Meet Tomi and Asmeret, two extraordinary women who have set out on a mission to celebrate and uplift Black beauty in all its vastness and diversity. Tomi has had a successful career in the fashion, beauty, and tech industries, currently leading inclusive technology communications at Pinterest. On the other hand, Asmeret boasts an extensive background in luxury fashion production and is now a passionate social activist, fighting food injustice through the One Love Community Fridge.
Their paths crossed through Asmeret's husband, the remarkable Stanley Lumax, who played a role in connecting these like-minded souls. They soon discovered their shared passion for their culture and a desire to build a strong community that pays it forward for future generations.
The duo's journey began with the creation of The Black Beauty Club in 2020, with a primary goal of bridging the resourcing gap for Black beauty founders. The digital conversations they initiated quickly revealed an appetite for discussions rooted in culture, as beauty and wellness rituals are deeply embedded in the heritage of Black people.
For Black women, this space holds significant importance as it embraces the essence of community, a vital aspect of their shared rituals. The Black Beauty Club allows them to learn from each other and experience the vastness of their beauty and culture. Moreover, it lays the foundation for future generations, instilling a sense of self-love that empowers them to navigate life's challenges.
Photo Courtesy of The Black Beauty Club
Defining beauty within the context of Black people proves complex due to the incredible diversity across cultures. However, Tomi and Asmeret recognize beauty as a powerful cultural experience for the Black community, with nuances that are deeply enriching.
The topics discussed within The Black Beauty Club reflect a commitment to creating positive and uplifting conversations. By exploring themes such as the perception of Black queer masc/femme men as beauty consumers and the cultural impact of African beauty products with ingredients from across the diaspora, they shed light on often overlooked aspects of Black beauty.
Photo Courtesy of The Black Beauty Club
The focus on solution-oriented discussions is essential for addressing beauty's deep-rooted challenges, considering the lens society places on beauty that can be anti-feminist and anti-Black, and brown people. Tomi and Asmeret aim to provide a safe space that navigates these experiences with empathy and positivity, even in the face of difficulty.
To support Black women in the beauty space and embrace their beauty, championing one another is vital. They stress the importance of recognizing that Black women are not monolithic entities but diverse individuals with unique stories and experiences.
Photo Courtesy of The Black Beauty Club
For Black women seeking affirmation, Tomi and Asmeret draw inspiration from Toni Morrison's words: "You are your best thing." These empowering words remind Black women of their inherent beauty, strength, and resilience.
As The Black Beauty Club continues to thrive, Tomi and Asmeret envision a future where conversations about beauty remain solution-oriented, fostering unity, acceptance, and celebration of the expansive and ever-evolving essence of Black beauty. Their dedication to uplifting Black beauty culture leaves an indelible mark, empowering the next generation to embrace their heritage and flourish with confidence.
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Feature image courtesy of The Black Beauty Club
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"When I graduated high school, I moved back to America, Georgia, and I ended up making, like, the oil, the Rose Galore oil, which is like the staple product of my brand. I don't know what made me make it, but I did, and it literally cleared my face up," she tells xoNecole in an exclusive interview.
"I end up selling it as a body oil first because, obviously, I'm 17, [and] don't have any background as an esthetician or anything like that. I just made a product that worked for me, but people bought it and was using it, and I reformulated it, and then it just stuck like with me."
While MoonXCosmetics is known for its facial products, it wants to expand to body care and home. It just released its new product, Moon-Gel body wash, and it's only up from there. As Mariee continues to grow the brand, it's more than likely that she will see more history-making moments. And so far she has.
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When asked if she feels pressure to obtain more of those milestones, she says yes and no. "I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more," she says.
"I want to say more reach than more like fast-paced sales. I do want that. Obviously, every girl wants that, but I do want to have a better overall reach for my brand because I did take two years off so I was able to learn, [and] study a lot of different things. See how things have changed from 2020 to now."
"I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more."
Another part of expanding for any company is hiring people. Finding the right person to help you can be a hassle, especially for business owners who are used to doing all the work themselves. Mariee can relate to this, and she touched on this topic in her documentaryThe Million Dollar Story. She recommends having someone be your "right-hand man" who you trust to handle the ins and outs of the company.
"I could say, definitely get, like a right-hand man to help you within the process because that really was what helped me. I never had a job. I literally was 18 now, being like, you know, the boss of over 30+ employees at one point in time, and I didn't know anything. I didn't know anything about no W-2s, no taxes, no clock in, clock out because all I [have] ever known was my brand," she explains.
"So I definitely partner with people who are very skewed and versed in those areas, and they helped me get through it. Even to this day, I still have my same person helping me with hiring, firing, [and] doing everything that I can right now because I'm still learning. But obviously people get jobs young, so they have way more experience than me, but still learning."
And though she is still learning, one thing she makes sure to stay on top of is being consistent. Consistency is what trips many people up when it comes to achieving goals, but Mariee says it's all about scheduling. Whether it's when to post on social media or email marketing, scheduling it out can make a world of difference. That same practice also works when planning out her future goals for the company.
"Right now, future goals would be to drop at least five more products before the end of the year. We always do outreach, where we do drives and all that, but definitely do way more this year, she says. "Then really dive into body [care], and then hopefully open up MoonXBody underneath MoonXCosmetics to let that branch out and be open and definitely get back consistent."
For more information, visit moonxco.com.
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