Cofounders of Mented Cosmetics have achieved a feat only 14 other women of color have achieved before them: they have raised $1 million in investments for their business.
Amanda Johnson and KJ Miller have created Mented, short for pigmented, in order to ensure ‘women of color feel prioritized in the world of beauty.’ The first products they will launch are their vegan nude lipsticks, which are currently available for preorder.
‘We really think we’re onto something here at Mented,’ Johnson told Forbes. ‘Even though women of color have a difficult time raising money if there’s an under-served market investors attack it.’
The $1 million will be used to expand their range of products beyond lipsticks, to include eye palettes, as well as increasing their marketing. So far, Mented has been spread largely by fans who eagerly anticipate the release of their products.
In a statement to Forbes, Miller said ‘Word of mouth has been really exciting for us… Girls have been tagging their friends in their posts. The message is really resonating. Women of color were used to being treated as an afterthought. It’s not every day that you’re a priority.’
They have yet to confirm whether all of their new products will be vegan, however, vegan cosmetics are expected to be the next ‘big thing’, with people becoming increasingly concerned about which animal products are hiding in their makeup.
Image credit: Mented Cosmetics
