The Unspoken Rules of Beauty Spaces

There are rules in beauty spaces that nobody says out loud.They’re not written on call sheets, not included in the contract, not even whispered backstage. But if you’re a Black artist, you know them. You’ve lived them, and you’ve learned them fast.

I remember walking into one of my first large-scale productions. The lights were bright, the schedule was tight, and every other artist in the room seemed to move like they’d been here a hundred times. I wasn’t nervous about my skill. I was nervous about proving it because I already knew I’d have to. And realistically, I do recognize proving yourself isn’t race specific. However, the guidelines being used to determine if you did enough are definitely not the same for everyone.

Rule 1: Be Over-prepared. Always.

Bringing your kit can just be the bare minimum. I learned very quickly that some of my over prepared moments are what got me rehired. Having a lint roller, Shout wipes, scissors, even a first aid kit, helped me stand out and be able to assist in any situation.

And for me, that over preparation wasn’t just about being thorough; it was about making sure I could deliver, even if the tools or shades I needed weren’t already there. In some rooms, those extra steps are a bonus. In others, they’re the reason you get called back.

Rule 2: Adapt Without Being Asked.

From the way you greet a client to the tone you use with a producer, there’s an unspoken requirement to fit the room. It’s the quiet art of code-switching, softening your voice, adjusting your body language, avoiding slang, staying two steps ahead in reading the energy.

Because the moment you don’t, you risk being labeled “difficult” before your brush even touches a face. Getting rehired in these spaces is understanding the balance between letting your personality shine and being as professional as the environment requires.

Rule 3: Show Up As the Standards

In so many beauty spaces, you’re not just another artist, you’re the standard someone hasn’t seen before.

It’s not about proving you belong; it’s about showing what excellence looks like when you do. Every polished look, every smooth interaction, every moment you take control of your craft leaves a mark. And in the process, you’re not just representing yourself, you’re setting the bar for how artists who look like you are remembered and requested again.

Why These Rules Exist

These rules exist because beauty spaces have been built around a narrow idea of who belongs, what’s “professional,” and whose faces are worth learning to master.

They exist because diversity is often treated like a checkbox, not a standard.

And while some people see them as harmless quirks of the industry, for us, they are daily reminders that we are still guests in a house we help to build.

What True Inclusion Looks Like

It’s shade ranges that celebrate every undertone.It’s teams that mirror the diversity of the people they serve. It’s creating spaces where Black artists, and all artists are valued for their craft, not measured against different, quieter standards.

I’ve learned how to navigate the unspoken rules, and they’ve carried me into some of the most incredible rooms, from working on set with Amazon’s executive leadership, shooting Capital One commercials and TV Pilots, filming a new ad campaign for a major university, working with anchors and guests at CBS News, filming a national documentary, prepping models for Fashion Week, touching up a designer’s hair before she sat down with Allure magazine… and so much more.

My hope is that one day, no one has to navigate those rules at all. That every artist walks into a beauty space confident that the only thing they need to bring is their skill, their creativity, and their voice.