“We Gloss, We Floss, We Boss”—it’s a little known fact, but that’s The Glow Up’s motto and our founding ethos, as we report on all things beauty, fashion and black women’s empowerment here at The Root. But when it comes to encompassing all three of those principles, no one does it better than black beauty bosses, because as usual, it’s black women leading the charge in this multi-billion dollar industry. While taking a stroll through the Beauty Carnival at this year’s Essence Festival in New Orleans, we not only capitalized on the opportunity to cop a few new favorite products (so many great products—including the Beauty Boss palette from BBS Cosmetics, $23, pictured above), but chatted up several black beauty bosses of brands both well-known and up-and-coming about their joys, challenges, their own personal mottos, and what being a beauty boss means to them. Watch above...and shouts to The Root’s Felice Léon for the visuals!