St. Paul woman opens storefront for plant-based cosmetics company

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – Lip Esteem, a new Black lady-owned business enterprise marketing plant-based mostly cosmetics, celebrated its grand opening in St. Paul on Friday. 

Tameka Jones, who grew up in St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood, was a make-up artist for more than 20 several years when she was furloughed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

But that’s when she took her destiny into her very own arms, and her desire of launching her possess cosmetics organization grew to become a actuality. She took all her savings to make her personal line of lipsticks, termed Lip Esteem. And despite the pandemic and people today donning masks, she located substantially achievements at local pop-up situations that she opened her own retail store in the Rondo community on Friday afternoon.

“I want to produce generational wealth for me, and not only for me, but to support develop the community,” Jones reported. 

She grew up in Rondo and noticed a thriving community of Black small business proprietors, and she wanted to be element of the revitalization initiatives taking place in the community. 

Tameka Jones of Lip Esteem (FOX 9)

Lip Esteem is a cosmetics company that will make plant-primarily based, gluten-absolutely free and cruelty-totally free goods. Jones stated this is significant simply because lipsticks with other fillers in them damage women of all ages. 

“I want to have a product or service that is likely to be attractive and loving to girls,” she mentioned. 

Jones hopes to expand the cosmetic line to include things like eyeshadow, mascara and more. 

Lip Esteem, at 876 Selby Ave. in St. Paul, opened on April 15.