Brielle Carter
Atlanta, GA
Brielle is CGJ's Beauty and Hair writer. She trained at MAC Pro Cosmetics at 19 and worked professional makeup on commercial sets and music videos for four years before transitioning to writing in 2022. She is biracial (Black + Filipina), medium-deep complexion with neutral-warm undertones, Type 4A natural hair, low porosity. She covers beauty for melanin-rich skin specifically and writes hair the way porosity charts actually work. She'll name shade numbers (Fenty Pro Filt'r 480, Pat McGrath Skin Fetish 350), distinguish between what a product does and what it claims, and tell you when an expensive thing wasn't worth it. She is allergic to “holy grail,” “healthy glow,” and “works for all skin types.”
- Beauty for NC45 / deep skin
- Type 4 hair care
- Retinol + AHA / BHA routines
- Shade matching
Recent stories by Brielle
Jessica Alba's Beauty and Wellness Secrets - Clean Skin, Confident Style, and the Routines Behind Her Glow
The bathroom counter tells a quieter story than the red carpet does. No army of jars promising miracles, no fragrance-heavy serums lined up like trophies. Just a handful of products chosen because they actually agree with skin that has never been easy to please. That counter belongs to a woman who built one of the [...]
9 min read
Melanie Martinez's Signature Aesthetic - How to Recreate Her Pastel Gothic Beauty Looks
Picture a nursery rebuilt inside a haunted dollhouse. Baby-pink walls, a music box that plays slightly off-key, ribbons fraying at the edges, and somewhere in the corner a porcelain face with eyes too big and too knowing for comfort. That tension - sweetness laced with something stranger - is the whole reason Melanie Martinez's beauty [...]
9 min read
Beaded Braids and Beyond - Protective Styles Worth Recreating at Any Age
There is a sound a lot of us carry in our memory: the soft click of beads tapping together when you turn your head, the gentle tug of a parting comb, the hum of a kitchen radio while someone you love sections your hair into neat rows. That sound is a whole childhood for many [...]
9 min read
Charlotte Tilbury vs NARS Blush: Which One Actually Sits Better on Deeper Skin
A side-by-side blush test of Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic and NARS powder blush on NC45 neutral-warm skin, with shade-by-shade verdicts, wear-time results, and a final pick.
11 min read
Why Your Hair Isn't Growing (Spoiler: It Probably Is)
Why your hair plateaued and what to do: 10 causes of length retention failure on Black natural hair, the science behind why hair grows but does not stay, and protocols from Dr. Crystal Aguh, Bridgette Hill, and Aeleise Jana.
11 min read
What Your Foundation Shade Says About How Well the Brand Understands Deeper Skin Tones
The depth + undertone matrix. The 6 brands that built FOR deeper skin and the 6 that added it after feedback. Pat McGrath's 24-shade chart.
12 min read
The Beauty Ingredient That Changed Everything
After five years of $58 BHA toners and $112 creams, the thing that finally cleared my forehead was a prescription tretinoin. Here is the case for it, and how to start.
13 min read
The 15-Minute Skincare Routine That Does the Work of a 10-Step One
Four products do 80% of the work. Three specific routines for anti-aging, brightening, and acne. Budgets at $50, $150, $400.
14 min read
La Roche-Posay Review for Plus-Size Skin: 14 Months on Body Acne, Chafing, and KP
An honest, 14-month review of La Roche-Posay on plus-size skin - what actually delivers for body acne, keratosis pilaris, chafing hyperpigmentation, and folds, and what the brand undersells for bodies bigger than the model on the box.
15 min read
The Full Body Skincare Routine Most Women Skip
A full body skincare routine that mirrors the face. Cleanser, exfoliant, serum, cream, SPF, treatments, and the weekly upgrade most women skip. Specific products, realistic timelines, plus-size-specific notes, and the body care marketing math that explains why we got here.
19 min read
What Happened When I Tried 5 Viral TikTok Hair Growth Hacks for 30 Days
A 4C natural hair editor runs five viral TikTok hair growth hacks (rice water, rosemary oil, inversion, scalp gua sha, JBCO baggy method) for thirty days, photographs the length, talks to a Johns Hopkins dermatologist and a certified trichologist, and reports what actually translates from 1A-2C virality to 4-type curls.
22 min read
Cetaphil vs CeraVe Moisturizing Cream: The Tub That Actually Earns the Bathroom Shelf
Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream vs CeraVe Moisturizing Cream tested for five months on a deeper, melanin-rich complexion. Ingredient breakdown, occlusion test, pilling under makeup, and a clear pick for who should buy which.
10 min read
Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Review: The $74 Question, Settled
A curatorial, deep-dive review of Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream across deeper skin tones, with a side-by-side against The Ordinary, CeraVe, and Paula's Choice for whether the $74 price tag earns its place.
11 min read
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Concealer Review: The Shade Range Isn't the Story
An honest review of Fenty Beauty's Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Concealer on NC45 deep neutral-warm skin. Shade-match science, eight-hour wear test, and where it loses to two cheaper alternatives.
11 min read
Olaplex vs Briogeo: A Bond-Repair Comparison for Textured Hair
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Olaplex and Briogeo on low-porosity 4A natural hair - bond repair vs strengthening masks, ingredients, real prices, return policies, and a clear final pick.
10 min read
Briogeo's Dream Makers Founder Grant - What It Actually Does and Why the Brand Behind It Matters
Briogeo's Dream Makers Founder Grant is one of the few brand-led funding programs in beauty that actually writes checks to BIPOC founders. Here is what it does, where Briogeo sits in the premium textured-hair category, and which products are worth buying.
11 min read
CeraVe vs La Roche-Posay: 8 Months of Side-by-Side Use on NC45 Acne-Prone Skin
Brielle breaks down CeraVe vs La Roche-Posay across cleansers, moisturizers, and sunscreens after eight months of side-by-side use on NC45 acne-prone skin. Real ingredient breakdowns, real prices, real verdicts.
10 min read
Best Edge Controls for Natural Hair in 2026 - Sleek Edges Without Flaking or Breakage
Best edge controls for natural hair in 2026. Get sleek, laid edges without flaking, residue, or breakage with our top tested picks.
13 min read
5 DIY Hair Growth Oil Recipes for Natural Hair - Homemade Blends That Boost Length
Make 5 powerful DIY hair growth oil recipes for natural hair using simple ingredients. Homemade blends with rosemary, castor oil, and more to boost length.
15 min read
Deep Conditioning for Natural Hair - How Often, Best Products, and DIY Recipes
Everything about deep conditioning for natural hair - how often to do it, the best products, DIY recipes, and techniques for soft, strong, healthy curls.
11 min read
Crochet Hairstyles for 2026 - Quick, Affordable, and Gorgeous Protective Styles to Try
Explore the best crochet hairstyles for 2026 - quick, affordable, and gorgeous protective styles including faux locs, twists, curls, and braids you can DIY.
13 min read
Best Products for 4B Hair in 2026 - Moisturizers, Creams, and Oils for Defined Curls
Best products for 4B hair in 2026. Moisturizers, creams, and oils for defined curls, reduced shrinkage, and all-day hydration for Z-pattern coils.
11 min read
Best Leave-In Conditioners for 4C Hair in 2026 - Moisture That Lasts All Day
Best leave-in conditioners for 4C hair in 2026. Discover formulas that deliver all-day moisture, softness, and manageability for tight coils.
12 min read
Best Affordable Retinol Products at the Drugstore - Start Anti-Aging Without Breaking the Bank
Best affordable retinol products at the drugstore for 2026. Start anti-aging without breaking the bank with CeraVe, RoC, Neutrogena, and The Ordinary.
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