Moodeaux Founder Brianna Arps Shares Her Journey


With a firm handshake, say hello to Business of Beauty—an exclusive, inside look at each of the incomparable journeys of entrepreneurs of color in the beauty industry. This series is anything but business as usual. It’s a raw, honest look at the unique and often overlooked challenges that people of color face when starting their own beauty brand. Each founder will reveal the biggest hurdles they’ve overcome, their internal struggles, and their deepest thoughts about what needs to change in the beauty industry (and the world, really) to make it a more inclusive space for everyone.

This time around, we’re diving deep with former beauty journalist and brand founder Brianna Arps. Arps credits her extensive background in investigative journalism for giving her all the tools she needed to start her own fragrance brand, Moodeaux. Read all about her experience below.

It’s rare I get to chat with a fellow beauty journalist, but I was in for a treat this Black Business Month. (While the month of August is an incredible time to celebrate Black and Brown entrepreneurs, it’s important to support them year-round too!) Luckily, I got the chance to get to know Moodeaux founder Brianna Arps. Arps has created something very special. Moodeaux is a fragrance brand rooted in self-care, authenticity, confidence, and comfort. Not sure how those things relate? Trust me—you can smell it in every mood-boosting scent. They’re all an instant dopamine hit, and they’ll leave you feeling so uplifted the rest of the day. My favorite is Brand New.