empowers Black communities domestically and abroad––increasing Black ownership of the cosmetic supply chain and improving Black consumer access to safe cosmetics. By maximizing access, resources, and opportunities traditionally kept out of reach for communities of color, Eye 2 Eye seeks to uplift and empower Black communities, so that future generations may do the same. We don’t want to wait anymore. We don’t want to march anymore. We want ownership. It’s time to be eye to eye.

By: Amanda Y. Fung