Valerie Lawson

35🥂

“Being confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.” Philippians 1:6

Thirty-five years for me carries the lessons of life, the weight of responsibility, the absolute joy of motherhood, the privilege of serving others, the courage to trust the unwavering faith that God is good and is right here.

When I look back, I don’t just see milestones. I see God’s fingerprints and I see him writing a story, I need to keep trusting him with.

The doors that opened when they shouldn’t have.
The strength that appeared when mine had completely run out.
The people He sent.
The prayers He answered.
And even the prayers He lovingly said, “not yet” to.

This past year has stretched me in ways I never imagined. It has required me to let go of certainty, embrace growth, and trust God’s voice and word more than my own understanding. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has been purposeful.

As I step into 35, I’m continue to pray for Gods wisdom over applause. Impact over recognition.
And the courage to keep saying “yes” to the assignments God places in front of me.

I’m grateful and excited for what lies ahead, not because I know exactly what the future holds, but because I know Who holds it and because he is GOOD!

Happy Birthday to me.

A huge thank you to Viola’s Place and THE BEAUTY MINISTRY 🌍 for your incredible skill, time, and dedication in making me look and feel beautiful, 🥹🥰 and Thank you to the Viva Accra team for a fun and beautiful opportunity and for the beautiful flowers! God bless you all 💕

I was in New York to attend the BBR Beauty Show.

What Black Beauty Roster is building is so much bigger than an event. It’s creating a space where every part of our industry.

Artists, creators, brands, educators, retailers and beauty professionals can come together to learn, connect and move the industry forward, together.

The show brings industry stakeholders into one room to share knowledge, celebrate culture and spark collaboration across the beauty ecosystem. (Black Beauty Roster⁠)

From the inspiring main stage conversations and masterclasses to vendor-led education sessions and the countless nuggets shared by creators and industry leaders, I left challenged, encouraged and full of ideas.

As someone who believes deeply in the power of education and community to transform our industry, being in that room was truly a gift.

Thank you to the entire BBR team and Maude Okrah Hunter for creating this very needed platform for us and for continuing to push boundaries in beauty.

💕SITA 💕

There was something about being in Ghana for Sita Efua Wassiamal 🇬🇭 wedding that stayed with me.

It reminded me of a time when weddings were deeply rooted in family and community. A time when they weren’t just trendy online celebrations of two people, but the gathering of generations, friendships, wisdom, and love to witness and uphold a covenant.

As vendors, we each arrive with different gifts, skills, and expertise. Yet for that one day, we lay aside individual recognition and become purpose partners working collectively to bring one shared vision to life. There is something incredibly beautiful about watching excellence come together in service of someone else’s story.

And then there is the couple.

Marriage is, perhaps, God’s greatest picture of purpose partnership. Two individuals becoming one, not simply to share a home or a life, but to carry a divine assignment together. To walk through seasons of abundance and seasons of uncertainty. To encourage, refine, strengthen, and continually choose one another. The vows we speak are more than beautiful words; they are a commitment to remain united through every chapter of the journey.

It also reminded me how important it is to have your people around you. Your pillars. Those who have gone before you and can offer wisdom. Those who have walked through difficult seasons and emerged with testimony. Those who are still full of innocent hope, reminding you of the beauty that lies ahead. Every perspective has a place, and together they help usher in a new beginning.

Every wedding I have the privilege of working on, leaves me with a different lesson. There is joy. There are tears. There are memories being made. There is hope for what is to come.

But above all, I am always reminded of the sacredness of oneness and the unique purpose God designed marriage to fulfil.

Vendors
Decor Lionheart Events
Coordination Create Consults
Makeup Valerie Marfo
Bride’s Outfits PISTIS Ghana Christie Brown
Hair Mrs Christine Tetteh
Photography Henry OJI
Videography 𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐱 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦𝐬🎥🇬🇭🇬🇧

Attending the Financial Times Women in Business Summit in London left me with so many beautiful reminders, but one stayed with me:

“The one thing that’s guaranteed is: if you do nothing, nothing happens.”

As women in business, we are often taught to be careful, quiet, modest, grateful, and sometimes even apologetic about our ambition. But the conversations in the room reminded me that confidence is not arrogance. Clarity is not pride. And knowing what you are good at is not something to hide.

A few reflections I took away:

Spend your energy where your energy is best spent.
Learn the lesson, then move forward.
Be unashamed about what you do, who you are, and what you are good at.
You are not just a “woman in business” you are a phenomenal human in business.
Do not carry your mistakes around like a handbag.
Learn from them and keep moving.

One of the most striking points shared was how little funding still goes to women. That reality makes rooms like this important but it also reminds me that visibility, access, networks, and ownership matter.

For me, this summit was a reminder to keep building boldly across beauty, education, entrepreneurship, agriculture, wellness, and impact.

There is still so much work to do, but we do not move industries forward by waiting for permission.

We move and build by doing. 🥂💕

Entrepreneurship WomenWhoLead BusinessLeadership ValerieLawson

For over a decade, I have worked with faces, skin tones, undertones, products, and students from around the world. Along the way, I began asking a simple question:

Who are beauty standards really built for?

In July, I will be presenting my paper, Complexion, Claims and the Politics of Testing Dark Skin in Global Beauty, at the World Congress of Business History in Toronto.

My research explores how beauty testing, claims validation, and complexion science have historically been shaped around lighter skin types, often leaving darker skin tones underrepresented in product development, regulation, and education.

Drawing on my experience as a makeup artist, educator, and researcher, I argue that the exclusion of dark skin from meaningful testing is not simply a technical oversight. It is a structural issue that continues to influence innovation, consumer trust, and equity across the global beauty industry.

This work represents the intersection of practice, research, and advocacy, and I am excited to contribute to conversations shaping a more inclusive future for beauty.

Toronto, see you soon.