28-07-2025
How Isan Elba Is Transforming Beauty Waste Into Equity
Since launching, Isan Elba has redistributed more than 3,000 unopened beauty and hygiene products ... More that would have otherwise been discarded.
In an industry fueled by hype, overproduction, and aesthetic perfection, 23-year-old Isan Elba is building something radically different: a scalable, tech-enabled system that turns beauty's excess into dignity for underserved communities.
As the founder of Beauty Access and its nonprofit sister organization Beauty Forward, Elba is leading a new movement toward circular beauty, one where surplus products are redirected to women and families in need, and where brands are encouraged to rethink their relationship with waste, logistics, and community impact.
Since launching, Elba has redistributed more than 3,000 unopened beauty and hygiene products that would have otherwise been discarded. The products come from creators who have exhausted their networks, and from brands looking to align excess with purpose. Her goal is clear: to make redistribution as operationally viable and sustainable as overproduction.
From PR Packages to Purpose
Elba began her career as a content creator, quickly realizing the scale of excess in beauty marketing. 'Every single day, I would receive one to three packages of beauty and hygiene products,' she recalls. 'At first, it was a girl's dream come true. But eventually, my apartment looked like a mini Sephora.'
Over time, the abundance became overwhelming and revealing. 'This wasn't just my problem—it was systemic,' she says. 'Beauty Access created itself.'
What started as a personal solution to a common creator dilemma evolved into a platform for structural change. Beauty Access allows donors (including influencers, brands, and individuals) to schedule pickups, which are handled by a courier service. The products are then quality-checked, logged, and redistributed through vetted nonprofit partners and donation events.
A Just Beauty System
Elba's ambition goes far beyond product giveaways. She's building infrastructure and technology to support long-term, measurable change.
Beauty Forward's inventory system, built using SwiftUI and Firestore, is designed to track the journey of every donated item. Using barcode scanning and AI-assisted data capture, the platform assigns each product a unique identifier from intake to distribution. 'We couldn't find an off-the-shelf inventory system that worked for our situation,' she explains. 'So we built one.'
This system enables real-time inventory analysis, allowing the team to identify what's missing (e.g. deodorant or culturally specific hair care) and advocate for those needs through brand relationships or social media.
Challenging the PR Gifting Model
At the heart of Elba's mission is a challenge to one of the beauty industry's most entrenched practices: PR gifting. 'Brands should implement circular logistics,' she says. 'We've proven that excess can become impact rather than waste.'
Rather than discard products that go unused or unposted, Elba encourages brands to reframe them as a resource. 'Overproduction should be seen not as a burden, but as inventory for community impact.'
Major brands have taken note. MAC, Giorgio Armani Beauty, Tarte, and Haus Labs have supported Beauty Access through product donations or financial contributions. That support underscores a shift in how the industry views responsibility.
'We're not just offering critique,' Elba says. 'We're offering infrastructure brands can plug into for the long haul.'
Where Beauty Meets Dignity
This fall, Elba will partner with Women In Need (Win), New York City's largest network of family shelters, to distribute over 500 hygiene and beauty products each month. The offerings include culturally affirming hair care, deodorant, and essential makeup, items that help restore confidence and autonomy to individuals navigating housing insecurity.
'Win is deeply grateful to partner with Beauty Forward,' says Laura Stroud, VP of Development at Win. 'Our partnership has provided our mothers and families with access to high-quality beauty and hygiene products that help our clients feel seen, valued, and empowered as they navigate living in shelter.'
For Elba, these moments define the work. 'That's when it becomes personal,' she says. 'You see the impact face to face.'
For aspiring changemakers, especially Black and brown women, her advice is both practical and ... More encouraging: 'When in doubt, brain dump in your notes app. Take a walk. Ask for help. Just don't stop moving the needle.'
Balancing Purpose and Pressure
Running two complementary organizations hasn't come without friction. As a solo founder without a business degree or PR team, Elba is navigating uncharted territory.
'I'm constantly asking how I can make the most impact without charging beneficiaries while still paying the people who keep this running,' she says.
She also contends with an industry that prioritizes volume and visibility over systemic change. 'I'm building a people-first business in a space that rewards more,' she says. 'Flipping that ideology takes time.'
Personally, she's made difficult decisions to stay aligned with her mission. 'I didn't expect how hard it would be to walk away from people who only think about what an opportunity can do for them—not for others.'
In place of traditional credentials, Elba leans on data and documentation. 'Focus on measurable impact over perfect credentials,' she advises. 'Document everything. Your work becomes your credibility.' For aspiring changemakers, especially Black and brown women, her advice is both practical and encouraging: 'When in doubt, brain dump in your notes app. Take a walk. Ask for help. Just don't stop moving the needle.'
How to Get Involved
Beauty Forward is currently fundraising $250,000 to support its official October launch and future expansion. While the model is being refined in New York City, Elba has her sights set on broader markets.
'Phase one is perfecting operations in New York. Phase two targets cities like Los Angeles, London, and Miami,' she says. 'We're building the infrastructure to become the national solution for beauty industry circularity.'
Elba invites Forbes readers to contribute. Consumers can follow @beautyaccess and visit to share and support the mission. Creators can begin scheduling product pickups starting this October, and brands can explore donation or funding partnerships directly through the site.
'Word of mouth is how we grow our community,' Elba says. 'We're building something new, and we want everyone to be part of it.'
Elba's work aligns with a broader generational shift in consumer values. Platforms like ThredUP, Loop, and Package Free Shop reflect the rise of circular models, and according to Deloitte's 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, roughly two-thirds of Gen Z and millennial consumers say they're willing to pay more for environmentally sustainable products.
For Elba, that momentum is foundational. 'We're not just redistributing products,' she says. 'We're redistributing possibility.'
