Tabitha Brown on the Target Boycott, Donna’s Recipe and Building With Her Husband

Tabitha Brown (0:01)

G-L-A-M, Gloss Angeles.

Sara Tan (0:15)

Tabitha Brown went from a struggling actress to two-time Emmy award-winning children's show host in a matter of 10 years. Incredible. Now, the host, author and entrepreneur also owns two beloved beauty brands, Donna's Recipe and Tab & Chance, and the Fragrance Line. Today, she joins us to discuss how growing up in North Carolina impacted her idea of beauty, her in-depth routine, and the current reality of being a Black-owned beauty brand in Target.

Kirbie Johnson (0:40)

Tabitha Brown, welcome to Gloss Angeles.

Tabitha Brown (0:43)

Thank you for having me. Hello there.

Kirbie Johnson (0:44)

We mentioned this earlier, but Sara and I have been looking forward to this for weeks. When we knew you were coming, we knew that this was going to be a conversation that we're going to leave feeling really good about.

Tabitha Brown (0:55)

Yeah, that makes me happy.

Kirbie Johnson (0:56)

We're thrilled. First of all, we wanted to thank you or congratulate you rather on your Voice of Hope Award.

Tabitha Brown (1:03)

Thank you.

Kirbie Johnson (1:04)

Incredible.

Tabitha Brown (1:05)

Y'all are quick.

Kirbie Johnson (1:06)

Yes.

Tabitha Brown (1:07)

Very good.

Kirbie Johnson (1:08)

And the Voice of Hope Award was through the ALS Nexus Conference, right? And you hosted the dinner?

Tabitha Brown (1:14)

Yeah, I was the keynote speaker and then I hosted the Heroes Dinner. Wow.

Kirbie Johnson (1:17)

Yes, and we're awarded, which is incredible.

Tabitha Brown (1:20)

Yes, congratulations. Complete surprise. Yes, thank you. Oh, I love that.

Kirbie Johnson (1:23)

And you have such a close tie to ALS because of your mother.

Tabitha Brown (1:27)

Yes.

Kirbie Johnson (1:28)

For the listeners who may not be familiar with that story, do you want to just share a little bit about why this was so important for you?

Tabitha Brown (1:34)

Absolutely. So I lost my mother to ALS, which is also called Lou Gehrig's disease in 2007

And so while she was fighting ALS, the ALS Association, they were so helpful to us. A couple of other organizations like Jim Catfish Hunter in North Carolina, because that's where I'm from. They were just the resource that we needed for so many new questions that you had, no idea you would ever have. And the support system that they gave was just so amazing. So after my mother passed away, I always donated to them and tried to volunteer whatever I can in my voice and bring more awareness to ALS, because it's still a very rare disease that people really don't know about it until they know somebody who has it.

And it's quite devastating. And so last year, because every year, listen, the more money I make, the more I donate.

Kirbie Johnson (2:28)

Yes, that's right.

Tabitha Brown (2:30)

They're always like, what else would you like to do? I was like, what else can I do? Please, I'm always bringing awareness. I do the Ice Bucket Challenge.

I talk about my mama all the time, and I share, I do walks, whatever. And so they asked if I wanted to come and be their keynote. I was like, oh my God, yes, I would love to do that. And it was also very, a little bit scary for me. Like, you know, in a weird way, because I had not been in a room full of people who, A, know what ALS is, but also people living with ALS since my mother passed away, because we used to go to her clinic and all the things. And so I had like anxiety, like, oh my God, I hope that I say the right thing. I hope I don't fall apart and just start crying because it's still very emotional for me, even though it's been 19 years.

So I was just so honored to be able to go and talk to the people, talk to even like the clinicians and the physical therapists and the caregivers, which me and my sister were my mom's caregiver.

Everybody's role is so important. And that's so important for me to make them feel seen and loved and appreciated. So that's how it happened. And I did it in honor of my mother and had my sister there with me and the rest of my family. And it was very special. So I was grateful.

Kirbie Johnson (3:44)

Your sister looks just like your mom.

Sara Tan (3:46)

I'm being a good girl.

Kirbie Johnson (3:48)

You said that and then I looked and I go, oh my, they're identical twins.

Tabitha Brown (3:51)

It's crazy.

Kirbie Johnson (3:52)

So that must be almost a comfort in a way, getting to kind of see her face still.