Hello and welcome back to another segment of ‘Noire Excellence’. This week I want you to meet Kayla who is the owner/founder of Kaylux Cosmetics. If you love all things beauty like I do, you have probably have seen her products from satisfied customers all over social media. I wanted to get to know more of the face behind the brand and this interview did just that.  So to see what I found out, all you have to do  is just keep reading.. =)

 

ATBEL: Hey Kayla! Thanks so much for chatting with me today. So let’s get this party started shall we? For those who may not know about you and your brand.. feel free to introduce yourself a little bit and what it is that you do.

KC:  Hey! My name is Kay and I have two brands which are Kaylux Cosmetics and Kaylux Online.

ATBEL: What made you want to start Kaylux Comestics? Have you always wanted to have your own beauty line? And what does Kaylux Cosmetics as a brand represent?

KC: I didn’t always necessarily know that I wanted a beauty brand, but I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur and I even majored in business administration in college. Naturally, I gravitated towards beauty and cosmetics as I aged and so it just made sense. Also, I felt like there was a void in the makeup industry when it came to black women and having shades that are easily available for us. I remembered my professor’s lecture on supply and demand, and then a light bulb went off.

ATBEL: I see that Kaylux Cosmetics just celebrated a year on April 10. Congrats! How does it feel celebrating your one year anniversary?  Have you seen a lot of changes within your brand from when you started until now?

KC: Thank you so much! I am so blessed and grateful to be able to celebrate one calendar year of business. The Small Business Administration says that around 50% of businesses fail within their first year, so to be in the 50% that succeeded is a real blessing.

ATBEL: You have a lot of great products to offer but it seems that your vacation highlighter body oil is a fan favorite. I literally see pictures of it everywhere! What made you want to create the body oil? Did you ever think it would become so popular?

KC: Yes, my Vacation Body Highlighter is my bestselling product. It was inspired by the Tom Ford shimmering oil but it was so overpriced and hard to find, so I decided to create something more affordable and available. I knew it would be a favorite because it looks great on all shades of skin and it’s just such a beauty to look at! It almost markets itself because women are so excited to take videos of how shiny and glittery it looks.

ATBEL: Not only does the body oil come in different scents, but also I love that it’s made with all natural and essential oils. Was creating a formula with those key ingredients very important for the Kaylux Cosmetics brand?

KC: Yes it was and right now I’m trying to increase inventory orders so I can make sure that I stay in stock longer.

ATBEL: So there is body oil, lip gloss, makeup, and eyelashes…(which all sell out very quickly might I add lol) What else can we expect from Kaylux Cosmetics in the future?

 KC: I plan on releasing blushes and lipsticks soon. By the end of 2017 my goal is to almost have a full line of different makeup products and next year I want to release foundation and concealer as well.

 

ATBEL:  Well check you out! That’s awesome. You have had so much success within your first year of business. From gaining a huge fan base that is constantly growing, to being featured in publications like Buzzfeed (she’s #8) and Galore Magazine… what advice would you give for other entrepreneurs who are starting their own business? Are there any do’s and don’t that first time business owners should know about?

 

KC: My advice would be to learn as much as you can before going into business. Unfortunately, I didn’t and the first 6 months of business was me realizing how much I didn’t know about running a business. Many times, I literally entertained the idea of quitting altogether because I was so overwhelmed. Before I launched, I was really confident that I knew enough, and I was wrong. I also learned quickly that mistakes in business aren’t so innocent. They cost money and can even potentially tank your company. My advice is to not just jump into anything; slow and steady truly wins the race.

ATBEL: That’s some really great advice and I’m glad you didn’t give up because I need that Beyoncé glow from that vacation body oil for when I’m on the beach this summer. Lol So what keeps Kayla motivated?

KC: Honestly, a lot of my own motivation is my success. In the beginning, my motivation was my hunger to live a better life. Before Kaylux Cosmetics, I was financially struggling and very lost. I didn’t know what I wanted to do exactly, or what my next step should be. I put all my money and time into Kaylux and it paid off. Now, my motivation is seeing how far I can go. Also, I have a lot of younger nieces and nephews and I’d love to be that role model to show them that you can do anything you put your mind to.

ATBEL: I know that’s right! So you already know I got to get my viewers connected to you. Where can they find you and Kaylux Cosmetics via social media?

KC: All of my personal social medias are @Kaylarwill on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. Kaylux Cosmetics is on Twitter and Instagram under the handle @kayluxcosmetics

ATBEL: That pretty much wraps up everything I have for you today. Thanks again for taking the time out to chat with me and I wish you nothing but the best in the future. Keep that Black Girl Magic of yours shining bright.. this is only the beginning! =)

KC: Thank you so much Erica!

 

And there you have it! I just love seeing Black women out here doing big things and I know Kayla will continue sprinkling that Black Girl Magic beauty all over the place. Make sure you go check her website out and support because I promise that you won’t be disappointed. Do you have someone you think should be nominated for another ‘Noire Excellence’ segment? I’d love to hear about it so feel free to send me your suggestions to AsToldByEricaLeigh@gmail.com

Until next time loves..

Erica Leigh