Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeri Guyette.
Hi Jeri, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I began my makeup journey as far back as the age of five. My grandmother, Frances Louise Washington-Sutton (Weisy), would let me do her makeup and play in her jewelry. We would watch old Hollywood movies together and I would be fascinated with all the glamour onscreen. By the time I was in my teens, I knew that I wanted to become a makeup artist and work in theatre and film. I also wanted to have my own makeup line by the age of twenty-five. I moved to New York at seventeen and attended Wilfred Beauty Academy. After obtaining my New York state license, I got married, had children, and traveled the world as a navy spouse. I obtained multiple licenses and certifications in five states and three countries as a Master Cosmetologist, Paramedical Aesthetician, Certified Medical and Clinical Electrologist, Laser Hair Removal and Skin Regeneration Technician, and Camouflage Makeup Artist. I’ve also worked with world-renowned plastic and cosmetic surgeons as well as dermatologists. I eventually enrolled in college at the age of thirty-six. It took me eleven years due to health issues, the dissolution of my marriage, working full-time and becoming a single mom but in 2016, I finished and completed by Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Biology. During that time, I also enrolled in a Clinical Laboratory Technology program and obtained an Associate Degree.
Following my internship working in the hospital labs, I realized that I missed being in the beauty industry. I also yearned to fulfill my earlier dream of owning my own cosmetic line. By this time, I knew that people would think it was too late in life to pursue this, but I didn’t care. One thing I’ve learned about myself is that if the idea doesn’t go away, I must pay attention to it. To me, that’s a passion; a calling. With so many changes to my own skin, I found that what I was searching for in cosmetics didn’t exist. I had entered perimenopause and needed my makeup to be more hydrating and nourishing to my estrogen-depleted skin. On June 15, 2019, at the age of forty-nine, I launched Vintage Vixen Cosmetics LLC, a luxury cosmetics company especially created for multi-ethnic women ages thirty-five and “Finer” to help boost collagen production and maintain moisture.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Unfortunately, it has not. But honestly, I didn’t expect it to be. First, I started a cosmetics company especially for older or as I say, “Finer” women. That, in itself, was going to pose a lot of problems because the beauty industry is obsessed with youthfulness. Launching a company specifically geared towards an under-represented demographic caused some ridicule. Many people think that once women reach a certain age that they should slowly diminish into society. That meant less bold, vibrant makeup, more muted conservative clothing, etc. Pretty much a whole dismantling of individual personalities. I’ve always been a lover of unique apparel, fun makeup and wearing what made me feel happy and free. I’m a creative and believe that although we are intrinsically ageing, we are still ourselves at our core. If a woman liked rock and roll and punk rock hair in her youth, she is still going to like those things even as she ages. Society likes to whitewash women after the age of forty and so I knew my message had to come loud and clear. GenX and Boomers are a whole different breed these days and I am loving the Pro-Age movement! Just to get women to acknowledge and embrace ‘The Gift of Longevity’, let alone state their age proudly was a huge challenge. Second, I started my business just two months before I turned fifty. I was already behind the curve because while most women my age were closer to earning a pension or had grown and achieved business success, I was just getting started, I didn’t have the advantage of youth on my side. That meant I had to work harder. And anyone who knows me knows that I’m a big advocate of working smarter instead.
Once we launched in 2019, 2020 brought Covid-19. The pandemic canceled all our Pop-up shops, conferences, and expos. As a strictly online business, this wreaked havoc on both sales and growth. I had to pivot and create another resource for us to receive more brand recognition and exposure. I was already doing Facebook Lives every Saturday to build customer rapport but during the quarantine, I went live six days a week, twice on Saturdays and Sundays. I did that for three months straight while hosting raffles which gave our customers a chance to win our products and try them out personally. Once the mask mandate came into effect, our lipstick sales plummeted. This posed another challenge and after brainstorming, I came up with a solution, contacted several manufacturers overseas, and after procuring an agreement for a small initial MOQ, created and launched The Mask-Her-Aid Clear-Mouth Face Mask. This mask had an adjustable, enclosed wire nose, adjustable ear-loop straps and was made of one hundred percent cotton with a square TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) clear mouth. This allowed our customers to not only stay safe but also to showcase their bold lip colors and beautiful smiles.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Vintage Vixen Cosmetics LLC?
Vintage Vixen Cosmetics is the first Black woman-owned color cosmetics company especially created for mature women and is based on retro Hollywood. Our lipsticks contain nourishing botanicals like avocado, castor seed, and coconut oils, Shea Butter, and Vitamin E. These ingredients provide antioxidant protection against free radicals and defense against harmful UVA and UVB rays. Our 15-color Little Black Purse Palette is infused with ethically sourced palm oil to help glide over thin, crepe skin and can be used as eyeshadows, eyeliners, blushes, highlighters, and lip enhancements. Our 24K Gold eye and lip masks contain hyaluronic acid, which holds a thousand times its weight in water, thereby increasing moisture retention and hydrolyzed collagen to plump fine lines and wrinkles and rosa rugosa flower extract to lighten dark undereye discoloration and diminish puffiness. These are especially needed for menopausal women as the loss of estrogen leads to the loss of collagen as well, with increased dryness of skin. We are also paraben and cruelty-free and mostly Vegan friendly.
What sets us apart is that our company stands in the gap of the beauty industry to serve and represent mature women allowing them to still feel beautiful and relevant despite ageing. We hope to inspire them to empowerment, disrupt ageism, and change beauty standards. I am most proud that we have become the go-to brand for middle-aged women so much so that we have procured a contract with ResiDNT Media and are now The Official Cosmetic Sponsor for the Celebrity Mamas Check-in Reality TV Show airing soon. I would like for your readers to know that we aren’t just a beauty brand. We are a movement! As The ProGenerative Cosmetic ™, we are pro-ageing and strive to meet women where they currently are in their life journey. There is so much beauty and untapped potential in their second, third, and even fourth chapters of life!
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Well, by nature I tend to be a cautious person. I like to weigh the pros and cons of each major decision. I live for the details! But once I set my sights on accomplishing a certain goal or path to take, I can be very tenacious. So, I guess you could say I’m an intermediate risk taker. I won’t just dive into any opportunity or anyone. Whatever the project is, it must align with my goals and my visions. It also must be ethical and sit well with my conscience. I’m not adverse to risk taking per se because as you can see, I’ve taken a tremendous risk founding my business so late in life. I am, however, an analytical person so I try to use discernment.
Contact Info:
- Website: vintagevixencosmetics.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vintagevixencosmetics/
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/vintagevixencosmeticsllc
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/vintagevixencos
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_t5XAKtbyAv1O8mZSXkesA
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@vintagevixencosmetics
Image Credits
Photographer: C. E. Smith Photography, Cover and photos 1-4 Photographer: Arin-Louis Guyette, photos 5-8
