Bronx native Chantel Francis built her beauty supply vending machine business from the ground up to solve a problem she once experienced before graduating from State University of New York (SUNY) at Brockport in 2024, where she earned a bachelor of applied science degree.
While on campus, she did not have access to the beauty and personal care products she needed. “As a Black woman, it wasn’t just inconvenient, it was isolating,” she told Canvas Rebel. “From textured hair products to skincare essentials that actually worked for melanin-rich skin, none of it was easily available in the campus bookstore or local stores near my school. That lack of access affected how I showed up in my classes, at events, and even in my own confidence. I realized I wasn’t the only one and I knew someone had to change that.”
She became the person to fill that gap with Hello Beauty, a beauty supply vending machine making waves on New York campuses and bringing what she calls accessibility, representation, and confidence to students who are often left out of mainstream retail…