Like so many in especially hard-hit BIPOC communities, the gripping pandemic forced furloughs and lockdowns. St. Paul make-up artist, Tameka Jones became unemployed. There was now time to research and contemplate her next steps. “I always thought I was a chemist until my attempt at mixing a plant-base, gluten free, lipstick was quite unsuccessful. Either it was too sticky, too waxy, or the color didn’t come through. But I didn’t give up. My internal instinct told me I had something unique, a product idea that could be successful and make women feel good. So, I went back to researching and was blessed to find a company that manufactured lipstick. I was then prepared to start a brand. A year ago, Lip Esteem was introduced to the market.”
Jones is proud to say her company has been an absolute joy and having her daughter work with her is an added boost. At her dad’s request, she created a men’s lip balm called ‘So Smooth”. Their business mantra: Bringing happiness and beauty back from difficult predicaments; bringing all cultures together one tube at a time! Her website includes an array of lipsticks, lip glosses, and lip liners with catchy names and fabulous colors. The beauty consultant is still involved in private makeovers and tutorials emphasizing glamor and fun.
Jones appears on Season 6, Episode 3, of Small Business Revolution. Not sure she met the criteria for being on the show, she said, “There really wasn’t one thing that helped me to qualify. It was just this internal voice telling me to trust that what was intended to happen would, and it did. Come to think about it, I was marketing lip products when everyone was wearing masks. Talk about having faith and hearing the insistence of my ancestors telling me to ‘keep calm’, keep confident, and keep going.”
Jones said she is relocating her retail business from Mall of America to a store in St. Paul’s Rondo Neighborhood.
Contact Information:
Facebook – lipesteem LLC
Instagram – Lip_Esteem (underscore)
(651) 788-7868
