Comcast and Faceforward Productions Partner for Upcoming Docuseries, “The Black Beauty Effect” From Creator and Executive Producer Andrea Lewis, Executive Producers Jackie Aina, Kahlana Barfield Brown and CJ Faison

This first-of-its-kind docuseries examines the Black women who are serving as catalysts for social change within the beauty industry and features mega beauty influencers and industry titans Whitney White, Mikki Taylor, Cara Sabin, Esi Eggleston Bracey,

Sam Fine, Amber Riley, Elaine Welteroth, Jessica Cruel, Kayla Graves, Sir John, Shalom Blac and more

Premiering exclusively on Black Experience on Xfinity channel this fall

Today, Comcast NBCUniversal and FaceForward Productions announced their partnership for the upcoming docuseries The Black Beauty Effect, releasing this fall exclusively on the Black Experience on Xfinity channel, a first-of-its-kind destination of Black entertainment, movies, TV shows, news and more. From creator and executive producers Andrea Lewis (Degrassi: The Next Generation, Black Actress), Emmy-nominee CJ Faison (Giants & Junebug), and Jackie Aina and Kahlana Barfield Brown, the docuseries will closely examine the social change, past and present, within the beauty industry, through the lens of the successful Black women who have led the charge.

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Photo Credit: FaceForward Productions

The Black Beauty Effect is a three-part docuseries capturing the current evolution, revolution, and disruption taking place within the beauty industry. Black beauty influencers, celebrities, and entrepreneurs have taken up the torch passed down from their pioneering predecessors. Each hour-long episode examines a different aspect of beauty – hair, skin, and makeup – through the lens of some of the beauty industry’s most iconic game-changers. The Black Beauty Effect peels back the gorgeous glow we see in advertisements to tell the ugly truths that have plagued the beauty industry for far too long.

Featuring candid conversations with brand executives, celebrity makeup artists, beauty editors, and more, the docuseries focuses on the impact influencers have had on the industry’s changing perception of beauty. Participants include beauty influencers and EPs Jackie Aina and Kahlana Barfield Brown, former Editor-In-Chief of ESSENCE Mikki Taylor, influencer and Co-Founder of Melanin Hair Care Whitney White, Executive Vice President and COO of North America Beauty and Personal Care at Unilever Esi Eggleston Bracey, NY Times bestselling author, journalist and the second youngest editor in Condé Nast history Elaine Welteroth, CEO of Sundial Brands Cara Sabin, Beauty Director of Cosmo Julee Wilson, Sr. Beauty Editor of InStyle Kayla Graves, Beauty Director for InStyle Maya Allen, actress, singer, author and activist Amber Riley, Editor-In-Chief of Allure Jessica Cruel, Digital Hair Editor for Allure Jihan Forbes, Creative Marketing Manager at Instagram Brooke DeVard Ozaydinli, makeup artist, author and the first Black spokesperson and ambassador for Revlon and Covergirl Sam Fine, VP of Marketing at Thrive Causemetics Tiffani Carter, celebrity hairstylist, beauty expert and entrepreneur Kim Kimble, visionary hairstylist Ursula Stephen, celebrity hairstylist Chuck Amos, influencer Shalom Blac, beauty vlogger and activist Nyma Tang, beauty influencer Ellarie, model, influencer and entrepreneur Choyce Brown, drag queen and comedian Bob The Drag Queen, Founder of The Lip Bar Melissa Butler, co-founder of Topicals Olamide Olowe, founder of Marsha’s Makeovers and MUA Marsha Page, VP of Marketing at Ulta Beauty Karla Davis, CEO and founder of Ami Colé Diarrha N’Diaye, CEO and co-founder of Mented Cosmetics KJ Miller, Creative Director of L’Oreal Sir John, Director of Face & Multicultural Beauty at L’Oreal Balanda Atis, CEO of Black Opal Cosmetics Desiree Rogers, Founder of Carol’s Daughter Lisa Price, owner of Aglow Dermatology Dr. Dina Strachan, Professor in the Department of American Studies at California State University, Fullerton Kristin Rowe, Associate Professor of Sociology Sabrina Strings PH.D., board certified award-winning dermatologist and AAD fellow Dr. Jeanine Downie and more.

"The Black Beauty Effect is one of my dream projects,” said series creator Andrea Lewis. “As someone who grew up in the television and film industry, I’ve sat in more makeup chairs than I can count, and I have experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly of what it’s like being a Black woman and navigating the beauty space. I’ve always wanted to create a story that captured the fullness of our impact in the beauty industry, from the celebrity makeup artists, the Black beauty editors, and the countless beauty content creators. They’ve all been a part of bringing light to our impact. Comcast Xfinity has been amazing, and we couldn’t have asked for a better partner who not only believes in our story but also put their full support behind Black filmmakers."

“We’re thrilled to work with creator Andrea Lewis and FaceForward Productions to bring the exclusive premiere of The Black Beauty Effect to the Black Experience on Xfinity channel, furthering our company-wide mission of investing in authentic Black stories and amplifying voices that deserve to be heard,” said Keesha Boyd, Executive Director, Multicultural Video & Entertainment, Xfinity Consumer Services and Executive Producer of The Black Beauty Effect. “Through this partnership, we hope to highlight and celebrate the contributions of the Black community to the beauty industry, while also shine a light on the stories of the women who pushed for necessary change.”

The Black Beauty Effect is directed by Kwanza Nicole Gooden and produced by FaceForward Productions. The series was created by Andrea Lewis, who serves as Executive Producer along with CJ Faison, Jackie Aina, and Kahlana Barfield Brown. Emmy-nominated Takara Joseph and Summer Griffiths (Scale Productions) serve as producers, alongside Andrena Hale as showrunner.

Attendees of this year’s American Black Film Festival (ABFF) enjoyed a special sneak-preview screening and intimate discussion around The Black Beauty Effect on Thursday, June 16. During the panel, series creator Andrea Lewis, beauty expert Kahlana Barfield Brown, natural hair entrepreneur Whitney White (aka@Naptural85), and Emmy-nominated executive producer CJ Faison highlighted Black women and their tremendous impact on the beauty industry, despite history’s erasure of their stories.

“The FaceForward Productions team jumped at the opportunity to executive produce and bring

The Black Beauty Effect series to life to continue uplifting and amplifying the majesty and ingenuity of Black women. This series sets the stage to create a cultural movement worldwide, honoring Black women’s contributions and deeply embedded influence in the beauty industry. In the spirit of our company’s mission to capture the shared human experience through one forward-facing, culturally-nuanced lens, we knew joining forces with Andrea Lewis and Comcast would offer the perfect partnership,” said CJ Faison, Founder/ CEO, FaceForward Productions.

Black Experience on Xfinity is a first-of-its-kind destination of Black entertainment, movies, TV shows, news and more. Available at home on Xfinity X1 and Flex, and on-the-go with the Xfinity Stream app, the Black Experience on Xfinity features original and high-quality content from Comcast NBCUniversal and other major studios, in addition to content from many of Xfinity’s existing network partners, at no additional cost to Xfinity customers. The channel is the only one of its kind endorsed by the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA), the world's largest group of Black film critics that gives annual awards for excellence in film and television.

Xfinity customers can access the Black Experience on channel 1622 or simply say “Black Experience” into the Voice Remote to instantly enjoy the ultimate in Black storytelling. Visit https://www.xfinity.com/learn/digital-cable-tv/black-experience to learn more about the Black Experience on Xfinity and other Black programming available on X1, Flex, and the Xfinity Stream app.

For more information on The Black Beauty Effect, go to @blackbeautyeffect on social media and continue the conversation using the hashtag #BlackBeautyEffect.

About Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on connectivity, aggregation, and streaming with 57 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

About Andrea Lewis

Before celebrating her 16th birthday, Andrea Lewis had already acted alongside Hollywood heavyweights such as Diahann Carroll in The Natalie Cole Story and Wesley Snipes and Dr. Maya Angelou in her directorial debut, the critically acclaimed Down in the Delta. After wrapping up on the Disney movie Cadet Kelly alongside Hilary Duff, Lewis soon spent 6 seasons on the hit show Degrassi: The Next Generation and became known around the world as "Hazel" as millions of North Americans tuned in each week to watch Andrea in the Award-winning drama. After Degrassi, she went on to other leading roles on Showtime, Nickelodeon and BET. Then taking her career to another level, Lewis started Jungle Wild Productions, where she wrote, starred in and produced the award-winning web series’ “Black Actress”. Lewis has continued to create as a filmmaker, with multiple web series, short films, television pilots and digital content.

About FaceForward Productions

Emmy-nominated executive producer, founder and CEO, CJ Faison, started FaceForward Productions in 2018 to create universally groundbreaking content told from the perspectives of people of color. FaceForward Productions works to elevate the voices of those often overlooked by capturing the shared human experience through one forward-facing, culturally-nuanced lens. Flagship projects like FaceForward Productions' critically acclaimed short film, Junebug, and the ode to Black women's ingenuity, The Black Beauty Effect, exhibit a diverse yet deeply moving slate of content. FaceForward Productions creates masterfully crafted content that spark cultural moments around the world.

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