Make up Archives - SHOPPE BLACK

Published on October 11, 2019

5 mins read

She Overcame a Health Scare and Launched a Successful Cosmetics Business

BeautyMarked & Co is a Philadelphia based business that offers quality vegan and cruelty free cosmetics and accessories. Founder, Nana Frimpong originally started doing makeup professionally in 2013 while she was in pharmacy school. Even while she worked as a full time pharmacist, she continued to do makeup on the side.

She recently developed a neuromuscular disease that comes with debilitating symptoms that render her unable to work as a pharmacist nor as a make up artist.

Despite this life changing event, Nana was compelled to make the most of her situation. In March of 2019, she started an e-commerce business selling her own brand of cosmetics and beauty accessories. “In a way, my sickness ended up being a blessing in disguise because it gave birth to what is now BeautyMarked & Co.” she says.

Intrigued, we decided to learn more about Nana and her entrepreneurial journey and goals.

How did you decide what products to offer?

As a makeup lover, I definitely wanted to start out with cosmetic products that would cater to everyone, from the busy working mom who doesn’t have time for a full face of makeup to the makeup artist trying to build a cost effective kit. So I started with lipsticks/glosses and mascara – two makeup essentials most women don’t go without.

BeautyMarked

Not everyone has the time or skill to wear false lashes so I really wanted to bring a mascara to the market that brings the most out of your natural lashes but doesn’t break the bank.

I also was fed up with the notion that black women could not wear certain (bright) lip colors because of their skin tone.

So, I shied away from the traditional brown nudes and came out with bright, dark, and bold colored lipsticks that anyone can wear regardless of their skin tone.

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All of my lipsticks can be worn alone or mixed to create unique shades that suit each individual and their preferences. In addition, for those that may not be interested in makeup, I wanted to offer additional beauty products that celebrate my Ghanaian culture. So, I decided to sell Ntoma (also known as Ankara) satin lined bonnets and headwraps.

Every aspect of the brand, from the logo to the product names are completely African inspired. Lipsticks are named after African cities, lip glosses are named after African desert regions, while the bonnets/headwraps are named after the Ghanaian women in my family and common female names of my Ashanti tribe.

What do you like most about owning a business? What do you like least?

The most rewarding aspect of owning a business is definitely working for myself. It’s a lot of hard work, sleepless nights, trial and error but it’s definitely worth it knowing I’m working towards building my own brand. The downside is the time it takes away from my personal life.

For now, I handle all aspects of my business including product development, customer service, social media marketing, etc. and that can be very time consuming.

BeautyMarked

Where do you see your business in 5 years?

I would eventually like to focus solely on cosmetics. I hope to develop a full line of cosmetic products and to make BeautyMarked & Co. a world renowned brand.

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What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?

My first piece of advice to those thinking about starting a business is to start now, with what you have, no matter how small it may be.

There’s never a “right” time to start and you’ll never be prepared enough until you actually take a leap of faith and start. Entrepreneurship is a learning curve; mistakes, failure, trial and error are apart of the process and crucial to learning and ultimately becoming successful.

I would also advise aspiring entrepreneurs to get rid of any negativity, both from yourself and those around you. Fear and doubt are the enemies of success. Entrepreneurship is all about taking risks; the greater the risk the greater the reward.

Sponsored by BeautyMarked & Co.

Published on July 18, 2018July 18, 2018

4 mins read

This Black Owned Makeup Brand Is Now Valued at Over $1 Billion

Pat McGrath Labs, the eponymous cosmetics company launched by the legendary makeup artist back in 2016, has just hit a major financial milestone.

On Monday, New York City-based investment firm Eurazeo Brands announced that it had struck a $60 million deal to become a minority shareholder in the company.

Eurazeo’s investment brings Pat McGrath Labs‘ total external funding to $88 million, according to a press release from the firm. While the specific terms of the deal were not disclosed, industry sources estimate that Eurazeo took a 5 to 8 percent stake in the company, putting its full valuation at more than $1 billion, according to a report by WWD, which also projects that the brand will bring in more than $60 million in sales for 2018.

Pat McGrath Labs has become a popular staple at Sephora, reaching top-selling SKU status and attracting a reported 30 billion social media impressions since its debut. In its two years of business, it has outpaced many other brands, no doubt capturing the attention of industry executives and legacy corporations.

There has been some speculation in the industry as to what the next step, business-wise, would be for the fledgling hit, but for McGrath, the objective of her line has remained constant.

“It has always been my dream to create an iconic beauty brand that goes beyond the usual limitations, that lives outside the parameters of what is expected,” said McGrath in a statement via press release. “I am thrilled to be working with the unique and expert team at Eurazeo Brands.”

Erazeo’s previous investments within the beauty sector include Nest Fragrances, while its fashion investments include Moncler, Vestiaire Collective and Farfetch. It joins McGrath and existing investor ONE Luxury Group (also believed to be a minority stakeholder) in efforts to scale the brand, expand its product offerings and grow its global footprint.

“We are honored to be working with Pat, whose vision, talent and trailblazing history in the beauty industry have set Pat McGrath Labs up to be one of the most authentic and innovative makeup brands to ever come to market,” said Jill Granoff, CEO of Eurazeo Brands, via a press statement.

“We’re excited to combine our experience of building global beauty and fashion brands with Pat and her team’s unmatched creativity and passion.” Granoff, who herself has an extensive background in beauty, spent a decade in senior leadership roles at Estée Lauder and in Victoria’s Secret’s beauty division.

As for what this investment will mean for the company, it’s all about expansion. Pat McGrath Labs is currently sold online at PatMcGrathLabs.com and Sephora.com and in 54 Sephora doors; in the U.S., the brand plans to expand into 90 Sephora stores in the fall, as well as continue building on its “drop” product release strategy. It will also forge ahead with merch and apparel.

“The next phase is to continue our incredible trajectory,” said McGrath exclusively to Fashionista. “We have been so blessed to have such an engaged and passionate customer base and the aim is to continue to provide them with more groundbreaking, straight-from-the-runway products and a makeup experience that they cannot get anywhere else.

I get so much joy and satisfaction when I see how much our loyal customers love the products, it fuels us to come up with even more innovative creative ideas.”

Source: Fashionista

Published on February 21, 2016November 30, 2023

1 min read

20 Black Owned Makeup Brands You Should Know

According to a recent report by McKinsey & Co., Black consumers spent $6.6 billion on beauty products in 2021, 11 percent of the total $60 billion beauty industry.

I’m sure you would agree that Black owned beauty brands should be getting these coins. Here are a just few.