Today we’d like to introduce you to Shavanti Dunn.
Shavanti, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I began Shantis La’Chon Cosmetics in 2017 in my kitchen. I’d got my start in the beauty industry after I came across a video on YouTube about “DIY Lipstick” making promoting a lipstick kit sold with everything needed to make Lipsticks; including a ready-made lipstick base. I wasn’t able to wear lipstick until I was 16 but I always loved it! I’ve always been obsessed with anything vibrant. I’d stand in the beauty aisles for an hour swatching colors and I’d even try sneaking a little color on my lips with the help of my mom behind my dad’s back (definitely was a fail, dad’s see everything). I asked for the kit for Christmas and my younger sister actually got it for me as a gift. I was so excited that I immediately got right into lipstick making. I created about nine different colors and they were bold and beautiful but the formula of the ready-made base was horrible. The lipstick literally slid off my lips and down on to my chin. Now that I think about it That probably could have been a new trend you never know, but I definitely wasn’t going to find out. It was after multiple fails that I decided I wanted better quality lipsticks and in order to do that, I needed to create a formula of my own.
Over the next few months, I studied various oils, waxes, butters, minerals, etc. Through trial and error, I finally perfected a matte and semi-matte lipstick formula from scratch! That really kicked things off for me because I’d created a product that I was and still am very proud of. I sell it and people love it! I’ve been compared to top brands in the industry and I absolutely give them a run for their money. It’s been two years and as of today, I’ve created several additional collections featuring different formulas such as the “Butter Me Up” Velvety Butter Glosses, Shimmering “Hollywood Glam” Glosses, “Summer Nudes” Glosses and my most recent collection launched this fall, “Café” inspired Lipsticks. My products encourage women to embrace individuality and experiment with all of God’s beautiful colors. It’s important whenever I create something new that I incorporate vibrant themes and top it off with delicious scents. I want my customers to feel happy when they see, feel, and even smell my products. Shantis La’Chon Beauty products are sold exclusively online www.shantislachon.com as well as on social media @shantislachon.
Great, 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?
This journey has been a difficult one but it makes for a great story. I grew up in Maryland with extremely hard-working parents. My dad retired from PG fire department and my mom was a pre-school teacher. My parents moved on to own a daycare center that I worked at since the age of 11 every day after school. After losing the business to a fire, we’ve been in the restaurant business since. At 24, I’ve been balancing putting myself through college, working a job in retail, working for my parent’s restaurant and investing time into my goals and dreams. My days are long and tiresome. However, I maintain a 4.0, create amazing products and support my family’s business. Being completely honest if you know anything about family business it’s difficult, a lot of sacrifices especially when it’s only a staff of immediate family members. What motivates me is creating a better life while empowering the lives of others and in order to do that I have to continue dreaming BIG and hustling regardless of my circumstances.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Shantis La’Chon – what should we know?
I create lip products by hand. I mix and mold and package lipsticks into brilliant colors. I create my products in my kitchen! People are always amazed by that. I like to consider myself a mad scientist when it comes to making lip products. I’m known for having matte lipsticks that do not dry the lips out as well as my non-sticky glosses and a wide selection of colors for all skin tones. I’m most proud of my ability to create products that really gear towards what customers would desire or appreciate most in their beauty products as well as my ability to recognize and stray away from the qualities that they may dislike in products already existing in the market. Whenever I create a product, I test it several times and make sure that any improvements I can make before sharing a product with the world are made. I’m quite picky when it comes to what I spend my hard-earned money on and what benefits I’m looking for out of a product and that really helps me put myself in the customer’s shoes and deliver them the best products.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Accepting your past and embracing your future is essential to becoming successful. It’s so important that you never give up on you. If I had to start over, I wouldn’t have done anything differently. It feels a little crazy to say that because I’m at a very interesting time in my life and I work extremely hard but I also believe in God’s plan. All of my struggles, fails and successes serve a purpose and the purpose is bigger than any purpose I could have tried to create for myself. I learn lessons each and every day and I apply them to better myself as a person as well as my business. Shantis La’Chon wouldn’t be the brand it’s becoming if anything in my life had been done differently than it was.
Pricing:
- All Lip Products $10
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shantislachon.com
- Email: shantisd7@yahoo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shantislachon/?hl=en
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