Today we’d like to introduce you to Caressa Smith-Wilson.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
It all started as a T-shirt business. I decided I wanted to start a T-shirt line catering to women with any kind of hair. The slogan I used was “fearful and wonderful MANE.” This was a spin to the scripture that states that we are all fearfully and wonderfully made. I wanted people to know that however they wore their hair, or however their hair looked, they were beautiful, period! The lipstick line came into play because I wanted to find a way to honor iconic black women. We usually hear about the ones we’ve only learned about in history class, but there are so many other Black females that are the epitome of “Black Girl Magic.” I thought it would be an awesome idea to name each lipstick shade after these iconic women!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road hasn’t been smooth at all. Anyone who is an entrepreneur can tell you the road isn’t easy. There are days where business is booming, and the money is coming in fast. However, there are days where sales are slow and the money isn’t coming in much. It can get discouraging at times, but I realize this is something I want to do, so I continue to push and promote and have faith that my business will flourish.
Please tell us about Beau by Caressa Elizabeth.
Beau by Caressa Elizabeth is a lipstick line, and we also design custom shirts, wine glasses, etc. We have over 20 shades of matte lipsticks, and lipglosses combined. What separates us from other cosmetic companies, is the fact that each of our lipsticks and glosses are named after iconic black women. On our site, we show the lipstick shade, the name and a little background behind the person the lipstick is named after. I think what makes me proud as the business owner, is the fact that I decided to “color outside of the lines.” I decided I wanted to honor women who look like me, because we may not get the recognition we need every day. I want to add, all through all of our colors are named after African American Women, our lipstick is for every and anyone, no matter the race!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I don’t think I would’ve done anything differently. Everything I’ve done thus far has been a learning experience for me. If I’ve had any fails during this journey, I’ve taken it and I’ve learned from it.
Pricing:
- Lip Glosses $12
- Matte Lipsticks $15
- Custom Tshirts start at $15
- Wine glasses/coffee mugs start at $12
Contact Info:
- Website: www.beaubyce.com
- Email: beaubycaressa@gmail.com
- Instagram: Beaubycaressa
- Facebook: Beau by Caressa
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
