A Few Minutes with Weslei Thomas
On beauty, business, and what the Bread x CODB acquisition means for the culture.
Who says you can’t drop your newsletter a day early?
I skipped the usual article recs and trending tidbits last Sunday—and I’ve been feeling slightly off ever since. But there was one big story I couldn’t stop thinking about: Topicals (well, Cost of Doing Business, the holding company led by Topicals founder Olamide Olowe and Topicals president Sochi Mbadugha) acquired Bread Beauty Supply. What does this mean? CODB Holdings will now own and operate the premium hair care brand.
Bread is a pandemic baby, launched in 2020 and founded by Aussie Maeva Heim. You can read here about the brand’s million-dollar blunder after a truck of products was stolen. Their packaging is minimalist, and their products are essential—at least in my book. I regularly use their "scalp-thingy," a scalp massager and stimulator, the multi-use styling gloss, and my holy grail, the botanical styling gel. The packaging is minimalist, the e-commerce photoshoots, and social media presence show that textured, kinky, curly, wavy, nappy (can we reclaim that?) hair care can be chic too!
Their acquisition and now trajectory of growth push back against a cultural climate where Black founders—especially lifestyle and personal care brands—are being hit hard by tariffs. We’ve seen Tabitha Browns, Maya Smith (founder of The Doux), and Melissa R. Butler (founder of The Lip Bar) publicly post about DEI rollbacks and lack of funding. See this ESSENCE article for more.
“Excited” is a cheap word, but it’s how I feel about Bread’s acquisition and growth. I won’t get on my soapbox, but I’ve long felt that Black hair brands, even with exceptional products, often feel antiquated in their messaging, leaning heavily on Afrocentric names or over-the-top references to Black culture. Bread is different. It’s for textured hair—not just a specific community or aesthetic. BREAD’s approach feels effortless, natural, and accessible. It’s haircare for everyone with textured hair, for the cool girls with afros. And who better than Topicals founder Olamide Olowe and their team to further punctuate that cool? They rebranded acne products and did it with primarily Black influencers.
We're almost done with the Sephora sale madness where you can pick up BREAD, and I thought, who better to talk to about the practice of beauty, the haircare line’s acquisition, and what she’s buying from this week’s sale than Weslei Thomas?
I don’t remember how I came across Weslei’s Instagram, but she’s a refreshing follow. A micro-influencer currently the Content and Community Manager over at BREAD, she has an unhurried, coy, and sharp approach to beauty content and personal care.
Her hair is full, and her life is too. Outside of BREAD, she also creates content independently and acts. Meet Weslei below.
What are the top five things you’re eyeing at the Sephora sale?
For this Sephora Sale, I’m really only eyeing 3 things, and they’re all just restocks!
The Olehenriksen Strength Peptide Boost Moisturizer. I was introduced to this when I shot for them a couple of years ago. I had to use a combination of their products for a while before we shot, and this really stuck with me. I love how my skin felt, and always come back to her, even if I start using other things. Always good to have it on deck.
The Eadem Cashmere Peel Toner. I don’t need to restock this yet, but my skin has been loving it for the last month and a half, so I highly recommend it.
The Kiehl’s Body Butter is a great layering base for my fragrances. They last longer when I use this body butter. It is also moisturizing and adds a nice glow to my body. I love a lot of body creams and lotions and use different things frequently. I like to always have this available.
For someone with more than five items on their wishlist, what are your best tips for being smart + intentional about buying new beauty products, especially during sale seasons?
I would assess what you currently have in your beauty wardrobe. Take inventory, see if something that you already own is comparable to the things you want to buy. I always say, if it’s not a YES, then it’s a no. This has saved me from a lot of impulse purchases. Some questions to ask yourself: Are you just buying to buy it? Are you just obsessed with marketing? Or is it something you are genuinely feening over? Give yourself time to think about it, and if you can’t get it out of your head, it may be time to buy. But please, limit yourself to 3 things. You never want to get caught up in the hype of a sale.
For anyone looking to get into beauty content creation, where do you recommend they start?
Start with the items in your kit and practice, practice, practice. Force yourself to shoot even on the days you don't want to. Check out the pages of some of your favorite brands and try to replicate their content style. Post those videos and tag the brands you dream of working with.
I’ve heard people talk about eating and sleeping for beauty, like making sure you're getting enough rest. Outside of physical products, diets, or beauty routines like gua sha or dry brushing, what do you do that helps you with a positive self-concept? To feel beautiful?
I guess I don’t know how to answer this question, because it comes down to a feeling. I’ve learned to be ok with myself and who I am at my core, which was a very long process and is not something that happens overnight. It’s also a personal journey, with ebbs and flows.
With Bread Beauty Supply being acquired by CODB Holdings — a creative services and investment platform launched by Olamide Olowe, founder of Topicals, and Sochi Mbadugha, president of Topicals — what do you think this means for the future of Black beauty and personal care brands, especially in a political climate that has posed challenges for many of them?
I think this acquisition sends a message of community, which is very much needed now. There's something very special about two Black women coming together to support and protect a Black-owned brand. A brand that was created with the needs of black people at its center. Often we see how acquisitions basically gentrify Black-owned businesses. They lose their authenticity, credibility, and connection with their audience, and the truth in their storytelling. I feel like this merge sends a clear message that we aren't going anywhere, and better yet, we are here to support one another/build each other up.
I'm curious about the messaging around inclusivity. Sometimes, it feels like there's a delicate balance for Black-owned brands, particularly in beauty, where there's a desire to highlight the products made "for us" and celebrate Black beauty creators while also communicating broader appeal. How do you balance that specific focus with ensuring the message resonates with a wider audience? How do platforms like social media and community events factor into this strategy?
Truthfully, it is a tricky balance, especially because you don’t want to isolate your community, but you’re also trying to build a business you want to grow and expand. As a Black woman who is also a consumer, I know what I wish to see from brands and am actively listening to what other Black people are asking for. So, I bring that perspective when I clock into work. I make a conscious effort to bring forth Black creators who have different complexions and hair textures and come from all over so that more of us can feel seen. I make Black people the priority when creating these lists for community events, giftings, or new creators we want to work with. Then, I try to layer in people familiar with the brand or those I feel could genuinely connect with our aesthetic. But beyond that, it is so unbelievably important to have Black people who resonate with their blackness in these positions across marketing, influencer strategy, community building, etc. I believe it sets the tone for your audience, messaging, and overall ethos.
What does your downtime look like? How do you still play with makeup, skincare, and hair care, especially when it's part of your job?
Lots of relaxing. This year, I’m forcing myself to take on hobbies and things that I enjoyed when I was younger because I am a struggling workaholic and don’t want to burn out. I’ve been knitting a lot, watching movies, moving my body, filming, and creating things for myself. When it comes to makeup, skincare, haircarecare, I just let myself play! I try not to take it too seriously and I am quite curious when I engage with new products. I actually don’t wear makeup regularly, so when I am trying something new, I am genuinely trying to understand what is in front of me, how it works, and how to use it in the small makeup routine I do have. Skincare has always been fun for me, but I am very picky about what I put on my skin. haircarecare; I’m on a haircare journey now. I’ve been natural for about 10 years now, and only 7 months ago, I started doing wash n’ gos. So it’s been a fun process of listening to what my hair needs and figuring out what actually works for her.
What are three places in LA that consistently offer visually stunning experiences, in your opinion?
Love the Long Beach Aquarium! If you want to feel grounded and connected to nature I recommend popping in some headphones, putting on a soothing playlist, and watching the fish swim. Something about that just alters my brain chemistry. The next place would be the Getty Museum, sorry. I love the little subway up, and honestly, sitting in the small courtyard before you’re admitted to the Getty is lovely. The final place is very specific. It would be the Universal Studios Cart Tour. I grew up doing Theatre, went to college for Theatre, and got my degree in Theatre with an emphasis in Performance, so I like to drive around and look at my future.
Big love to Weslei for the gems. If you’re not already following her, fix that and stay tuned for next week’s letter with all of the content recommendations.
Does Cost of Business still own BREAD? It's something I've been wondering.