TikTok Celebrates Black History Month With Darcei Giles

To kick off its Black History Month programming, TikTok is featuring some amazing content creators from across the county, like Toronto-based @missdarcei, a Makeup Mythbuster who has captivated audiences worldwide. With a unique blend of relatability and humor, Darcei has become a prominent figure in the beauty community, amassing a massive following through her entertaining and insightful makeup reviews. —Vita Daily

Please tell us a bit about yourself to start (first/last names, pronouns, some personal background/details, etc.)!

My name is Darcei Giles and I use she/her pronouns. I was born in Toronto, Canada and still live there today.

How did you achieve (and continue to grow) your TikTok audience?

Like many others, I joined TikTok during quarantine and started talking about my favorite beauty products. As a black woman, many people resonated with my perspective on products and the beauty industry as a whole. I love trying new things and being outside of the box.

What do you like about TikTok as a platform, especially in terms of how you can use it to influence and inspire those that follow you, and to create social change?

I love how easy it is to connect with new audiences through TikTok. Once something becomes a TikTok trend, it has the potential to change the world. I’ve received so many messages from young black women who were too afraid to try certain beauty products until they saw me trying them. Even inspiring one person through my content is amazing.

What topics do you cover/share most? Where do your passions lie?

I love to just share what beauty products I like (and dislike!). It’s all in good fun. Exploring and finding new foundations, lipsticks and blushes. Sharing my findings with my community is like sharing a new product you just tried with your best friend. Lately my passion has been inspiring inclusion within the beauty community. The sad truth is that there aren’t as many dark skinned beauty girls in the mainstream media and representation matters.

Have you ever had to deal with haters/naysayers on social media? If so, what’s your approach?

All the time! We all do. It’s almost part of the job unfortunately. My approach is to ignore it as much as possible. It’s always good to listen to criticism to improve but just plain hate isn’t productive. It’s important to pick and choose your battles and to protect your own mental health. If I know I’m already in a fragile place, I won’t read comments at all.

What have been some of the highlights of being so prominent on TikTok been for you?

I’ve been so blessed to be recognized at award shows for my efforts. Winning an award for your content is wonderful. But the biggest blessing is being able to meet my supporters all over the world.

February is Black History Month; what is the significance to you, and how are you using your voice to create change, establish community and help people in your community (and others) feel seen and understood?

In my niche, Black History Month is the perfect time to highlight black owned beauty brands that may not get as much exposure during other times of the year. I think it’s no only important to point out the holes in the industry but to also highlight the brands who are doing it right.

With so many people following you on TikTok, who are some of YOUR favourite accounts to follow?

My favorite creator to watch on TikTok is Jackie Aina. She’s a pioneer within the black beauty space and still is today. I’m also a fan of Golloria and her Darkest Shade series on TikTok which reviews beauty brands’ darkest shades.