“You have to decide what you want, and go after it with every fiber of your being.”
That is the mantra Melissa Butler adopted for her brand The Lip Bar, a vegan, cruelty free collection of lip colors that have become a go-to for many Black celebrities, influencers, and trendsetters online. Going hard for the company she started after leaving her job as a stock broker on Wall Street has since paid off handsomely. I caught up with the Detroit native to find out how she managed to push past some early challenges–like not landing an investment deal on ABC’s hit show, The Shark Tank–to strategically getting her brand onto the shelves of Target.
What inspired you to start The Lip Bar?
I was working on Wall Street. Completely unfulfilled, unsatisfied, un-everything lol. And I decided instead of complaining I’d change my path. I didn’t know I’d land on beauty. I always tell people I’m not a makeup enthusiast. But I’ve always loved lipstick. There’s something so feminine and powerful about it. And I truly believe that one stroke of color will give you enough confidence to take on the day. So here I am, a lipstick lover, hating my job and attempting to be more kind to my body by using products that weren’t chemically laden. When it came to hair and skin care, it was easy to find more natural alternatives. But when it came to lip colors, the only natural items I could find were boring colors. So I started making lipstick in my kitchen for personal use. And BAM, The Lip Bar is born. Through my research, I found many troubling things about the beauty industry and I figured, I could be the solution.
